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Living Faith: A Theology of James
An Introduction to the Theology and Themes of James
Genuine Christian faith shows itself in the spiritual fruit of a transformed life. No New Testament book makes this reality more clear than the epistle of James. Known for its practical wisdom, the book of James offers a concise reflection of Jesus’s teachings, challenges our everyday actions, and provides clear guidance for building a life upon his words.
In this volume of the New Testament Theology series, Robert L. Plummer explores the central themes and theology of James, offering insightful connections between this epistle and the broader narrative of Scripture. Through thoughtful and engaging analysis, Plummer examines 6 key themes―Jesus Christ, faith and works, trials and temptations, poverty and riches, speech and anger, and prayer and perseverance. Living Faith will ultimately help listeners gain a deeper understanding of this beloved letter and its important relevance to Christian life.
Part of the New Testament Theology Other volumes include The Appearing of God Our Savior; To Walk and to Please God; and Ministry in the New Realm Ideal for Anyone Wanting to Study the Bible More Perfect for pastors, seminarians, college students, and laypeople Covers Important Theological Faith and works, trials and temptations, poverty and riches, speech and anger, prayer and perseverance
Genuine Christian faith shows itself in the spiritual fruit of a transformed life. No New Testament book makes this reality more clear than the epistle of James. Known for its practical wisdom, the book of James offers a concise reflection of Jesus’s teachings, challenges our everyday actions, and provides clear guidance for building a life upon his words.
In this volume of the New Testament Theology series, Robert L. Plummer explores the central themes and theology of James, offering insightful connections between this epistle and the broader narrative of Scripture. Through thoughtful and engaging analysis, Plummer examines 6 key themes―Jesus Christ, faith and works, trials and temptations, poverty and riches, speech and anger, and prayer and perseverance. Living Faith will ultimately help listeners gain a deeper understanding of this beloved letter and its important relevance to Christian life.
Part of the New Testament Theology Other volumes include The Appearing of God Our Savior; To Walk and to Please God; and Ministry in the New Realm Ideal for Anyone Wanting to Study the Bible More Perfect for pastors, seminarians, college students, and laypeople Covers Important Theological Faith and works, trials and temptations, poverty and riches, speech and anger, prayer and perseverance
128 pages, Paperback
Published November 11, 2025
About the author
Robert L. Plummer
39 books57 followersRobert L. Plummer, Ph.D., is Professor of New Testament Interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky. Dr. Plummer is the author or editor of several books, including '40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible' (Kregel, 2010). Dr. Plummer is an elder at Sojourn Community Church (East Campus), Louisville, Ky. He has served on mission assignments in China, India, Malaysia, Ghana, Israel, Turkey, and Trinidad. He and his wife Chandi have three daughters. During his spare time, Dr. Plummer enjoys running mini-marathons and drinking hot tea.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 9, 2026
I found this to be a very helpful an well-written introduction to the book of James. I especially appreciated the ways in which the author thoughtfully anticipated and addressed the concerns that Christians with especially sensitive consciences might experience when reading through James. I would definitely recommend this little volume to pastors preparing to preach on the book of James or interested laypeople doing personal and corporate Bible studies.
February 16, 2026
Part of a series called New Testament Theology, this book is a good introduction to the book of James. Plummer does not approach the text chronologically, but carefully works through six main themes within the epistle. It's a short read but meaty. I've been studying the book of James using TableTalk Bible study/devotional magazine and wanted something to help me dig a little deeper. Worked well for that!
April 16, 2026
Dr. Plummer does a great job presenting the main themes of James in a concise and readable way. I would recommend this book to pastors or bible study leaders preparing to teach through the epistle. It would be a great resource to consult in your teaching preparation. It leans towards the academic side by often discussing some of the nuances of James’ Greek grammar and syntax—which is Dr. Plummer’s expertise, so he does this really well. For this reason, though, some readers may find the book too academic. It is likely not the book you would choose to read with your small group, but it may be a nice gift for your pastor if there is a sermon series on James coming up.
