Is there any useless religion around today? Do we see evidence of people merely going through the motions of religion, professing faith in Christ without any evidence of it showing up in their lives? If so, these are indications that we need the epistle of James today. Written by the half-brother of Jesus, this letter helps us attack stale, humdrum, useless religion. Among the many practical issues that James deals with are: suffering, ‘the gap’ between hearing and doing, controlling the tongue, and resisting the world. Roger Ellsworth’s studies in this letter draw out the challenges for us as believers in the 21st century—here are lessons we badly need to hear today.
