James… And You

WED., OCT. 29, 1997, 9:14 AM
OFFICE, PULLIAM

It didn’t take your breakfast/study group long to move through this short letter… that of James to Jewish Christians. You actually studied it more than is your usual attention, with some new markings, both accents & questions.

Remember that the Jews, My original “chosen people”, were given rules, laws, commandments… and the “theology” that I was noticing and even “recording” their compliance with My Way and also their “departures”… their sins. At one point I had James proclaim that just one sin, of commission or omission, was enough to negate lots of good behavior. It was an impossible standard, but I did lead him to declare it as Truth, in a letter that became Holy Scripture. He had the impression (which I decided not to counter) that as Jesus I would return to earth rather soon, and hence this difficult, but “model behavior” wouldn’t have to last long.

I had given My chosen one, Paul, a somewhat different message… that all of you fall short of glorious perfection, in both behavior and motivations, and therefore I “did it for you”. I took your sins upon Myself, died on the cross, and thus mystically gave you salvation. I died, and then… I was back. You sin… and you are forgiven. It’s mystical simplicity. (Yes, it is somewhat like “tender jealousy” as a mystical combination).

It is really quite unlikely (and therefore mystical) that your middle-class culture, with its strong work ethic, should also claim to be Christian from strong to “traditional”. Jews in your culture are more easily comfortable, because their religion is one of pleasing God… having faith even when being punished, “untroubled by” My being the Messiah who “did it for you”. Oh, you do have a welfare system, but there is increasing…or at least recurrent… worry that many who accept its benefits aren’t truly deserving. “Workfare” is more popular. Those who get welfare must work for it.

Thus, James is an appropriate counter to salvation by grace alone. He says faith in Me is important, but if the faith is genuine it will result in positive, sinless actions… doing what you know to be right. If there are no such acts (which include, of course, resisting temptations to act selfishly or in any ways that displease Me.) For your dominant culture, then, James should be the dominant interpreter.

In this university scene, that you have officially left but continue to “hang around”, there are two kinds of raises in salary. There is some “across the board”, with each faculty member getting an agreed upon percentage raise, for just being employed as a teacher. But there also is merit pay, with a more substantial raise coming to those who can show tangible evidence that they have “worked” and accomplished.

Is this an appropriate “model” for life that continues after bodily death. Will all those who have faith in Christ, the Triune God, be with Me in paradise, but will those whose faith has resulted in works have noticeable advantages? What about those who have led lives of service, even sacrifice… for others or for “causes”… be there with Me, even if their faith in Me is shallow or missing? I could tell you, but I’ll just let you wait until you’re “over here” and can understand it for yourself.

Where are you, now, in relation to James… and to Paul? You have led a life of pretty good service. You were a facilitator of learning, and you cared about most of the learners. You’ve had a relatively “clean” life, but you’re not sure how you would be judged, on the criteria James recommends (or at least infers). But you do know you have been chosen, by Me, Holy Spirit, to be a learner in a very special way. I tell you that these Teachings… and the Ruminations that come forth from them… are a “work”, the major one I still want from you. You chose Me, initially, in your youth, but I then chose you, in quite a tangible way.