March 23, 2026
“In some ways, the letter of James is like a pastoral blog—with a series of reflections about practical Christian living,” observes Dr. Robert L. Plummer (Plummer 2025, 3). This practicality, which makes James a favorite epistle for many, is also central to Living Faith: A Theology of James, released in 2025 as part of the New Testament Theology Series from Crossway. In the preface, editors Thomas R. Schreiner and Brian S. Rosner share similar thoughts, remarking, “The letter of James is one of the most practical in the New Testament, and believers often study it to learn what it means in everyday life to be a disciple of Jesus Christ” (Plummer 2025, X). This small but intense booklet on James offers a unique take on a New Testament epistle that I find myself meditating on and preaching from quite regularly.
This intensive and exhaustive resource on James is part of the New Testament Theology series and is neither a biblical commentary, a dictionary, nor a volume focused on a specific theological theme or systematic theology. Rather, the authors in this series seek to unpack the theology of each New Testament book in its own context, “from the perspective of biblical theology,” paying attention to the specific “historical and literary dimensions of the text,” while also “presenting the teaching of particular New Testament books about God and his relations to the world on their own terms, maintaining sight of the Bible’s overarching narrative and Christocentric focus” (2025, ix).
There are twenty volumes in this series that aim to provide, as the editors call it, a comprehensive, scholarly, and accessible treatment of the theological themes of Scripture from a traditional evangelical perspective, useful to students, preachers, and laypersons seeking to learn more.
Specifically, with the book of James, we encounter one of the most practical yet complex New Testament epistles. Many have raised concerns about James, such as the well-known objections of Martin Luther, because, as the editors point out, “the cross and resurrection of Jesus are not even mentioned” (2025, x). However, in this book, we find a fresh look at an epistle that offers not only a richer theology of faith and works than we often give it credit for, but also reminds us “of the vitality of the new life to which we are called,” challenging us to live lives of faith, hope, and love with a deeper understanding of James (2025, x).
While I often rely on commentaries, this volume offered a different kind of engagement with James—one that I came to appreciate as I worked through it. In the introduction, Plummer unpacks James as the author, arguing that he is James, the son of Mary and half-brother of Jesus. Plummer also points to the more original form of James’s name, Jacob. He then explores the date of authorship. We know James was martyred by AD 62, so the letter must have been written sometime before then.
Plummer does a good job describing his martyrdom as an act of “Jewish religious authorities who were angry at his Christian influence on Jews in Jerusalem,” though the brevity here, for me, takes away from some of the scriptural and historical witness to James’s life and his convictions, particularly his concern for the poor—something that seems largely overlooked.
Plummer then examines James’s organization in the introduction, comparing it to a pastor’s blog with a series of thematic reflections. The introduction is followed by six chapters and a conclusion that analyzes James through its thematic emphases and theological framework rather than offering a traditional expository commentary.
Plummer certainly presents James as a letter with “plenty of…instruction that is both clear and immediately applicable” (2025, 5). To lose sight of this would be to lose sight of James for me. However, Plummer does not always make those applications clear for our post-everything era. Though James seems clear, I think we need to bridge the connections for readers in a post-everything, including post-trust, age. I deeply appreciated his unpacking of James’s use of the term doulos, but his strongest and most unique contribution is his ability to highlight Christological connections—both those that are explicit and those that are “debated” but difficult to ignore. Another strength is the way Plummer shows how “much of the letter parallels Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount,” exploring that pattern in a helpful way (2025, 11).
He briefly engages Luther’s concerns about James—though, in my view, both Luther and James often misunderstood James—but does not explore patristic perspectives in much depth, which I always appreciate seeing more of. A fuller treatment of the historical, ethical, and moral dimensions would have strengthened the book for me, but maybe not everyone. That said, Plummer handles some of James’s more difficult passages well, including themes such as sickness and sin, faith and works, and other tensions that often pose interpretive challenges.
