MY BROTHERS! See note on James 1:2. AS BELIEVERS. "You are NEW in your union to Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17_)."_ YOU MUST NEVER. "You must never be guilty of prejudice and discrimination in your dealings with people!" Christian love is _acting toward others as God has acted toward you in Christ._ Sin... [ Continue Reading ]
SUPPOSE. "This is an example to show you that you have been doing wrong by discriminating against people." There was a much wider gap between rich and poor in New Testament times, and the _middle-class_ probably did not exist as it does in our society.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF YOU SHOW MORE RESPECT. The point is: clothes, not character, is the basis used to decide the value of each person. God does not allow this!!!... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN YOU ARE GUILTY. (1) Of creating distinctions where God has made none; (2) Of allowing evil motives to influence you. These things destroy the unity of the worshipers, and create the same kind of problems that were in the church at Corinth _(_1 Corinthians 1:10-13_)._... [ Continue Reading ]
LISTEN, MY DEAR BROTHERS! "To show it is wrong to respect the rich more than the poor, I ask you to hear this." GOD CHOSE THE POOR. See 1 Corinthians 1:26-27. Remember the Jews felt the rich had been more blessed by God, and were therefore closer to Him. But James shows that God himself chose the po... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT YOU DISHONOR THE POOR! "Contrary to the example set for you by God himself, you create distinctions and allow evil motives to influence you." WHO ARE THE ONES? The Bible usually speaks of the rich in a bad sense, because it is looking at those who make their wealth by oppressing the poor. Such m... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ARE THE ONES. It was the _rich Jewish leaders_ as a class that blasphemed the name of Jesus and said he was a phony (fraud) who deserved the death he died. Yet some in the church were showing more respect to these, than to the poor brothers!!! [The _synagogue_ was the center of Jewish life, and... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RIGHT THING. This has always been God's _law,_ both through Moses and through Christ. The quotation is from Leviticus 19:18; also Romans 13:9; and see Galatians 4:14.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT. James makes this as strong as he can! It is a deliberate, conscious act of sin if they make distinctions on the basis of outward appearance (social rank, wealth, clothes, etc.) THE LAW condemns you as a lawbreaker, because it forbids such discrimination, and requires you to love your fellow-man... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOEVER. The Jews taught that if you kept _one_ commandment, you would be given credit for all the rest, even though you did not keep them. James shows that if you break one, you have broken them all!!! It is not possible then, to make up for (expiate) a sin by a _good work._ James explains this in... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE SAME ONE. The same God gave each command, and in breaking any command, you sin against the same Lawgiver. EVEN IF YOU DO NOT. "The fact that you did not commit adultery would not make up for the sin of murder. In the same way, if you create distinctions on the basis of outward appearance, th... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAK AND ACT. "Since you know you will be judged by the _law that sets men free_ (see note on James 1:25_),_ be sure you speak and act so that the Good News will not condemn you!!!" The law of Christ (the Good News) is a _new attitude and spirit._ See Romans 8:2; Romans 8:15 and notes. Compare Matt... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR GOD. The way we treat others will be the way God treats us!!! Jesus taught this in many ways. See Matthew 7:1-5; Matthew 18:21-35; Matthew 25:31-46. MERCY TRIUMPHS OVER JUDGMENT. _MacKnight_ says: "But _at that day_ mercy will triumph over judgment to him who showed mercy." See Psalms 18:25-27.... [ Continue Reading ]
MY BROTHERS. See note on James 1:2. James begins a study of_ faith and actions._ Because some have misunderstood the nature of faith, they have said: (1) James deliberately contradicts and corrects the teaching of Paul. (2) James did not even know what Paul taught, and so writes without any referenc... [ Continue Reading ]
SUPPOSE. "To show you the foolishness of claiming to have faith without the proof of actions, think about this example.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT GOOD? "If you ask God's blessing on them and pray that _somebody else_ will take care of them, but do not yourself give them the necessities of life, what help have you been to them??? Will such speeches feed and clothe the poor???... [ Continue Reading ]
SO IT IS WITH FAITH. "Faith which does not prove itself by actions is as worthless as good wishes to the poor without food and clothing.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT SOMEONE WILL SAY. Jewish teaching said good works placed an obligation on God, and all who had more good works than bad works to their credit, would be saved. The Good News placed salvation entirely on _Christ-on-the-cross,_ that is, on the _merit_ of his sacrifice. Therefore some Jewish Christi... [ Continue Reading ]
DO YOU BELIEVE? The basic belief of the Jew was stated in the _Shema'_ "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One" (Deuteronomy 6:4-6). This is the _profession of faith_ which every Jew makes on his death-bed, This _Shema_ was thought of in superstitious terms, as a_ good luck charm_ which wo... [ Continue Reading ]
YOU FOOL! [This is not the same word translated _worthless fool_ in Matthew 5:22. KENOS = empty, to no purpose, foolish, senseless.] "Faith without actions cannot put anyone right with God!" We _reach out through faith_ to seize the sacrifice of Christ and make ourselves part of it.... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW? "Our ancestor Abraham is an example of what I am talking about. IT WAS THROUGH HIS ACTIONS. "The whole life of Abraham was living proof the he believed God! I especially point you to the incident with Isaac. He did not question God's command to him, but went up on the mountain to sacrifice his... [ Continue Reading ]
CAN'T YOU SEE? This is emphatic! WORKED TOGETHER. _Lightfoot_ says that these words "bridge over the gulf which seems to separate the language of St. Paul and St. James. Both assert a principle of practical energy, as opposed to a barren, inactive theory." The doctrine of "faith only" actually takes... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SCRIPTURE. Note the climax which James uses!!! Abraham's faith being made perfect through his actions made this come true!!! The quotation is from Genesis 15:6 Septuagint. God accepted Abraham as righteous (imputed righteousness to him) because he believed Him! GOD'S FRIEND. Isaiah 41:8; 2 C... [ Continue Reading ]
YOU SEE, THEN. "The example of Abraham proves that the faith that puts people right with God is a faith that becomes perfect through actions!" _MacKnight_ says _"Wherefore,_ from Moses ascribing (crediting) the justification of Abraham to the work of offering up Isaac, _ye see that by works_ proceed... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PROSTITUTE RAHAB. This verse is proof that God's acceptance of a person does not depend upon their past. She was well known to the Jews, because she was the great-great-grandmother of David the king. Because she believed God, she acted on the basis of her faith. In doing this, she showed the sam... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THEN. _MACKNIGHT_ SAYS: "In no way but by faith accompanied with works can any one be justified." The body without the spirit has no real life or existence. In the same way, faith that does not reach out through actions to seize the sacrifice of Christ and continue to hold firmly to it, has no re... [ Continue Reading ]