Published on
August 31, 2000 in
James.
Read Introduction to James
“Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?”
Listen, my beloved brethren:
James strongly appeals to readers he loves very much to consider God’s view of the poor. To disrespect the poor is to disrespect God and His plan for the poor. James wants to grab their attention on this issue. Those who are not poor give very little attention to this area. The word “listen” emphasizes the important principle to follow.
Has God not chosen the poor of this world
The Greek expects a “yes” answer to the question, “Has God not chosen the poor….” God took the initiative in saving the poor. This was no accident but took place totally within the eternal counsel of God. The poor did not choose Him; He chose them. They are poor only in the world’s estimation, not in God’s opinion.
“God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9).
“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).
The “poor” in this passage are not the spiritually poor but the financially poor. God, from eternity past, chose the financially poor. The poor have an honour in this choosing. If we dishonour the poor we dishonour God’s plan in choosing them.
“He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker; He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished” (Proverbs 17:5).”They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do” (Galatians 2:10).
Principle:
Prejudice against the poor is prejudice against God’s plan.
Application:
All Christians share the same regenerate nature. That makes them all in the same family and deserving of the same respect.
“Blessed is he who considers the poor;
The LORD will deliver him in time of trouble” (Psalm 41:1).
“Your congregation dwelt in it;
You, O God, provided from Your goodness for the poor” (Psalm 68:10).
Published on
August 30, 2000 in
James.
Read Introduction to James
“and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, You sit here in a good place, and say to the poor man, You stand there, or, Sit here at my footstool have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?”
and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,”
James gives a hypothetical illustration in this verse whereby a church invites the wealthy person into a seat of honor. They give special attention to the rich man but no particular attention to the poor man.
The words “pay attention” come from one Greek word composed of two words: upon and to look. When the rich man walked into church, they gave him special attention – they look upon him. They looked on him with envy and deference.
and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool
A second man walks into church who is poor. There is no mention of any special “attention” given the poor man other than a couple off hand remarks about where he should sit.
These phrases are an indication of blatant prejudice. The church cannot honor or dishonor a poor man any more or less than the rich man.
have you not shown partiality among yourselves,
To show partiality means to separate oneself throughout or wholly from someone. We separate ourselves from someone because of discriminations we make about her. We think we are superior to her because of some qualities that we imagine we have.
We make a loud statement to those around us when we show partiality to some people over others.
and become judges with evil thoughts?
The word “thoughts” denotes inward reasoning, an opinion. This is the process whereby someone reasons with himself and consults himself for deliberation. It is an evil system of thought that makes distinctions between the rich and poor.
Principle:
It is a dislocation of values to measure people by material wealth. Showing favouritism is outside the will of God.
Application:
We show the dislocation of our values when we judge people by their material wealth. Eternal values are much more important that temporal values.
When we defer to people of wealth because we envy what they have, we show our true values. We favor wealthy people because we envy them.
“And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring’” (Acts 17:26-28).
When we show partiality toward the rich we make a statement about our view of the world. We believe in materialism above spiritual values. When we give preference to some people over others, we set ourselves up as judges of evil thoughts. It is holding one standard for one group and another standard for another.
“For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” (1 Corinthians 4:7).
Most of us would never allow these thoughts to be seen by our friends and colleagues. If these thoughts enter our minds, we must deal with them immediately by confession or they will entrench into our minds and develop into attitudes.
Published on
August 29, 2000 in
James.
Read Introduction to James
“For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes…”
For
The word “for” links us to the previous verse and illustrates the prohibition against partiality.
if
The “if” makes a hypothetical case. James supposes that a very wealthy person walks into an assembly of Christians.
there should come into your assembly
James depicts the gathering of Christians as an “assembly.” The Greek word is the word for “synagogue.” A synagogue is a bringing together, an assembling, a gathering of people for worship. Sometimes translators translate this word “church” (5:14).
