James - Is This Letter For Me?

James - Is This Letter For Me?

James 1:1b “… to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad:”

James addresses this epistle to the twelve tribes of the diaspora. One’s first reaction is that this book is addressed primarily to Jews, and in James’ context, it was. As believers in Jesus Christ, however, we who are born Gentiles after the flesh have become by faith sons of faithful Abraham (Rom. 4:16; Gal. 3:7, 14, 29). As such, I am included as an addressee of this epistle.

Having established that I am a child of Abraham by faith, what is the significance of that?

1. I am an heir of God’s promises to Abraham, but not necessarily an heir of God’ promises to Moses or David. I am a child of grace but not a child of the Law. I do not know how far I can or should take that distinction or its logical extensions.
2. My relationship with God is a product of and essentially the same Abraham’s relationship with God. For example, Abraham was called “the friend of God” (James 2:23, Exodus 33:11, 2 Chronicles 20:7). As Jesus’s friend, I share with Abraham that friendship with God in Christ (John 15:14-15).
3. I share access to salvation in the same way Abraham did. I am redeemed not by my natural blood lineage – no one is – but I am redeemed by the saving blood of Jesus Christ. In his day, Abraham saw that redemption as a promise, but I see it as an historical fact – indeed, the most important fact of all human history.
   

Lord, through Thy work and righteousness, I have a place as a son of God by the new birth and by adoption, and You see me as the spiritual seed of Abraham. As I would not shame my natural father’s name, so even more I seek to be an honor and credit to Thy name.