Journal of Psychological Science:
Individualism has increased globally by 12% since 1960

Google:
“Personalized,” “I come first,” “I can do it myself”

Pew Research:
American trust in government recently reached an all-time low

The Book of James: “Slaves to Christ”
a. The Error of Individualism (Ja. 5:16; 1:27)
b. The Reality of Authority (Ja. 2:1)
c. The Power of Speech (Ja. 3:6-8)
d. The Importance of Suffering (Ja. 1:2)
e. The Idol of Money (Ja. 1:9-10; 5:1)

James 1:1 – “James a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ; to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.”

“James,”

Which James wrote this?
1. James the son of Zebedee (Mk. 1:9)
2. James the son of Alpheus (Mk. 3:18)
3. James, father of Judas (Lk. 6:16)
4. James, half-brother of Jesus (Matt. 13:55)

John 7:5
1 Corinthians 15:3-7

Galatians 2:9
Acts 15:1-21
Acts 21:17-26

“…a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ”

“Slave,” Gk. δοῦλος (doulos), “bondservant, servant, slave”

Four Kinds of Slavery in Rome:
1. Mine Slavery
2. Rural Slavery
3. Urban Household Slavery
4. Imperial Slavery

Old Testament Slave Imagery:
1. 1 Kings 8:53, Moses
2. 2 Samuel 7:5, David
3. Jeremiah 7:25, Prophets

“…a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ”
Matt. 6:23 – “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.”

John 14:9

“…to the twelve Tribes in the Dispersion”

Persecuted Christian under Herod Agrippa I (A.D. 42-49)

“Greetings!”

“χαίρειν,” from Gk. χαίρω (chairō), “to rejoice, to be filled with joy”
Ja. 1:2

TAKEAWAYS

1. In order to be in authority, you have to be under authority.

2. Everyone is a slave to something.
John 8:34:
2 Peter 2:19