I’M SAVED, NOW WHAT? (part-02)

I’M SAVED, NOW WHAT? (part-02)

When we read the book of James we can get a clearer understanding
of trials and temptations. James also includes a lot of information
about living the Christian life. Taking these verses one at a time, we
can discover more about God’s instructions to us as believers. We will
start our journey with the first book of James.
    James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
    to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.
    (James 1:1)

More than likely he was writing to believing Jews who lived outside
of Palestine. This is important because if he was writing to believers
during his time, then what he says to them is applicable to all believers.

WHO IS JAMES?
The first question we may have is, “Just who is this James?”
    He was one of the sons of Zebedee, and not the apostle who
    was the first of the twelve to be killed (after Judas) by King Herod.
        It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who
        belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He
        had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.
        (Acts 12:1-2)

    He was the one identified as a leader of the Jerusalem church shortly
    after the other apostle James’ death (mentioned in Acts 12:1-2). When
    Peter was saved from prison (and his impending death), he referred
    specifically to James, along with the other brothers in Christ.
        Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described
        how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and
        the brothers about this,” he said, and then he left for another
        place. (Acts 12:17)

    His parents were Mary and Joseph, which means he was the half-brother
    of Jesus. Why was he a half-brother? Because the Holy Spirit was the
    father of Jesus and Joseph was the father of James.
        When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there.
        Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their
        synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this
        wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. “Isn’t this
        the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t
        his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? (Matthew 13:53-55)

    James and his brothers did not believe in Jesus during His earthly ministry.
        After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away
        from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life.
        But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, Jesus’
        brothers said to him, “You ought to leave here and go to Judea,
        so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. No one who
        wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are
        doing these things, show yourself to the world.” For even his
        own brothers did not believe in him. (John 7:1-5)

    After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to James.
        Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached
        to you, which you received and on which you have taken your
        stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the
        word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
        For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance:
        that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that
        he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according
        to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the
        Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the
        brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though
        some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all
        the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one
        abnormally born. (1 Corinthians 15:1-7)

    James and his brothers were in the upper room prior to Pentecost.
        After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a
        cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up
        into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in
        white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do
        you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has
        been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same
        way you have seen him go into heaven.” Then they returned to
        Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath
        day’s walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs
        to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter,
        John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew
        and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot,
        and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly
        in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus,
        and with his brothers. (Acts 1:9-14)

    James was the one who summarized a meeting with the Jerusalem
    council over the issue of circumcision. The order of events are as
    follows:
        Some were teaching that circumcision was a requirement for
        salvation. Paul and Barnabus engaged in a heated debate with
        them over this issue.
            Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and
            were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised,
            according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be
            saved.”This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute
            and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed,
            along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see
            the apostles and elders about this question. The church sent
            them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia
            and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted.
            This news made all the believers very glad. When they came
            to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the
            apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God
            had done through them. Then some of the believers who
            belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said,
            “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep
            the law of Moses.” (Acts 15:1-5)

        Then Peter addressed the council.
            The apostles and elders met to consider this question.
            After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them:
            “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a
            choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my
            lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who
            knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving
            the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not
            discriminate between us and them, for he purified their
            hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by
            putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we
            nor our ancestors have been able to bear? No! We believe
            it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved,
            just as they are.” (Acts 15:6-11)

    Paul and Barnabus spoke to them next.
        The whole assembly became silent as they listened to
        Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders
        God had done among the Gentiles through them.
        (Acts 15:12)

    James presents his summary.
        When they finished, James spoke up: “Brothers, listen to
        me. Simon has described to us how God at first showed
        his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself.
        The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is
        written: “ ‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen
        tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, that the
        remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who
        bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’ that
        have been known for ages. “It is my judgment, therefore,
        that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are
        turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them
        to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality,
        from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. For Moses
        has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is
        read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.” (Acts 15:13-21)

    He was still the church leader when Paul came to Jerusalem.
        When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters
        received us warmly. The next day Paul and the rest of
        us went to see James, and all the elders were present.
        Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had
        done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
        (Acts 21:17-19)

    When James refers to himself as “a servant of God and of the
    Lord Jesus Christ”, we can see that apparently he viewed his
    relationship to ‘Jesus as Lord’ as being more important than
    his relationship to ‘Jesus as his half-brother’.

    This is a significant consideration for all believers.
    We should ask ourselves if our relationship with the Lord
    our most important priority? If not, then why not?
    We all know that horizontal relationships (those with other
    human beings) are important, however our vertical connection
    (with Jesus) should be our most valuable relationship.

    Relationships grow as we spend more time with others. The time spent
    together gives us a much better perspective of the ‘real’ person. We get
    a better understanding of their personality, their habits, their priorities,
    their likes and dislikes, and the reason they do the things they do.

    If our desire is to be more like Jesus (and it should be), then we need
    to spend time getting to know Him better. He is the model child of
    God and if we want to be better children of God, then we should try
    to pattern ourselves after Jesus.