The Jews worshiped in a synagogue for formal worship every Sabbath day [Saturday]. They built synagogues not only throughout Palestine but also throughout the cities of the Roman world. Christians worshiped in Jewish synagogues. It was their place of assembly or meeting for worship in some situations. It may be that the “assembly” here may simply be the gathering of Christians [a congregation] rather than a building.
a man with gold rings, in fine apparel,
The person who wears “fine apparel” [gorgeous clothes] and “gold rings” advertises her riches with flash. “I have expensive threads! I am successful.” If a person comes into a church congregation with pomp and flash, she should experience no greater deference than a poor person. The early church had some wealthy people (Acts 4:36,37; 8:27; 10:1,2; 16:14; 17:4; 1 Titus 6:17-19).
and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes
The word “poor” means poverty stricken. This person does not have a dime. He probably does not have a way to wash his clothes because he lives on the streets. He is a persona non grata. This person does not stand in the good graces of society.
“Filthy clothes” probably means shabby clothing. We should not avoid a poor person that comes into the assembly of Christians with shabby clothing. Most Christians were poor in the first century (Acts 2:45; 4:35–37; 6:1–6; 1 Corinthians 1:26; 2 Corinthians 8:2,14; Galatians 2:10). This was due in part to Jewish Christians dispersed throughout the Roman Empire because of persecution. They lost their source of income because of this. Some experienced famine (Acts 11:29–30). The poor Christians of Macedonia gave liberally to Christians who faced economic hardship (2 Corinthians 8:1-2).
Principle:
In God’s eyes and in the eyes of fellow Christians, all Christians should be equal.
Application:
Christians do not value a person any more because he possesses wealth nor do we value him any less. Wealth is not an issue. Clothes do not make the man but character makes the man in the Christian worldview.
People who associate with wealthy people because of their status and wealth violate poor Christians. They diminish the poor because of their economic status. Giving attention to an affluent person is an implied judgment on the poor. The poor get the shaft. The Christian church cannot assign rank based on wealth. Christians who associate with wealthy people to elevate themselves automatically diminish those of lesser wealth.
Are you the type of person who carries a revolting attitude toward people who walk into your church unkempt and unclean? There are some Christians who would love to make their church a religious country club. The Christian church should have no rank or social distinction.
Published on
August 28, 2000 in
James.
Read Introduction to James
“My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality”
My brethren,
James’ appeal to his readers as “brethren” (15 times in James — 1:2, 16, 19; 2:5, 14; 4:11; 5:7) indicates he wants them to know that they are brothers in Christ even though he is going to take them to task in the next verses.
do not hold the faith
“The faith” does not refer to the faith we put in Christ when we believed but to the entire body of Christian truth. Christian doctrine is incongruous with partiality.
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Jesus Christ is the object of our faith. We place our faith in Him as a person. We direct our faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ.
“…testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21).
the Lord of glory,
The Lord Jesus Christ is “the Lord of glory” because He is the one who divulges the glory of God. One aspect of the glory of God is that He is not partial to rank or station. Jesus Christ is the glory of the Christian because He is the zenith of God. He is the object of our worship. He is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father. Jesus possessed this glory before the creation of the world (John 17:5). He came to earth with this glory.
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
“…which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:8).
with partiality
“Partiality” denotes deference of some persons over other persons. Literally, the word means to accept a face. Some people give preference to the powerful and rich over the rank and file of most people. This gives preference for the outward and circumstantial rather than the intrinsic value of a person. When we treat some people better than other people, we make distinctions that God does not make.
God is completely impartial in His dealings with us. He does not give preference to people because they are wealthy or wise. He gives no preference for place, face, grace or race. He does not rank us by anything other than His own standards.
“You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid in any man’s presence, for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, bring to me, and I will hear it” (Deuteronomy 1:17).
“For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe” (Deuteronomy 10:17).
“Now therefore, let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take care and do it, for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, no partiality, nor taking of bribes” (2 Chronicles 19:7).
Principle:
The genuine Christian shows no favouritism in her relationships.
Application:
The Christian who sticks his nose up at other Christians violates the nature of the glory of God. God does not judge by appearance. He gives no special favours to some over others. His judgment of others is not superficial or without thought for their true qualities.
