Devotional Thoughts | James Pt. 5

As we continue to look at the letter James wrote to the Early Church, let me remind you of the contextual setting as is recorded in the Book of Acts. Following the birth of the church there was a period of explosive growth with thousands coming to faith. The followers of Christ were still living and worshipping in Jerusalem. James, the author of this letter was the leader of the Jerusalem church. Following the stoning of Stephan, one of the first deacons of the church, and the first martyr, there arose persecution of the church resulting in many believers fleeing Jerusalem to the surrounding regions and nations. As the pastor of the Jerusalem church, James had a burden for those who fled the persecution and wrote this letter of encouragement.

With that background, let's now consider the encouragement and instruction given to these early members of the church. As we do so, let's glean truths which are applicable for the believers today as we begin chapter 2 of this epistle.

James 2:1-13 My brothers and sisters, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. 2 For if a man comes into your [a]assembly with a gold ring and is dressed in bright clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes also comes in, 3 and you [b]pay special attention to the one who is wearing the bright 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,” 4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil [c]motives? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters: did God not choose the poor [d]of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and [e]personally drag you into [f]court? 7 Do they not blaspheme the good name [g]by which you have been called?

8 If, however, you are fulfilling the [h]royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the Law as violators. 10 For whoever keeps the whole Law, yet stumbles in one point, has become guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do murder, you have become a violator of the Law. 12 So speak, and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom. 13 For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy [i]triumphs over judgment.

James identifies the recipients of the letter as he addresses himself to both the men and the women who were part of the early church. In this segment of his letter, he speaks to an issue which has been a problem in society for ages, the problem of favoritism. The favoritism he addresses is based on one’s appearance and perceived social standing. This was an issue which Jesus also faced as people took him to task for associating with people of “low reputation.”

Matthew 9:10-13 10 Then it happened that as [e]Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and [f]sinners came and began dining with Jesus and His disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when Jesus heard this, He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Now go and learn [g]what this means: ‘I desire [h]compassion, [i]rather than sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Luke 7:36-39 36 Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 And there was a woman in the city who was a [w]sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, 38 and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, and began kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a [x]sinner!”

Luke 15:1-2 Now all the tax collectors and [a]sinners were coming near [b]Jesus to listen to Him. 2 And both the Pharisees and the scribes began to complain, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

Luke 19:5-7  5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 And he hurried and came down, and received Him [c]joyfully. 7 When the people saw this, they all began to complain, saying, “He has gone in [d]to be the guest of a man who is a sinner!”

As James points out in this passage, the favoritism was based on “judgement” based on appearance. Too often the attention one receives is based on the outward appearance. People are drawn to those they perceive can elevate their “social standing,” or open the door of opportunity to a different group of associates.

I would love to tell you that everyone who comes to church has a genuine desire to find love, acceptance and forgiveness in the fellowship of the Body of Christ. Unfortunately, I have witnessed over the years, those who looked at the Body of Christ as an opportunity to conduct business, with the congregation being a pool of potential customers. Sadly, I have witnessed, as James warned the early church, those who came in with great flourish and fanfare, turn on the very people they exploited once they could no longer benefit from the association.

Conversely, some of the most wise, compassionate, Christlike people I’ve met in the church were those who did not attract attention to themselves by their dress and social status. They may not have been rich in the wealth of the world, but were rich in the knowledge, and application of the word, and practical wisdom for daily living. The love they had for people was not based on a desire to climb the social ladder, rather it was based on their desire to elevate the lives of others through the transforming grace of God.

One of the men who had a profound impact on me as I was growing up was a man I knew as Brother Smiley. He was the church custodian and was often found in the church doing the routine custodial work, sweeping and mopping the floors, vacuuming the sanctuary, straightening out the hymnals in the pews, picking up the bulletins and papers which were left behind after the service, emptying the waste baskets, Etc. He was a humble man who loved Jesus with all his heart and loved the Scriptures. There was nothing about him which would draw the attention of others. He was also my 5th grade Sunday School teacher. His love of the Scriptures, and ability to teach the lessons, captured the hearts and minds, of a room full of 5th grade boys. He was one of the most influential people in my spiritual journey.

When I think of what James is teaching here it comes down to a simple point, favoritism is sin. Therefore, it is unacceptable in the Body of Christ.