Sermon: Words, Wisdom, Desire and Humility
Martin Luther famously dismissed the book of James as "an epistle of straw" with "nothing of the nature of the gospel about it," but this assessment misses the profound Gospel foundation that underlie
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By Matt Heerema
Martin Luther famously dismissed the book of James as "an epistle of straw" with "nothing of the nature of the gospel about it," but this assessment misses the profound Gospel foundation that underlies James's practical teachings. Rather than being merely a collection of commands and "to dos" that earn "heaven points," James presents wisdom and instructions that are deeply rooted in Gospel truth. The tendency to view James as only moralistic imperatives overlooks the explicit Gospel message woven throughout his letter.