Those who do not have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ have a materialistic outlook on life. They see everything in terms of race, place, face and even grace. These are superficial values in God’s economy. The Christian looks at everyone in relation to God.
“But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord‘” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31).
We should not judge people by their outward appearance rather than by who they truly are. We should not assess them by their clothes, or their car or the size of their house.
“These things also belong to the wise:
It is not good to show partiality in judgment” (Proverbs 24:23).
“To show partiality is not good,
Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress” (Proverbs 28:21).
Published on
August 27, 2000 in
James.
Read Introduction to James
“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world”
Pure
James now shows a genuine Christianity that is “pure” and “undefiled” instead of the formal religion of the previous verse.
“Pure” means something that was defiled but now cleansed. Religion that seeks to gain God’s approbation is impure religion. A “pure” person is free from this impure admixture and thus is blameless.
and undefiled religion
“Undefiled” carries the further idea of a religion free from selfish do-good motives. The do-gooder’s religion is for his own benefit. An “undefiled religion” is unsoiled. It is free from the deformation of selfishness and it is not debased.
before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble,
The idea of the words “to visit” is to oversee, to look after. These words come from a Greek word composed of two words: over and to see. The idea is to oversee orphans and widows in their trouble, “Take responsibility for them.”
“Blessed is he who considers the poor;
The LORD will deliver him in time of trouble” (Psalm 41:1).
“A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows,
Is God in His holy habitation” (Psalm 68:5).
and to keep oneself unspotted from the world
The idea of “unspotted” is unstained. The Christian should be free from the censure and reproach of the world. His testimony should never be sullied. He keeps himself from compromise. The idea is not sinless perfection but freedom from reproof of those around us.
Principle:
We see genuine biblical acumen by the way we treat others in trouble.
Application:
Many people exercise religion to gain approval from others, not God. God is the goal of our service, not man.
The glory of Christ’s impact on Christians is that they live with integrity. Everything we do must be pure and spotless, free from reproach.
Published on
August 26, 2000 in
James.
Read Introduction to James
“If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless”.
but deceives his own heart,
A person who has no control over his tongue cheats his own heart. He misleads himself. He cannot see the truth about himself.
“The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)
this one’s religion is useless
The word “useless” is a term of vanity. This person’s religious life is void of result and force. Her religion is useless and of no purpose. It is idle, empty, fruitless, useless, powerless and lacking truth. She trifles in religion.
Principle:
Our Christianity is useless when we do not translate what we believe into experience.
Application:
Many people can quote the Bible by the mile but live it by the inch. They are long on talk but short on truth. They are sermon tasters, connoisseurs of spiritual things without experiencing the reality of those things.
A truly spiritual-minded person falls in love with the Word of God. When we fall in love with the Word we also fall in love with the Son of God.
We never graduate from the Bible. We never get too big for the Bible. We must constantly and continually translate the Bible into our life. The Bible is the most severe critic of our life, the plum line and measuring stick of how we live our life.
If we feed on the Word of God it will become a part of us. We are what we eat physically; we are what we believe spiritually.
Published on
August 25, 2000 in
James.
Read Introduction to James
“If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless”
At first appearance this verse does not appear related to the context but indeed it does closely link to the previous verses. A consistent Christian life always shows up in practice. James now gives a specific example of applying truth to experience. We see this in two areas: First, the true Christian will control her mouth (v.26) and, secondly, she will reach out to those in need (v.27).
If anyone among you thinks he is religious,
The word “religious’ means someone who is careful to keep external service to God. A religious person here is a pious person, someone who is devoted to or worships God. He perceives himself as a godly person.
and does not bridle his tongue
The idea of “bridle” is control. We control a horse by a bridle. Here, it is the control of the tongue. A person who does not keep her mouth shut deceives her own heart. A person who can reign in her mouth is someone who can practise what they preach.
A clear manifestation of someone who is religious but not spiritual is someone who uses his mouth to run down others. This is because he does not apply truth to experience.
