Is James 3:1 Something To Fear For A Believer In Salvation By God’s Grace?
“My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.” (James 3:1 KJV)
In James 3, it is warning that teachers of the Gospel can face more severe judgment by God. Does that mean witnessing to others about the Gospel of Grace and teaching others by God’s Word is something to fear? A good question. I see many posting James 3:1 and pushing it as a fear tactic ! That sound more like the devil trying to stop believers from witnessing to others as Jesus instructed us to do!
James 3:1 is truth and it is true but it also to some may come off as ‘we should not preach the gospel’ or ‘witness to others’ in fear of great judgement? As if those teaching God’s Word to others cannot make ANY ERROR AT ALL or face severe judgement.
Think about this logically a moment. God knows we are not perfect. God knows we are all growing in the knowledge of the truth. He is the one teaching us. We will get it wrong at times and eventually will have correction in right belief. Who of us believers are perfect in the MIND right now? NONE! Paul says we need to RENEW OUR MIND by God’s Word (Romans 12). Jesus said the same in John 17:17. It happens over time. Even the most prolific Bible teachers are still learning the truth and correcting some things they previously taught wrongly. We must keep context in mind. Who in specific is this warning about?
Looking at the very next verse, James 3:2, it shows us that perfection is not the standard of this verse,
“For in many things WE OFFEND ALL. If any man OFFEND NOT in word, the same is A PERFECT MAN, and able also to bridle the whole body.” (James 3:2 KJV)
Here is a good question at this point, ‘How are we PERFECT before God?’ Is it by what we do or by believing what CHRIST JESUS DID on the cross in saving us. We are the righteousness of God, IN CHRIST by the imputation of God (2 Cor. 5:17-21) since our belief on Christ (Eph. 1:13-14, John 3:14-18, 6:37-40, Colossians 2).
The offense is what then?
It is believing salvation is by OUR WORKS. Here in specific it is teaching ‘works of the Law’ for righteousness which is false. If a person is teaching ‘works for salvation’ today, it is basically the same thing, SELF RELIANCE for salvation – a false salvation Jesus warned about in Matthew 7:15-23. ‘Many wonderful works’ will not save anyone!
Even here within the book of James in the previous chapter he stated this,
“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2:10 KJV)
That is the offence. Going back further for more clarity on proper context, remember James 1, and who he is addressing,
“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, -TO THE TWELVE TRIBES- which are scattered abroad, greeting.” (James 1:1 KJV)
James is writing to the Jewish people in specific. What did the Jewish people believe about becoming righteous with God? They believed in LAW FOLLOWING for righteousness, which Jesus taught AGAINST.
In James 2, it starts with “MY BRETHREN” and he is addressing the Jewish believers. James 3 comes after James 2 and that matters. So we must understand these important contexts to understand the truth of what James is teaching in James 3.
Later in James 3, there is also a point that envy and selfish ambition are two of the criteria for judgment.
“But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” (James 3:14-16 KJV)
We see this today as well as the false gospel of ‘works for salvation’, mixing the Law with Grace is rampant in church organizations and many many pulpits.
Therefore, if you are witnessing to others and teaching others that salvation is by belief on Christ and not works, you are teaching correctly the Gospel of Salvation. Even if you misinterpret some passages and later are corrected on other things; if you teach the true Gospel, you are doing what Christ instructed us to do. Learning the deep things of the knowledge of truth happens over time by the indwelling Holy Spirit for all who believe on Christ – even Pastors and Bible teachers. But the core belief of the Gospel is either the true Gospel of faith and trust in Christ or faith and trust in others things. It is never the mixing of the two.
And remember also that Jesus paid for the sins of the whole world. And that includes sins of believers after salvation. James 3:1 is not a salvation issue. James 3:1 starts with “MY BRETHREN”. That is addressed to already eternally saved BELIEVERS. I suspect that most teachers of the Bible and even all believers who witness using Scripture may have some loss of rewards when we got it wrong. But even so, we are already in glorified resurrected bodies in Heaven at the Bema Seat Judgement of Believers. No sins are even mentioned because they were all already paid in full on Christ in judgement (1 John 2:2).
We may lose some rewards and gain some other rewards for our witnessing and teaching to others in the Bible. Who is perfected yet?! I believe for the most part, it will be rewards for helping others come to salvation by pointing them to Christ.
