Practical Christianity

The Letter of James is the most practical moral treatise among New Testament writings. Jesus' younger brother, the first leader of the Jerusalem church as it supervised the rapid spread of Christianity, was known by both friends and enemies as "James the Just," and lived with integrity until he died a martyr's death in either 62 or 69 (possibly triggering the Roman siege of Jerusalem that led to its destruction in 70). James' "Letter" was likely written as a longer treatise to be sent with the decisions of the Jerusalem leadership council of Acts 15. James encourages godly behaviors, just as his older brother had, especially in the famous "Sermon on the Mount" (Matthew 5-7). These devotional and theological reflections further illumine the Christian lifestyle that James said was the heartbeat of our response to God's great gifts, focused ultimately in the salvation brought by Jesus.