James 1

James seems to be more focused on principles of pure religion. I was touched with -

"Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience." (New Testament James 1:3)

Patience and faith seem to go hand in hand. The Savior taught, of which James may of been privy to -

"In your patience possess ye your souls." (New Testament Luke 21:19)

Where possess means to develop mastery over. We should keep this in mind with the temptations and challenges we face in that we should -

"...count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations..." (New Testament James 1:2)

And with this tribulation -

"...let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." (New Testament James 1:4)

Not only does faith and patience go hand in hand, but also faith and righteousness. James continues -

"...my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls." (New Testament James 1:19 - 21)

For the demonstration of faith is good works and righteousness -

"...be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (New Testament James 1:22 - 25)

It doesn't matter if we claim to have faith or not, it comes down to, as James teaches -

"If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." (New Testament James 1:26 - 27)

I'm sure that is what James learned from the Savior.