James 2:1-13
Notes
Transcript
Do You Believe? (v. 1)
Do You Believe? (v. 1)
Celebrity Christians
Do we have a right to be skeptical?
How do we know someone believes?
Jesus says “You will know them by their fruits.” Matt 7:16
James says similarly “you’ll know them by their actions”
Particularly, you’ll know them by their actions of partiality:
, μὴ ἐν προσωπολημψίαις ἔχετε τὴν πίστιν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦa Χριστοῦb τῆς δόξης.
Assumed answer: No.
Well, why not? Why does showing favoritism discredit our faith? And is this really a problem in the church?
Divisions in the Church (v. 2-4)
Divisions in the Church (v. 2-4)
Dirty vs. clean clothes
“church clothes”? “Sunday best”?
Example:
Free Methodist and the Pews
James uses hypothetical, so let’s think about it:
What if a poor man waked in, in ragged clothes?
What if a black man and his family walked in today?
What if a man covered in tattoos and piercings and ratty clothes walked in?
Would you invite them to sit next to you? Would you want them to sit next to you? Would you whisper and talk about them once they’re gone? Could they truly be a part of this church?
Three Questions (v. 5-7)
Three Questions (v. 5-7)
If we’re honest, we all have implicit bias
We live in a sinful world and have sin in us as well
But consider the irrationality and ungodliness of our biases
Q1: Didn’t God choose the poor?
Chosen Israel
Christ eats with prostitutes, sinners, etc.
“Yet you dishonor the poor”
Both ungodly and irrational
Q2: Don’t the rich oppress you?
Corrupt politics, money and power, etc.
Q3: Don’t the rich blaspheme Jesus?
If not by word, then at least in action
Example: MLK on racism
“We must see now that the evils of racism, economic exploitation and militarism are all tied together. And you can’t get rid of one without getting rid of the other.”
Breaking the Law (v. 8-11)
Breaking the Law (v. 8-11)
In fact, this partiality is even more serious than we may realize. It is not only irrational and unbecoming a follower of Christ, but a direct violation of God’s Divine Law
“Are we still under the law?”
James’ “Royal law”, Gal 6:2 “Law of Christ”
Jesus teaching on law, Matt 5
Leviticus 19:18 and Jesus
Whole law summed up by love (Gal. 5:14; Jesus’s teaching, “Which law is greatest?”)
We have become people with the implanted word, i.e., Jeremiah 31 people
The law is written on our hearts
But to break one law is as good as to break them all. A broken law is a failure to uphold covenant with God, period.
If then, we show partiality, we break God’s law, not just the written law either, but the law as taught by Jesus, i.e. the Royal Law, the true meaning of the law.
“But why would God take partiality so seriously?” Indeed, why does James take it so seriously? Surely there are worse problems in the Church!
Partiality as murder
Jesus, Matt 5
The New Revised Standard Version Concerning Anger
“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire.
Law of Liberty (v. 12-13)
Law of Liberty (v. 12-13)
So then are we doomed? Surely we have all broken at least this law, if not many more!
Breaking the law, i.e., acting in sin, is a serious matter. We will answer to the judge on the last day for all that we do, especially for how we treat the poor
Sheep and Goats parable
But even the OT is not so harsh concerning transgression of the law.
Day of Atonement
Christ as our atonement
But those who continue in sin show their lack of faith, and thus forfeit the atoning blood of Jesus
Do you really believe? That Jesus is judge of the earth, when you treat his people so?
So live as if you really do expect to be judged by the law of liberty.
Those who show mercy will receive mercy
The New Revised Standard Version Judging Others
“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. 2 For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.