A law breaker
James the half brother of Jesus wrote,
“My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.
Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.
If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?
But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?
Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.” James 2: 1-11.
James here as he does throughout his letter turns things upside down with respect to the secular world. He calls the poor rich stating,
“Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?”
Sadly in our world today as it seems to have been throughout history someone dressed in fine clothing is looked on by many, if not most, to be a good person. A person you can trust. This is not necessarily so.
We only have to look over the past decade or so to see men who are well dressed with a nice house and cars who were nothing more than scam artist stealing from anyone who trusted them.
Someone told me that a person dressed in a dirty tee shirt and trousers, robbing a convenience store gets away with at most a couple of hundred dollars.
Someone holding a bank up at gunpoint dressed casually gets away with a thousand or so.
However a person dressed in an expensive suit, fine jewelry, driving a high end car and living in an expensive home can get away with stealing multimillions. Yet such a person is usually accepted into exclusive clubs and even our church congregations without question.
Now not everyone who is well dressed and wealthy is a thief. Quite the contrary throughout the centuries wealthy people have contributed much to the spreading of the gospel.
The point James is making here is that all are equal before God and should be treated as such within our church congregations.
James notes,
“But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.”James 2:9-11
Thus the question becomes in light of what James is saying here, are you a law breaker?
Please think about it.
James the half brother of Jesus wrote,
“My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.
Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.
If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?
But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?
Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.” James 2: 1-11.
James here as he does throughout his letter turns things upside down with respect to the secular world. He calls the poor rich stating,
“Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?”
Sadly in our world today as it seems to have been throughout history someone dressed in fine clothing is looked on by many, if not most, to be a good person. A person you can trust. This is not necessarily so.
We only have to look over the past decade or so to see men who are well dressed with a nice house and cars who were nothing more than scam artist stealing from anyone who trusted them.
Someone told me that a person dressed in a dirty tee shirt and trousers, robbing a convenience store gets away with at most a couple of hundred dollars.
Someone holding a bank up at gunpoint dressed casually gets away with a thousand or so.
However a person dressed in an expensive suit, fine jewelry, driving a high end car and living in an expensive home can get away with stealing multimillions. Yet such a person is usually accepted into exclusive clubs and even our church congregations without question.
Now not everyone who is well dressed and wealthy is a thief. Quite the contrary throughout the centuries wealthy people have contributed much to the spreading of the gospel.
The point James is making here is that all are equal before God and should be treated as such within our church congregations.
James notes,
“But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.”James 2:9-11
Thus the question becomes in light of what James is saying here, are you a law breaker?
Please think about it.
