James

ENDURANCE IS SETTING ASIDE PRIVILEGES WHICH WEAKEN ME OR OTHERS.

"It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles" (Rom. 14;21). Men one measure of mature Christian is his willingness to refrain from activities which some Christians think are right and others believe are wrong.

True love will always show deference. deference is limiting our freedom in order not to offend the convictions of other Christians. The alternative to deference is defending our right to engage in questionable activities. This defense usually involves trying to prove that the activity is acceptable, but the real question does not concern the activity at all. Now my brothers the real question is whether we are willing to cause a weaker Christian to stumble.

In every period of church history there have been questionable activities which have caused Christians to be divided. When this matter was discussed in the very first church council, clear principles were given which required Christians to set aside any activity which would spiritually weaken themselves or others. One measure of a mature Christian is his willingness to refrain from activities which some Christians think are right and others believe are wrong.

Listen to this short story: A man carefully chose the best lamb of his flock and made his way to the heathen temple. Then he sacrificed it according to the temple ritual. A pagan priest took the lamb, slipped out of the temple and went directly to the meat market. In order to get money quickly for the lamb, the priest sold it at a low price.

Many Christians shopped in this village meat market. They knew that the meat available at a bargain price came from a heathen temple. They also knew that it was the best meat available. It was easy to find reasons why it was perfectly proper to purchase this meat. Some thought it was right; others felt strongly that it was wrong. The controversy grew.

Soon it threatened to divide Christians and a church council was held the leaders of the early church gathered together. Several questions were presented and vigorously discussed.
One man waited until everyone had expressed their thoughts. Then he spoke, wouldn't it be great if we all waited until everyone else had their say. Most of us know a man like this our prayer partner Josh Patterson.

Getting back to the story everyone had great respect for him and listened attentively to his suggestion. When he finished speaking, they all agreed that his conclusion was in harmony with the principles of scripture and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

His conclusion was written in a letter and sent to Christians in the early churches who were waiting for it. The letter explained that the unanimous decision of the church as confirmed by the Holy Spirit was all Christians abstain from meats that were offered to idols. This decision established a precedent for all future questionable activities. The speaker of that council was the apostle JAMES. (From Acts 15:1-35)

JAMES BECAME A MAN WHO LIVED BY HIS CONVICTIONS.

After hearing all the arguments, the wise and respected James decided upon a compromise. He clearly favored freedom from the mosaic law for gentile believers, but he urged Gentiles to avoid practices which would unnecessarily offend Jews. Because James himself had been such an example of setting aside privileges which would weaken or offend others, his decision was accepted without controversy.

Men allow me to regress for a moment as some might ask what was the reason for James' unexpected conversion? While Jesus was ministering on earth, James and his brothers were not in agreement with His claims. When Christ was rejected at Nazareth, He implied that opposition was ever "among His own Kin" and "in His own house". (Mark 6:4) But when Jesus wrote his epistle, he began, "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ". (James 1:1) He didn't refer to himself as the Lord's brother or even as his apostle. The word used literally means slave.

The details of his conversion are not given, but it appears that his skepticism was completely removed by a special appearance of the risen Christ. "After that he was seen by James; then of all the apostles" (I Corth. 15:7). Like Paul after him who saw the Risen Lord on his way to persecute Christians in Damascus, James' Life was completely turned around. The fact that he believed that his brother was the son of God is very significant. One of the main tenets of Christianity is that Christ was without sin in His own life in order that He might die for the sins of others (John 1:29; II Corth.5:21). The fact that James believed this truth proves that not once during the many hours they had spent together as children, teen-agers, and young men could James recall a single incident when Jesus committed a sin.

James was his own man, one might think that his human relationship to the Lord as brother would have made James an important and credible witness to the claims of Christ witness to the claims of Christ. But the fact that he was elected to such a significant and key position in the mother church of Jerusalem indicates the respect he held. It was said that James was a person of prayer, infact His knees were said to be as hard as camel's because he was so constant in prayer for his people. Even non-believing Jews respected him for his exemplary life.

EVEN UNBELIEVERS MOURNED HIS DEATH:
Josephus, the contemporary historian, relates the death of James. During a transition of governors, the high priest, Ananias, charged James and others of breaking the law. As a result, he was stoned to death. Josephus reports that this unjust act was protested by pious non-Christian Jews who respected him so highly. As a result, the high priest was relieved of his office. James died a Christian martyr about A.D. 62. WOW now James was truly a Christian, is there anything in your life that you need to improve on. I know that I have some more work to do in my character.

HAVE A GREAT DAY IN THE LORD...

God's Servant,
Jim