James 2:5

Arguments Against Prejudice

James 2:5 "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?" "Listen, my beloved brethren" -When. rebuke must be given, remember this person is still your beloved brother or sister. These Christians need to correct themselves, but James wasn't willing to label them as hopeless and neither did he snub them because they had slipped."choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith" -Please note that James isn't teaching that God excluded the rich from salvation. Rich Christians did exist (1 Timothy 6:17). "James did not mean that there was any merit in poverty, nor that poverty was the cause for their election by God, nor that all the poor will be saved and none of the rich. He was merely recognizing that God had certainly not discriminated against the poor as. class. In fact, far more of the poor had responded to the gospel..then had the rich and powerful (1 Corinthians 1:26)" (Kent p. 80). Remember, God has chosen that salvation will be offered to all and within the possibility of all (John 3:16; Mark 16:16). God wanted that poor man saved! God didn't discriminate against the poor, Jesus died for beggars as well as the rich. "poor of this world" -Which should remind us that poverty is temporary, poverty in material things is. "this world" problem. But even in this life,. poor man can be rich in spiritual things (James 1:9; Ephesians 1:3). "rich in faith" -We sometimes forget that faith brings many riches with it. Riches such as confidence, contentment, happiness, meaning, purpose, encouragement, strength, comfort and so on. See 1 Peter 1:5 and James 1:5."and heirs of the kingdom which He promised" -This poor individual in the world's estimation has. great inheritance. The kingdom of God on the earth is the church (Revelation 1:9) and the kingdom of God also includes the future reward for all the righteous in heaven (2 Peter 1:11; Matthew 25:34; Ephesians 5:5)."which He promised to those who love Him?" -Such an inheritance is conditional. Please note that God choose to save people that love Him. God doesn't force people to love Him. Of course, those who love God are obedient (John 14:15). And this poor man can love God just as much as any rich man. Economics do not inherently prevent. man from loving God. Poverty doesn't have to affect. persons moral character, one can be very poor and very moral. But today, how many people blame crime and sin inherently on economics?