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The last chapter ends on this note that it is the responsibility of
God's people to keep themselves unspotted from the world (1:27)
This does not imply that they are, without divine help, able to do so
Evidently they are not when Paul had to confess:
But I see another law in my members,
warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to
the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who
shall deliver me from the body of this death? (Romans 7:23-24)
However, we do have a responsibility and by divine aid, we can do much
towards living godly/Christ Jesus, bearing testimony to Him
Please remember that this is why God chose and saved us
Not merely to keep us out of hell for our eternal comfort
But that we might be holy and without blame before Him in love
That we will be walking proof that if any man be in Christ, then he is a new creature - with new (holy) desires
Worth noting: such a call to a holy life does not involve (as advocated
and practised by Rome) an isolation from this present world
The Bible knows nothing of a vocation to living in isolated monasteries
God didn't call us to hot house plants which wither at the mildest
draught of wind - but good soldier, enduring hardness for Jesus Christ
The gospel is the power (dynamite) of God unto salvation - It can steel
the Christian in any circumstance and enable him to live successfully
for the Saviour if he is obedient to the revealed word/God
Our chapter speaks of the Christians assembling together (v2)
Others may come in - even unsaved people (1 Corinthians 14:23-24)
And so there is a contact there
We really must live in the real world on a day to day basis and yet not
only be unaffected by it, but positively influence it for Christ
This is easier said than done and so James tackle some problems
Our passage yields us 3 main thoughts
1) THE PRINCELY DOCTRINE OF THE GOSPEL:
A/ As ever before setting out a set of Christian ethics, the inspired writer lays the foundation in some solid doctrinal truth
This is vital - hence it's consistent practice
[i] Only by the power/Gospel truth that we perform such deeds consistent with the plan of God
The best will/world without gospel truth as a foundation will fail
If there is no gospel motive, then there is no gospel power enabling us to overcome the difficulties that stand in our way
We cannot count on the Spirit's help without the Spirit's word/base
[ii] Without gospel doctrine/foundation, all we are left with a mere
and cold, heathen morality, void of any of the warmth/godliness
A morality that will ultimately fail in its own helplessness
B/ In order to establish good solid application, James reminds his readers that they are where they are by faith
Not faith in themselves…but faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
[i] He is described as the Lord/Glory (v1)
Words "Lord of" are in italics - but the phrase is scriptural and is used elsewhere of Jesus Christ: 1 Corinthians 2:8
It clearly denotes His Deity - God will not share His glory with
another and yet here is the Lord Jesus described as the Lord of Glory
Christ is God manifest in human flesh
[ii] It is not merely faith in Christ - but His faith
It is as objective as it is subjective
Whichever way we look at it - It is to be held with honour because of who Christ is
We must ever strive to avoid that situation mentioned in v7 where men
(because of our antics) blaspheme the worthiness of His name/cause
They have no right to in any circumstances, but do not give them any
excuse to so - David did so when he sinned: 2 Samuel 12:14 Avoid!
C/ How did they come into this saving/sanctifying faith?
Ans:- They were chosen unto it (v5) Ever near this doctrine!
Once again: We were chosen unconditionally by God's will (1:18)
We were chosen unto faith and so unto salvation in all its forms
We were chosen unto loving Christ and to being heir of His Kingdom
Please do not make the fruit to bear the root in these matters
We were not chosen because of foreseen faith etc.,
Such faith always brings forth good works (Theme/James) and to make
faith the cause of election and by extension: salvation is to make
salvation hinge entirely on the actions of the creature - Avoid!
D/ If we were chosen without any regard to anything worth noting in us, then we are on good ground for what is to come
The thrust/passage is the entrance into a meeting of a beggar!
His clothes are said to be vile (v2) - root/Greek word is translated
elsewhere as "filthiness" (1:21) and "filthy" in Revelation 22:11
What a picture of us! Such described our good works (Isaiah 64:6)
We were repulsive to the eye and to the nose of God
A look down the corridor/time would not have shown some kind of faith
being exercised - that would have been a redeeming feature - something
that merited salvation especially in light of others rejecting it - but
we had nothing and yet God in His sovereign grace chose us to great
riches, even making us rich/faith, although perhaps still poor/world's
goods
2) THE PRACTICAL DEMONSTRATION OF THE GOSPEL:
A/ If this great gospel/grace does not have a practical outworking,
then it is in vain/worthless - a mere intellectual amusement for
enthusiasts
James takes a practical example - probably tackling an actual situation
that had arisen and was ever likely to arise again/again
B/ Into the meeting came two different types of people (v2)
They might be already Christians or unsaved
Overall/Doesn't really matter, although the circumstances must be bad if an unwashed saint should so come!
