James was the half brother of Jesus. In John 6:2-8 Jesus’ brothers were sarcastically telling him to go up to the feast so that others could see him and follow him. Essentially they thought He was nothing more than a show off. They were basically telling Him, “Since you are trying to show off, why don’t you go were you will have an audience?” The text says that His brothers did not believe in Him. Something happens between John chapter 6 and James chapter 1 though.
In the very first verse in James’s letter he calls Jesus Lord and Christ. How did he go from mocking his half brother to calling Him Lord? First Corinthians 15:3-7 gives the answer to this question. James encountered the resurrected Christ. James the skeptic became James the servant because he is changed by the death and resurrection of Christ.
“James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,” James 1:1a
James Had a New Identity Rooted in Belonging to Christ
James gives his name at the beginning of his letter, and uses the phrase “a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” to further identify himself. James not only identifies who he is but whose he is. This is the first thing that James says about himself because it is the most important thing about himself. The Christian is given a new identity when they belong to Christ. This is similar to how women’s last names change when they are married. A person’s name identifies them, and women are given a new identity when they belong to a man. The Christian’s identity rests in the fact that they belong to Christ. It is the most important thing about them and the one thing that sets them apart from everyone else. To belong to Christ is to have a permanent family bond with Him. This is not something that is ever lost. The Christian is one who belongs to Christ.
James understood that his identity was rooted in belonging to Christ. In fact, Christians could be defined as those who belonging to Christ. Jesus talks about the sheep that belong to him in John 10:25-30.
“Jesus answered them, ‘I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.’”
In Old Testament times when shepherds watered their sheep at a well, sometimes their sheep would become mixed in with other shepherds’ sheep. However, all the shepherds had to do to separate them was call, and all of the sheep who knew him would come out and follow him. We see in this passage that those who belong to Christ follow Him. How can you know if you are one of His sheep? By examining who you follow.
James Had A New Purpose Rooted in Belonging to Christ
The greek word translated bondservant means “slave, one who is in a permanent relation of servitude to another, his will being altogether consumed in the will of the other.” James strategically uses the word slave in this passage to describe both his identity of belonging to Christ and his purpose of serving Christ. A slave’s only purpose is to please His master.
“and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.” 2 Corinthians 5:15
James is saying that the only reason he lives is to please His master. One cannot belong to Christ and without being His bondservant. If you belong to Christ your purpose is to serve Him. Jesus does not save men so that they become free to serve their sinful desires without consequences. He died to free them from slavery to sin in order that they might find freedom through slavery to Him.
“I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:19-23
When Christ makes us His slaves, He sets us free from slavery to sin and death and makes us slaves us righteousness and gives us life. You cannot have life without being a slave to righteousness.
Thoughts for Reflection
The question we must ask ourselves is, “Do I belong to Christ?” The answer is quite simple find. One must only answer the question, “Whose slave am I? Am I enslaved to sin, or have I been set free by faith in Christ to serve Him?” For those who do not belong to Christ, Christ offers grace and forgiveness for the sins of all those who repent and believe in Him. He died on the cross to pay the penalty for the sins of all those who repent and believe in Him, and He rose again on the third day and hears prayers. If you do not belong to Christ, I urge you to turn from your sins and to turn to Christ in faith. Ask him to forgive you and to change your desires. Ask him to set your will free from its bondage to sin, and to make you a slave to righteousness. Scripture promises that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, and if you call upon Him in faith, He WILL save you!
For those who do belong to Him, rest in the fact that your relationship with God is defined by belonging to Christ not by anything you do. Being a Christian is something that you are not something that you accomplish. If you have faith, you belong to Christ, and if you belong to Christ, your purpose is to live for Christ. Remember who you are and why you are here. “For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:20
Practically this means praying “Your kingdom come.Your will be done.” morning by morning and moment by moment. As bond-servants of Christ, our sole purpose is to bring him glory and to seek to further His kingdom (not to seek to exalt ourselves and live a life of ease). Take a moment to examine yourselves and to think about each question, “How have I not acted for the glory of God? What have I said that was not for the glory of God? What have I thought that was not for the glory of God? Is there any command that God has given to me that I am not obeying? Is there a person that I am not willing to love and serve in Jesus’ name? Do I seek to serve myself first in my relationships or Christ? Do I honor God with the time and resources He has given me?” Repent of these things and ask God for forgiveness. Ask God to give you a desire to seek His will above all. Ask the Lord to consume your will altogether with His and to help you to live as one freed from sin and completely enslaved to Christ.
To the lost I urge you, be slaves of Christ. To the saved, I urge you live as slaves of Christ. Whose slave are you?
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