CHRISTIANITY ELIMINATES PARTIALITY Roberts points out that the Greek word for "respect of persons" literally means "face receiving." In other words, judging what kind of man one is by how he looks. Their problem was rich versus poor. Others have had the same type of problem with race, color, nation... [ Continue Reading ]
THE POOR ARE OFTEN RICH IN FAITH The simple truth is that the poor in this world are much more likely to have that rich faith which moves them to obey the gospel call (James 2:5). They do not have so much to give up. The rich young ruler wanted to follow Christ and inherit eternal life. However, he... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ROYAL LAW James seemingly anticipated their response. Perhaps they would say they were only following the law, fit for kings, which said they should love their neighbor as themselves (Leviticus 19:18). James said it would be fine if they really practiced that law. He just did not want them to d... [ Continue Reading ]
A FAITH THAT DOES NOT WORK IS USELESS Those who claimed to have faith but failed to be fair in their treatment of the poor, as well as rich, had a faith that would not save them. James does not say they are faithless, just without a faith that saves. In a similar manner, it is clear the works he spe... [ Continue Reading ]
FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD James wanted his objectors to acknowledge the obvious truth that faith without works is dead. Woods says "foolish man" literally means "an empty-headed fellow" (James 2:20). Those who really understood God's word should have known Abraham was not only the father of the Je... [ Continue Reading ]
ABRAHAM'S JUSTIFICATION Woods says the word translated "working together" comes "from sunergei, imperfect active of sunergeo, to cooperate with; hence, faith and works kept on cooperating with each other to produce the result - Abraham's justification". Abraham's faith was brought to its full matur... [ Continue Reading ]
RAHAB'S EXAMPLE Likewise, Rahab the harlot showed her trust in God by receiving and hiding the spies (Joshua 2:1-24). Despite the fact that she had lived a wicked life, as her name indicates, she and her household were saved because of her working faith (James 2:25; Hebrews 11:31). Our body is a te... [ Continue Reading ]