Plummer also does a strong job of highlighting James’s pastoral posture, something I have seen many overlook when studying and preaching this book. As Plummer notes, “even as James lays out such polarizing theological appeals, he reminds his readers that he is their spiritual sibling, and by calling them ‘brothers,’ he assures them that he is appealing to them as a fellow community member” (2025, 23). This tone is a recurring reality throughout the Jacobean epistle as James addresses the church as family (adelphoi). I did not have time to fully explore Plummer’s claim that James contains more imperatives per total word count than any other New Testament book, but it seems true and plausible, given the consistent call to active, “living faith” throughout the epistle. Plummer also provides a helpful treatment of the tension between trials and temptations, reminding us that struggle is unavoidable.
For me, I guess I would say that one of Plummer’s weaker points, beyond the limited practical application, is his treatment of oaths. He argues that “the apostles and even Jesus took oaths or submitted to being put under oath,” drawing on passages such as Matthew 26:63–64, 2 Corinthians 11:31, Galatians 1:20, and Philippians 1:8. For a literal interpreter, I think he fails to follow his own rules here and makes some word-smithing errors. To support this, he interprets Jesus’s teaching on oaths (Matthew 5:33–37; 23:16–22) not as a prohibition, but as a warning against casual or careless use. While he rightly notes that “humans would never need to swear oaths if their speech were consistently truthful and forthright,” I am not convinced by his conclusion. I think he underestimates the plain force of Jesus’s teaching, which James seems to reinforce. Though Plummer pushes back against traditions such as the Mennonites, who take these prohibitions literally, I find myself aligned with that more straightforward reading and remain unconvinced by his argument here. He certainly gives space for one to understand this based on their conscience, but James cannot be clearer, oaths are not needed for the Christian, because our “yes” and “no” should be lived out in a way that states to whom we are “oathed”.
Let me say this yet, his chapter on prayer stands out as another strength. As a doctoral student on the Lord’s Prayer at Kairos University, I found Plummer’s emphasis on praying for wisdom is particularly timely and needed in this messed-up, crazy, and confused world. This chapter on prayer offers a fitting reminder of the kind of faith James calls us to live.
Dr. Robert L. Plummer serves as Professor of Biblical Studies at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is also known for his resources on teaching biblical Greek, including his screencast DailyDoseofGreek.com. Plummer has authored, coauthored, and edited many books over the years.
While I could not identify a specific theological stream with which Plummer most closely aligns, I would describe him as broadly Reformed-leaning, as evidenced by some of his writings, his treatment of James, and other resources. However, his theological system is not central to this book. Instead, he traces key themes: Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory; living faith that has works; trials and temptations; poverty and riches; speech and anger; and prayer. He seeks to trace these teachings for the early churches in Jerusalem and, ultimately, for us, connecting them to Jesus and the broader witness of Scripture.
This book is a helpful resource for exploring the key topics and ideas presented in James. It is far from exhaustive, in my opinion, but it offers some unique angles you will not find in a commentary—such as how Plummer connects the teachings in James with corresponding ideas from Jesus’ teachings in the Gospels.
It is a small volume, slightly larger than a 5×7 photo, and just over 100 pages, with what appears to be 11- or 12-point font. Plummer’s approach is not exhaustive and does miss some of the historical depth that commentaries provide—material I think is important to explore. However, there are few resources like this that help contemporary readers identify and understand the Christological and soteriological themes, or “underpinnings,” as Plummer describes them. Plummer’s hope is that, like James’s earliest readers, we would come to understand the wisdom found in this letter.
This is a helpful resource for anyone studying or teaching James—whether you’re a preacher, teacher, layperson, or someone suddenly leading a small group. Priced just under $20 (and often available for less when bought directly through Crossway), it’s an accessible addition to your shelf. While I will continue to rely on commentaries, this volume offers a needed bridge between James and Jesus, a connection some overlook or struggle to develop. I do wish it explored more of the practical, ethical, and quietly resistant way of life James calls us to, but it remains a valuable theological resource.
