Hamartia
in James is used six times. James begins by describing the genesis and destination of sin. Sin is born from desire (1:15), and death is born from sin (1:15).
James tells us that if we show partiality — specifically with regard to rich and poor — we are guilty of sin (2:9). This is a sin that is actually quite popular in Christian fund-raising circles — the guy with money is sought out, asked for his “wisdom” or “prayers,” elected to the session of elders, asked to sit on advisory boards, and all the rest of the drill. Or he is given the seat of honor, the preferred technique mentioned by James. Now if it is really wisdom or prayer that you are after, great. And if he is qualified to be elder, that’s great too. And if the godly shrewdness that got him his pile is the kind of shrewdness that you think you need to learn, that’s not partiality — that’s the beginning of your own shrewdness. But if his chief qualification is his potential in the field of check-writing abilities, and the other qualifications don’t matter, then James nails the problem to the wall for us. Whenever there is money around, James encourages us to be checking our motives every fifteen minutes. You know it is actually a fund-raising letter if “first and foremost” the writer “covets your prayers.” That’s code, people.
James also provides us with a good definition of sins of omission (4:17). The person who knows the good thing to do, and who yet declines to do it, that man is guilty of a sin. And when the elders pray for someone who is sick — assuming a context of humble confession — if sins were connected to the illness, they will be forgiven (5:15).
The work of evangelism and pastoral persusion — calling someone away from the abyss of error — is a work that covers a multitude of sins (5:20).