Free Bible Commentary
“James 2:1-7”
Categories: James“My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. 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, 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,’ have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? 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? But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called.”
---End of Scripture verses---
If we are going to “hold” our faith in Jesus Christ, we must learn to let go of our ungodly prejudices. It is impossible to be “Christ-like” and also show “personal favoritism” on the grounds of worldly wealth, social status or popular acclaim (verse 1). When Jesus walked the face of this earth He befriended the weak and impoverished in order to help them, and chastised the corrupted rich and powerful class of religious leaders. If “there is no partiality with God” (Romans 2:11), then it is sinful for us to give preferential treatment because of personal prestige. The only truly “glorious” person to ever live is Jesus, and He was humble and holy, meek and lowly.
It is impossible to impress God by riches, achievements and social or political status, and it is a rarity for the calling of Christ to appeal to a person possessing great worldly power and clout. It is much more likely for “the poor in this world to be rich in faith” (verse 5). “For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)
Christian beware of “an attitude of personal favoritism.” If God played favorites like we often do, very few of us would find ourselves in His good favor and saved by His grace.
Please read James 2:8-13 for tomorrow.
Please come worship God with us today at the Taylorsville Road church of Christ.
We assemble at 3741 Taylorsville Road in Louisville Kentucky.
9:30 AM Bible classes for all ages. 10:30 AM and 5:00 PM worship services.
Have a blessed Lord’s Day!
- Louie Taylor
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