This intensive and exhaustive resource on James is part of the New Testament Theology series and is neither a biblical commentary, a dictionary, nor a volume focused on a specific theological theme or systematic theology. Rather, the authors in this series seek to unpack the theology of each New Testament book in its own context, “from the perspective of biblical theology,” paying attention to the specific “historical and literary dimensions of the text,” while also “presenting the teaching of particular New Testament books about God and his relations to the world on their own terms, maintaining sight of the Bible’s overarching narrative and Christocentric focus” (2025, ix).
There are twenty volumes in this series that aim to provide, as the editors call it, a comprehensive, scholarly, and accessible treatment of the theological themes of Scripture from a traditional evangelical perspective, useful to students, preachers, and laypersons seeking to learn more.
Specifically, with the book of James, we encounter one of the most practical yet complex New Testament epistles. Many have raised concerns about James, such as the well-known objections of Martin Luther, because, as the editors point out, “the cross and resurrection of Jesus are not even mentioned” (2025, x). However, in this book, we find a fresh look at an epistle that offers not only a richer theology of faith and works than we often give it credit for, but also reminds us “of the vitality of the new life to which we are called,” challenging us to live lives of faith, hope, and love with a deeper understanding of James (2025, x).
While I often rely on commentaries, this volume offered a different kind of engagement with James—one that I came to appreciate as I worked through it. In the introduction, Plummer unpacks James as the author, arguing that he is James, the son of Mary and half-brother of Jesus. Plummer also points to the more original form of James’s name, Jacob. He then explores the date of authorship. We know James was martyred by AD 62, so the letter must have been written sometime before then.
Plummer does a good job describing his martyrdom as an act of “Jewish religious authorities who were angry at his Christian influence on Jews in Jerusalem,” though the brevity here, for me, takes away from some of the scriptural and historical witness to James’s life and his convictions, particularly his concern for the poor—something that seems largely overlooked.
Plummer then examines James’s organization in the introduction, comparing it to a pastor’s blog with a series of thematic reflections. The introduction is followed by six chapters and a conclusion that analyzes James through its thematic emphases and theological framework rather than offering a traditional expository commentary.
Plummer certainly presents James as a letter with “plenty of…instruction that is both clear and immediately applicable” (2025, 5). To lose sight of this would be to lose sight of James for me. However, Plummer does not always make those applications clear for our post-everything era. Though James seems clear, I think we need to bridge the connections for readers in a post-everything, including post-trust, age. I deeply appreciated his unpacking of James’s use of the term doulos, but his strongest and most unique contribution is his ability to highlight Christological connections—both those that are explicit and those that are “debated” but difficult to ignore. Another strength is the way Plummer shows how “much of the letter parallels Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount,” exploring that pattern in a helpful way (2025, 11).
He briefly engages Luther’s concerns about James—though, in my view, both Luther and James often misunderstood James—but does not explore patristic perspectives in much depth, which I always appreciate seeing more of. A fuller treatment of the historical, ethical, and moral dimensions would have strengthened the book for me, but maybe not everyone. That said, Plummer handles some of James’s more difficult passages well, including themes such as sickness and sin, faith and works, and other tensions that often pose interpretive challenges.
Plummer also does a strong job of highlighting James’s pastoral posture, something I have seen many overlook when studying and preaching this book. As Plummer notes, “even as James lays out such polarizing theological appeals, he reminds his readers that he is their spiritual sibling, and by calling them ‘brothers,’ he assures them that he is appealing to them as a fellow community member” (2025, 23). This tone is a recurring reality throughout the Jacobean epistle as James addresses the church as family (adelphoi). I did not have time to fully explore Plummer’s claim that James contains more imperatives per total word count than any other New Testament book, but it seems true and plausible, given the consistent call to active, “living faith” throughout the epistle. Plummer also provides a helpful treatment of the tension between trials and temptations, reminding us that struggle is unavoidable.