Principle:
Restraining one’s mouth is one way to apply truth to experience.
Application:
Non-spiritual people, who constantly censure and detract from others, do not operate on the principle of applying truth to experience. People who run down others and find fault in others, to lessen them in the eyes of others, deceive their own hearts and engage in a useless exercise.
When we detract from others in order to make ourselves seem superior, we enter into the vanity of religion.
“I said, ‘I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue;
I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle,
While the wicked are before me’” (Psalm 39:1).
“Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;
Keep watch over the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3).
“But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36).
Published on
August 24, 2000 in
James.
Read Introduction to James
“But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does”
and continues in it,
The word “continues’ means to remain beside, to continue near, to stay beside or near, stand by another. The idea is someone who steadfastly looks to the Bible as a source for spiritual life.
and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work,
When it comes to the Word of God, we should not be hearers who dismiss what we hear (1:23,24). A “doer of the work” asks God to examine him with the Word. It is one thing to have an extensive knowledge of the Bible but it is another to expansively apply it to experience.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24).
this one will be blessed
The word “blessed” here does not mean “happy.” It means having an inner prosperity of the soul regardless of circumstance. The person who consistently lives out the principles of the Word has an inner prosperity of soul.
“Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2).
in what he does
Applying the principles of the Word to our experience will bless our soul because it is consistent with God’s plan for our life.
Principle:
The Christian who extensively applies the Word to her experience will possess an inner prosperity of soul.
Application:
A person who continues in the Word is someone who lives it as a pattern of life. He does not live it in fits and starts. He brings the Word into every situation he faces.
“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42).
Extensively applying the principles of God’s Word to our experience will have a great impact on our daily walk with God and result in an inner prosperity of the soul.
Published on
August 23, 2000 in
James.
Read Introduction to James
“But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does”
the perfect law of liberty
James characterizes the Bible as “the perfect law of liberty.” If we follow the principles of the Word, we will experience personal liberty. We will be free from slavery to sin. The Bible is a book of liberation.
“Jesus answered them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed’” (John 8:34-36).
“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:2-8).
“Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).
The Bible is “perfect” because it is inerrant. It contains no factual errors or misrepresentations. It perfectly reveals the will of God for man. It will not allow for any distortions of reality. It will not allow us to fool ourselves into thinking that we are better than we are.
“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7).
Principle:
The Bible does not allow us to fool ourselves when we respond to it with positive volition.
Application:
The principles of God’s Word give us liberty to live the Christian life. They will give us freedom to love, serve and honour God. We cannot orient ourselves to God without divine principles.
It is ironic that God liberates the Christian by the “law of liberty.” Law and liberty appear to be opposites to the modern mind. How can a man be free and under a law at the same time? That is because the principles of God are true to every situation.
Following the laws of marriage gives freedom within marriage. Adultery is a violation of the law of marriage. Adultery brings slavery to the violator. The more faithful we are to the principles of God’s plan for our lives the greater blessing we experience. God designs all of His laws for the purpose of liberty.
Liberty and license are different. Biblical liberty is the freedom to live within the principles of God. License gives free rein to the flesh.
“For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.‘ But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!” (Galatians 5:13-15).
Published on
August 22, 2000 in
James.
Read Introduction to James
“But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does”
Now we look away from the man who turns from the principles of the Word to the man who turns to the principles of the Word.
But he who looks into
The words “looks into” primarily mean to stoop sideways, to bend over and then to stoop to look into. The idea is to stoop for the purpose of looking at. This is a very strong term for observation, stronger even that the word for “look into” in the previous verse. It means to examine something from the closest possible vantage point so that one reaches a point of concentration.
Principle:
It takes concentration to form principles from the Word.
Application:
The Christian life takes concentration. It is one thing to read the Bible but it is another to find its principles. It takes concentration to find the operating principles for our life. People of our generation do not want to concentrate so they do not find principles for living. They live by superficial tidbits that will not give them structure for their lives.
“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified” (2 Corinthians 13:5-6).
