JAMES 1:1-6

BYU Professor Richard Draper writes, "The Book of James (the half brother of Jesus) was one of those highly debated books and there were those who did not want James to be part of the Canon or collection of books we call the Bible.  Fortunately, the voices on the opposing side were stronger.  That disputation continued down to the days of Martin Luther, who called it an 'Epistle of straw' because it emphasized works instead of faith."

"Originally James did not believe his brother was the Messiah and even taunted Jesus (John 7:2-5).  At some point, however, he had a powerful conversion experience owing, in part at least, to his brother's post resurrection appearance to him, as recorded by Paul in his list of certain people to whom Jesus appeared (1st Corinthians 15:7)."  (Verse by Verse, Acts Through Revelation, Ogden & Skinner, pgs. 264-265).

BYU Professor Joseph McConkie writes, "If we read from the Book of James we discover that it is not written to a specific group or congregation, like many of the epistles were but is a general epistle.  Written to the twelve tribes scattered abroad, greeting.  How are you going to do this?  You say you are going to write a letter to the twelve tribes of Israel who are scattered.  How is this letter going to be delivered and what kind of postage is it going to take?  How do you address the letter?  But James is not concerned about this at all.  It is as if he senses that it will somehow go to all the twelve tribes, (and it does thru the Bible)."

Then he launches into this little mini discourse on patience and then says, 'If any of ye lack wisdom, let him ask of God.  He doesn't say if ye lack money, or you want to be more beautiful or famous.  If you want the wisdom of heaven, then heaven is interested in responding." 

Let's turn to the Joseph Smith History and read why it is so important to ponder on scripture.  Joseph Smith History 1:10-12 (pg. 48 in the PofGP)

Again, BYU Professor Joseph McConkie:  "You have just read one of the finest scriptural descriptions of the spirit of revelation that you will find anywhere.  What's happening here is Joseph is having a revelation that says 'Joseph, go get a revelation.'  Revelations beget revelations, so in the very real sense, the greatest revelation of our dispensation may have been this one. The Holy Ghost is working thru an institutional revelation to bring about an individual revelation.

 To repeat: for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible.

I think that, the underlined portion is the most important instruction that is given to a missionary or anyone else that goes out to deliver the Gospel to those not of our faith and even with those who are of our faith.  What we need to do is extract ourselves from the war of words and the tumult of opinion.  We need to have a religious experience that is immediate and personal.  We need to do what Joseph did and get answers from heaven, thru prayer and not get lost in this big battle that has been known to Europe for thousands of years. 

The missionary needs to teach a person how to pray, so that the person can get their own answers.  James 1:5 is as true for us as it was for Joseph.  We love the Bible, we teach the Bible, but one doesn't go to the Bible to teach the restoration.  We get that information from God.  Two things stand out: One, he reflects on it again and again.  Two, he takes James 1:5 from its 50 A.D. context and brings it into 1820 or, in other words, he likens the scripture.  He doesn't just assume that James is talking to people in 50 A.D., instead, that principle has an everlasting influence and import.  If we know that God spoke to one man, then, we know that with the same conditions and terms he would speak to everyone."