For me, I guess I would say that one of Plummer’s weaker points, beyond the limited practical application, is his treatment of oaths. He argues that “the apostles and even Jesus took oaths or submitted to being put under oath,” drawing on passages such as Matthew 26:63–64, 2 Corinthians 11:31, Galatians 1:20, and Philippians 1:8. For a literal interpreter, I think he fails to follow his own rules here and makes some word-smithing errors. To support this, he interprets Jesus’s teaching on oaths (Matthew 5:33–37; 23:16–22) not as a prohibition, but as a warning against casual or careless use. While he rightly notes that “humans would never need to swear oaths if their speech were consistently truthful and forthright,” I am not convinced by his conclusion. I think he underestimates the plain force of Jesus’s teaching, which James seems to reinforce. Though Plummer pushes back against traditions such as the Mennonites, who take these prohibitions literally, I find myself aligned with that more straightforward reading and remain unconvinced by his argument here. He certainly gives space for one to understand this based on their conscience, but James cannot be clearer, oaths are not needed for the Christian, because our “yes” and “no” should be lived out in a way that states to whom we are “oathed”.
Let me say this yet, his chapter on prayer stands out as another strength. As a doctoral student on the Lord’s Prayer at Kairos University, I found Plummer’s emphasis on praying for wisdom is particularly timely and needed in this messed-up, crazy, and confused world. This chapter on prayer offers a fitting reminder of the kind of faith James calls us to live.
Dr. Robert L. Plummer serves as Professor of Biblical Studies at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is also known for his resources on teaching biblical Greek, including his screencast DailyDoseofGreek.com. Plummer has authored, coauthored, and edited many books over the years.
While I could not identify a specific theological stream with which Plummer most closely aligns, I would describe him as broadly Reformed-leaning, as evidenced by some of his writings, his treatment of James, and other resources. However, his theological system is not central to this book. Instead, he traces key themes: Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory; living faith that has works; trials and temptations; poverty and riches; speech and anger; and prayer. He seeks to trace these teachings for the early churches in Jerusalem and, ultimately, for us, connecting them to Jesus and the broader witness of Scripture.
This book is a helpful resource for exploring the key topics and ideas presented in James. It is far from exhaustive, in my opinion, but it offers some unique angles you will not find in a commentary—such as how Plummer connects the teachings in James with corresponding ideas from Jesus’ teachings in the Gospels.
It is a small volume, slightly larger than a 5×7 photo, and just over 100 pages, with what appears to be 11- or 12-point font. Plummer’s approach is not exhaustive and does miss some of the historical depth that commentaries provide—material I think is important to explore. However, there are few resources like this that help contemporary readers identify and understand the Christological and soteriological themes, or “underpinnings,” as Plummer describes them. Plummer’s hope is that, like James’s earliest readers, we would come to understand the wisdom found in this letter.
This is a helpful resource for anyone studying or teaching James—whether you’re a preacher, teacher, layperson, or someone suddenly leading a small group. Priced just under $20 (and often available for less when bought directly through Crossway), it’s an accessible addition to your shelf. While I will continue to rely on commentaries, this volume offers a needed bridge between James and Jesus, a connection some overlook or struggle to develop. I do wish it explored more of the practical, ethical, and quietly resistant way of life James calls us to, but it remains a valuable theological resource.
January 8, 2026
I was disappointed with the clsoing chapters of this book which is why I gave it only three stars. The author begins with a careful consideration of some of the theologicall issues in this epistle. However in the last couple of chapters hsi study seems to be more cursory, I am not sure why.
April 18, 2026
This is the second book of this series that I have read and they are really easy reads and yet get at the themes of a NT book really clearly and helpfully. This has benefited me as a teacher and as a follower of Jesus!
November 11, 2025
I’ve read verse-by-verse commentaries and high-level theological treatments of James; both can sometimes miss the balance between clarity and depth. Living Faith: A Theology of James by Robert Plummer strikes that balance beautifully. It’s both theologically rich and remarkably accessible. I’d highly recommend it to pastors and everyday church members alike who want to explore the profound theological truths found in the book of James.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews