Beloved, I am glad to share with you today the above theme from Jas 2:1 and following. Indeed, we are influenced more than we think by the false scale of values that the world uses, such as wealth, social rank… Even a Samuel needed to learn it: “Man looks to the outward appearance, and the Lord looks to the heart” (1 Sam 16:6-7). And do you know how far “bias” has taken the world? To the point of despising and rejecting the Son of God, because He had come as a poor man here on earth (2 Cor 8. 9). Even today, the beautiful name of Christ invoked on Christians remains the object of mockery and blasphemy. Well, those who wear it, those poor whom the world despises, are designated by the Lord as the heirs of the kingdom (Mat 5:3-12). To them is therefore imposed “the royal law”, that is to say that of the king. To fail in the commandment of love is to transgress the whole Law, just as it is enough to break a chain of the breaking of a single ring. So that we were all guilty, convinced of sin. But God found greater glory in mercy than in judgment. This mercy now places us under a very different “law”: that of freedom. Freedom of a new nature that finds pleasure in obedience to God (1 Pet 2:13-17).
Some thought they saw a contradiction between James’ teaching and Paul’s, for example in Rom 4:1-8). In reality, each of them presents a different side of the truth. Paul demonstrates that faith is enough to make someone righteous before God. These early Jewish Christians were far too influenced by the ordinary ideas of the world, and because the world mocked the poor, they too despised the poor. They should have been led by the faith of the Lord Jesus, not by the norms and customs of the world. Although He was the Lord of glory, He always lowered Himself to the poor and orphans. Poverty and need may be incompatible with human glory, but they are entirely compatible with divine glory.
As a result, when a wealthy Jew entered their synagogue with great fanfare, dressed in his finest clothes, he was the object of servile attention, apparently by Christians as well as by non-Christians. When a poor man entered, he was unceremoniously relegated to a dark place. This is quite natural according to the ways of the world, but quite alien to the faith of Christ. They could constitute themselves judges of men in this way, but by this they demonstrated that they were only “judges with bad thoughts” or “judges with bad reasoning”.
Many critics are inclined to object to Isaac’s sacrifice and denounce it as unworthy of being called a “good work.” This is because they are completely blind to the point we have just tried to make. When Abraham believed God on that starry night, he believed that He was going to raise up a living child of dead parents. How could he believe it if not because he had believed that God was capable of raising the dead and bringing them back to life? but what did his sacrifice of Isaac show? he showed that he believed in God really and exactly in this way. He offered it “having felt that God could raise him even from the dead” (Heb11. 19). His work manifested his faith in a very precise and accurate way.
It is the same with Rahab. She received Joshua’s spies and sent them back by another path. These are our critics again very dissatisfied, and denouncing his action. It was unpatriotic! it was a betrayal! she lied! Well, miserable creature! she was only a depraved element of a cursed race, groping towards the light. Her actions are easy to criticize, and yet she had the supreme merit of clearly demonstrating that she had lost faith in the filthy gods of her country, and that she had begun to believe in the power and mercy of the God of Israel. But this is precisely the point characterizing the faith she professed with the spies: “I know that the Lord has given you the land … for Jehovah your God is God in heaven above and below on earth” (Joshua 2. 9-11). Did she believe Him? Of course, because his works showed it. She risked her own life to identify with the people who had Jehovah for her God.
Is this not a salutary and important truth? of course. It is reported that Luther indulged in talking about James with contempt, calling his epistle “a straw epistle.” If what is said is true, the great reformer was mistaken, and did not grasp the real strength of these passages. If we seize it, we will certainly affirm that it is rather of the “iron epistle” type. James delivers direct blows like a club to a point that is hardly matched by any other Writer of the New Testament.
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
No bias in favor of the rich:
- Prohibited bias
Lev 19:15 Thou shalt not commit iniquity in your judgments: thou shalt not regard the person of the poor, and thou shalt not favor the person of the great, but thou shalt judge one’s neighbor according to righteousness. 1 Tim 5:21 I beseech you before God, before Jesus Christ, and before the chosen angels, to observe these things without prevention, and to do nothing out of favor. John 2:4 do you not make a distinction in yourself, and do you not judge under the inspiration of evil thoughts? Jude 16 These are people who whisper, who complain about their fate, who walk according to their lusts, who have haughty words in their mouths, who admire people out of interest.
- Equality of man
Pr 22:2 The rich and the poor meet; It was Jehovah who made them both. Mt 23:8 But you do not call yourself Rabbi; for only one is your Master, and you are all brothers. Gal 3:28 There is no longer a Jew or a Greek, there is no longer a slave or a free, there is no longer a man or a woman; for all of you are one in Jesus Christ. John 2:5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has Not God chosen the poor in the eyes of the world, that they may be rich in faith, and heirs to the kingdom that He has promised to those who love Him?
- Justification by faith
Gen 15:6 Abram trusted in Jehovah, who justly blamed him for it. Acts 13:39 and that whoever believes is justified by him for all things that you could not be justified by the law of Moses. Rom 5:1 Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Gal 3:24 Thus the law has been like a teacher to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.
- Spiritual being
Jb 32:8 But in reality, in man, it is the spirit, the breath of the Almighty, that gives intelligence; Acts 7:59 And they stoned Stephen, who prayed and said, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit! 2 Cor 4:16 That is why we do not lose heart. And even as our outer man destroys himself, our inner man renews himself day by day. John 2:26 As the body without a soul died, so faith without works died.
From all of the above, we note that “as the body without spirit died, so also faith without works died” (James 2.26). We can speak of our faith in Christ, or of our faith in this or that detail of Christian truth; but unless expressed in appropriate works, our faith is dead!what a blow of a club! let it exert its full effect on our consciences. James explains that in order to be justified in the eyes of men works are necessary (1 John 3:7-10). It is not the root, but the fruit that makes it possible to judge the quality of a tree (Luke 6:39-45). Inner faith cannot be shown to men other than through works. Electricity cannotbe seen, but the operation of a lamp or motor makes it possible to affirm the presence of current in the conductive wire. Faith is an active principle, an internal energy that moves the wheels of the heart. Paul and James illustrate their teaching with the same example: that of Abraham, to which is added here that of Rahab. According to human morality, the first is a criminal father, the second a person of misconduct, who betrays his people. Their actions are all the more obvious consequence of their faith; it led them to make the greatest sacrifices for God. Beloved,you may have once said that you have faith. Did you show itas well? Our prayers support you all in your efforts to follow these examples by the grace of God.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite every person who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I admit to having sinned against you and ask your forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and personal Savior. I recognize that you died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to the eternal life that you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me into your divine family, so that I may also contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All adoration, power and glory are yours, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be happy to react to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you tomorrow “moderation in the use of speech.”
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.