“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?”
to be rich in faith
If we discriminate against those who are rich in faith, we discriminate against the value of our own faith. The poor […]
Archive for September, 2000
“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?”
which He promised
A promise is something God announces He is going to do for us before He does it. It is an open and […]
“But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts?”
But you have dishonored the poor man.
The readers of James dishonoured the poor by treating them as second-class citizens. This is the antithesis of how God views the poor (2:2-3). The poor, as well as the […]
“Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?”
Do they not blaspheme that noble name
The “noble name” is the name of Christ. When we dishonour the poor, we cast aspersion on the name of God because the poor wear His name.
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God […]
“If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well…”
Partiality opposes God’s character (2:1), conflicts with God’s choosing poor people (2:5) and now, in this verse, is contrary to the Word of God.
If you really fulfill the royal law
“Royal” means belonging to a […]
“…but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors”
but if you show partiality,
Partiality means to show respect to some person over others – to discriminate, to show favoritism, to be partial. This is where James started in verse one – esteeming people from outward and not inner standards.
The […]
“For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all”
For
James amplifies the idea we are guilty under the law when we commit the sin of discrimination (2:9).
whoever shall keep the whole law,
The word “whoever” indicates there is no exception to the following principle: any and […]
“For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all”
and yet stumble in one point,
The word “stumble” means to cause to stumble. The idea here is making one false step in keeping one of God’s standards. We cannot break one law without breaking them all.
“Therefore you […]
“For He who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder’”
James illustrates verse 10 by two instances in verse 11 of the most glaring incidents of not loving our neighbour. This verse also shows the unity of the law.
For He who said,
James quotes from Exodus 20:13,14 and Deuteronomy 5:17,18 to show […]
“For He who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder’”
also said, ‘Do not murder.’
Murder is the taking of another human life illegally with premeditation. Murder is more than killing another person. The Bible justifies the killing of an individual by government (Romans 13:9) or by an individual in war.
Protection from being killed […]