Week 9

Joanie likes to say, “The teacher needs the lesson more than the student!” I guess this is why I get the next two weeks of James!

Let’s read James 2:1-13. (I would like to encourage you to write out each lesson’s verses, you’d be amazed how some things pop out at you when you read it in your own handwriting.)

Take a look at James 2:1: My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with {an attitude of} personal favoritism. (NAS)

My brethren, refers to all believers. We’ve seen that one before.

do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ

The word “hold” popped out at me. It means to consider, account. Are you thinking about your faith in the Lord Jesus and comparing it to another’s faith?

MH’s commentary says, “Christ’s being the Lord of glory should teach us not to respect Christians for any thing so much as their relation and conformity to Christ…In professing the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, we should not show respect to men, so as to cloud or lessen the glory of our glorious Lord:”

with {an attitude of} personal favoritism.

Favoritism: made accepted, similar to grace, but has nothing to do with grace. Favor is deserved or gained, grace is a free gift. If it’s personal favoritism, we’re using a standard of measure that may be out of kilter—our own. If we compare our faith to Mother Theresa, we consider her a faith giant. If we compare it to Brittney Spears, we feel oh so superior. Leviticus 19:15

Let’s read Luke 15:1-2. Who did Jesus hang with? Who needed to hear from Him? Who was grumbling?

Matthew 5:45-48 Let’s start with how we treat our fellow Christians. Did you know that the church is the most segregated place in the world on Sunday? Why is that?

What about all those denominations? Why do I feel uncomfortable walking into a cathedral for mass? Am I a religion snob? If they all agree that Jesus is the Lord of Glory, why do I not associate with very many Catholics?

Let’s read on: James 2:2 For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes,

For if a man comes into your assembly

Assembly-that doesn’t necessarily mean church. It does not specify worship. One commentary mentions a church business meeting such as income reporting, votes, discussion, judgment.

with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes

This denotes a rich man. A gold ring usually meant a signet ring—signing power for his family if you will. If you do a word study on gold ring and fine robes, you might also land on the following scripture: Luke 15:22, Genesis 41:42, Luke 23:11

and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes,

This normally describes the poor man. Someone just come in from the fields—directly from work maybe.

What about the rich and poor in spirit?
Do we look down on those who are not saved?
What about those in charge at the church, do we hold them in higher esteem than the ones who clean the kitchen or wipe the noses of our kids in Sunday school?
Why don’t we treat everyone special?

“It is not great men, nor worldly wealth, nor corrupt practices among professors themselves that must guide us, but the scriptures of truth.” Matthew Henry Commentary

and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, "You sit here in a good place," and you say to the poor man, "You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,"

Footstool-under foot, a very low position. Matt 22:44 Reserved for enemies. ouch.

have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?

Why so pious, oh my soul? We are guilty of partiality (a divided mind) as between the two strangers.

Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world {to be} rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

Luke 6:20

There is also the counter-productivity of such conspicuous partiality. As a matter of fact, the poor visitor at church is a hundred times more likely to become a Christian than the wealthy visitor; and it is a sin against the growth of the church to exhibit the kind of partiality that would tend to discourage the poor. - Coffman Commentaries

But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court?

The Sadducees were big time oppressors of the poor. The Romans would look for anything to arrest a Christian.

Drag-- implies force, just one more excuse to drag a Christian into court to be persecuted.

Court-both the Jewish and Roman courts.

Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?

Literally “which was called upon you”, the name in which you were baptized. The Gentiles and Jews blasphemed Christ’s name frequently.

If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF," you are doing well.

Impossible to think that the “royal law” was Moses’ 10 commandments—because Moses was never a king. That’s why royal law is Jesus’ law: love the lord with all your heart, mind and soul and love your neighbor as yourself.

Are we loving our neighbor as ourselves? Who is your neighbor?

Luke 10:27-38
Matthew 5:46-48

It is easy to like someone who likes you. But to like someone who doesn’t know you, even someone who doesn’t like you...That takes strength only God can supply!

But if you show partiality, you are committing sin {and} are convicted by the law as transgressors.

Are you loving your neighbor if you show partiality to another?

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one {point,} he has become guilty of all.

"Transgression of one precept of the Christian rule of faith is a breach of the whole, because it breaks fellowship with the object of faith." - Coffman Commentaries

Foye added, “God does not allow selective obedience.”

For He who said, "DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY," also said, "DO NOT COMMIT MURDER." Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

Snubbing the poor is equal in Christ’s eyes as murder. This is serious stuff. No more can we hold up a gauge and say, “At least I’m not as sinful as that other guy!”

All during this lesson I had a crystal goblet of water sitting on the table. There was a question on how does breaking one law break them all. I took a dropper and said, "If I were to take a drop of water from the toilet and let it fall into this goblet, it would ruin the whole glass full of water, right? So it is when we sin, when we break the royal law, we break fellowship with God. Breaking one of God's laws is like breaking them all, we're tainted. We must confess and ask to be washed clean again, or that chasm will remain between us and God. We need a Savior so badly!"

Another question came up about how we'll be asking forgiveness every day, all day...how long will God put up with that? Our Heavenly Father is patient, he'll keep forgiving as long as we keep asking. And Jesus is there to intercede on our behalf!

So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by {the} law of liberty.

The teachings of the Son of God are characterized by freedom. What a freedom we have! I'd rather be under God's law than under the slavery of sin. It's like the birds of the air--they have to obey the law of gravity, but they fly using that law. Why can't we fly spiritually? Our sin of favoritism keeps us grounded!

For judgment is without mercy to him that hath showed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgment.

Matthew 6:14, Matthew 5:7

Mercy stands higher than the law as the guiding principle of God's relationship with men.

Micah 7:18, Romans 12:8

The one who is harsh and short with his neighbor, or else does not help him, he shall find God a hard and rough judge to him.

But the mercy of God in Christ towards us should produce mercy towards others, making us victors over discrimination and judgment. We don’t deserve this grace, so why not be a vessel of His mercy?

What did Jesus pray for? John 17:15-21

Can you think of someone who is very difficult to be around? What if you were to make that person your homework for this week? Try and see them as Jesus sees them. Try to see the hurt and frustration in their lives. See if you can lighten their load a bit this week.

In Christ,
Kelly