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Gleanings From The Word

Category: Galatians

  • Who Is James?

    Who Is James?

    Icon of James the brother of Jesus

    Yesterday morning, I was reading in the Epistle of James. As  Kathy and I discussed what I had been reading, the question of “who was James?” arose.

    What does the Bible say?

    James is identified as one of Jesus’ brothers. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? (Matthew 13:55, see also Mark 6:3)

    Jesus’s brothers did not believe. After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jewswere seeking to kill him. Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand. So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” For not even his brothers believed in him.  (John 6:1-5)

    Jesus appeared personally to James after His resurrection. “Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.” (1 Corinthians 15:7)

    He was a key player in the Jerusalem council when the issue of rules for gentile believers was debated. (Acts 15)

    Paul calls James an Apostle.  “Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother.” Galatians 1:18-19

    Paul also refers to him as a pillar in the early church. “…James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me; they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.” Galatians 2:10

    James himself only identifies as a servant of Jesus. “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: (James 1:1)

    Church history tells us that James was the first leader of the church in Jerusalem, effectively its first pastor. That comes through in the pastoral concern for his flock that shows in his letter.

    Church history tells us that he was most likely stoned to death by the Jews in the early 60s AD, a fate shared by Stephen and other martyrs.

    For me, James is a marvelous example of the grace of Jesus. The Lord took a hardcore unbeliever and transformed him into a willing servant and leader. The Apostle Paul gets mentioned often for being a hardcore Christian hater who was converted, but let’s not forget that Paul was not the only one.

    I pray for all the hardcore disbelievers (of which I was one) to come to Christ and that their zeal for the enemy might be converted into zeal for the Lord.

    Praise the Lord that He can soften the hardest heart.

    Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

    Be blessed, 

    Kevin

    Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
    The Gospel – the best news you will ever hear
    Read the Word. Read the Word. Read the Word.
  • Created and Being Shaped Into His Image

    Created and Being Shaped Into His Image

    Genni the wonder dog - a border collie basset hound cross

    My desk has a clear glass top. Under that, I keep various pictures of family and some of our pets over the years. Among them is this shot of Genni the Wonder Dog.

    Genni was a border collie, basset hound cross we got at eight weeks. It was an accidental breeding, and the owner was en route to the SPCA with them. Genni adopted me on the spot and lived with us for many years until she passed.

    They say (whoever the great “they” is) that dogs resemble their owners. I saw this image of Genni and realized that the saying has some truth. There is a lot of truth in that saying. She’s long in the body, short in the legs, and has big fat feet. We’re three for three there. Fortunately, I’m the taller of the two and walk on two legs so that people can tell us apart.

    The resemblances between us got me thinking about the fact that we’re created in the image of God.

    Then God said, “Let us make man[a] in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:26-27

    What does that mean? It doesn’t mean we look like Him, since we have physical bodies, we all look different and God doesn’t have a physical body. So it must refer to something else.

    We’re unlike all the other things or beings that God created. 

    We’re the only beings that Scripture describes as being created in His image (imago dei). We were made with a higher purpose, to rule over all the earth. Being created in His image is both an honor and a huge responsibility. When creation looks to people, it should see the image of God.

    What part of Him were we designed to reflect? His character and His personality. We were created to walk in holiness and righteousness. We were designed to walk in faithfulness and integrity. We were to have passion and compassion, loyalty and levity, love and light, and more. We were designed to be wise and selfless.

    Since the time of the Garden of Eden, we’ve been sinful people with sinful nature in a sin-filled world. We don’t reflect much of the image of God. Yet, for the believer, there are ways we can begin to resemble the one in whose image we were created.

    But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

    When we begin to exhibit the fruit of the spirit, we start in a small way to show the image of the Creator.

    That fruit comes with maturity (as indeed does all fruit). We mature in our walk through testing and trials, through worship, through giving, and through service. We mature when we spend time communing with Him in prayer, and in meditating on and studying the Word. The fruit doesn’t just happen; it must be nurtured.

    Until next time, rejoice in the fact that you were designed in His image and open your heart to being more like Him.

    Be blessed

    Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

    Kevin

    Created and Being Shaped Into His Image
    Reflections on the image of God
    God sees the big picture