James, throughout his letter, deals with confusion, discipline, the need for confession of sins, and he will end with a push to restore (bring back) those who have wandered. James never shies away from calling sin “sin,” or “wandering” sin, but he reminds us that God has a greater purpose in one another’s lives, a purpose beyond judgment. The New Testament tells us to weep over those who are wandering, pray for them, speak truth into their lives, and when necessary bring discipline.
There is a long and protracted focus on our faith resulting in works in the book of James. The emphasis on works has caused some people to put the apostle Paul’s view of grace at odds with the views James, but nothing could be further from the truth. James is most likely the earliest letter written in the New Testament and as such show a strong pastoral care for how to live out our faith in Jesus in practical ways.