Cleanliness is next to godliness
But nevertheless, we too have to be very careful
C/ What is likely to happen (probably what did happen) is that the rich man was taken better care of than the poorer man - Why?
[i] He is perceived as having less problems and so less bother to us
[ii] He might share his wealth with us and keep the treasurer happy!
[iii] Likely to have more contacts for us to meet and influence/gospel
[iv] He is likely to have power/influence and so helpful to us
On the other hand when it comes to the poor man:
[i] He has obviously problems - His clothing is vile
[ii] He is likely to need our money
[iii] His contacts are likely to be but more problem cases
[iv] His influences are nil - obviously of no use to him nor us
So, we are anxious to impress the rich man and secure him a good seat
so that he will hopefully come back and bring a few rich friends too
As for the poor man - well, if we never saw him again - so what?
That is as natural a reaction as the old fleshly part/us can produce
But we are not "brethren" (v1) according to the flesh, but in Christ
Such a dealing - called in v1 respect/persons - is partiality and
distinctly condemned as being evil (v4) It is a despising of the poor
(v6)
Yes…make the rich man feel wanted in your meetings, but not at the expense or the putting down of the poor man
Men are not to be judged according to their bankbooks
Men are to be judged according to their standing in the Kingdom/God
That's what counts!
C/ Maybe we wouldn't count this a big issue
Compare it with the doctrinal problem/previous chapter:
False teaching regarding God and temptation (1:13) or compare it with
the many doctrinal controversies Paul had to fight (Galatians 1 etc.,)
So what, if we offend a few sad cases who might turn up occasionally?
But James didn't view this as a little matter needing fine tuned
He could see the immense damage that this might inflict on the church if this spirit was allowed to develop and dominate
Little foxes don't do little damage - they utterly spoil the vine
So James tackles the problem
No coincidence: he has already made mention of orphans/widows (1v27)
They are the poor ones too - the church had a responsibility towards
them (Widows being especially mentioned: 1 Timothy 5:16)
This is not something which we can walk away from with honour
We have responsibilities to practically demonstrate our gospel faith
3) THE PERILOUS DANGERS OF THE GOSPEL:
A/ It is almost as if James has something against rich men, although we
should not go down that path either and discriminate against them
But a few home truths about the rich should cure us of a tendency to view them as somehow more sympathetic to the gospel
Did not Jesus say: How hard/rich man to enter/Kingdom? (Mark 10:24)
B/ Although rich men have been saved (Abraham/Job/Solomon/Joseph of
Arimathea etc.,) yet it is a practical fact that the gospel does better
among the poorer classes than in the rich men's palaces
Poverty in itself is not a virtue - again Rome says it is - but it is
mentioned because it is no barrier to the reception of the gospel
Look at Hebrews 11:37-38 and see how the saints/God were often
reduced/the greatest straits - yet were rich/faith (hence Hebrews 11)
C/ James reminds his readers that rich men, though courted for all the
wrong reasons, do not have a good record when it comes to the gospel:
They have been the persecutors of the Christians (v6)
Always been the case - William Carey and others ran into immense difficulties with the Indian trading companies etc.,
Rich man have been guilty of blaspheming that royal name/Christ (v7)
Why then are they courted for reasons other than evangelism?
D/ There are two evident dangers here in gospel profession:
[i] The possibility of being oppressed and hauled before courts
Always face at least the possibility of that
Our religious freedoms are not set in concrete
The day could come when they will be taken away - consider the ever
present traditional enemy of Romanism and the newly rising enemy in the
West of Islam and the militancy of the Sodomites etc.,
Not a nice thought - but a needful one lest we be taken by surprise
[ii] Another danger is the danger that we ourselves by our attitude -
partiality towards some and against others - destroy the very
gospel we profess to believe
If we do so - where does that leave us seeking to live a pure life (1:27)
Greatest threat to the purity of the gospel always comes from within
Not always from false teachers - but false attitudes of real Believers
James fights against it with everything - employing several arguments
[i] As seen: Rich men are no friends in/off themselves to the gospel
[ii] Partial thoughts on the basis of social standing are evil thoughts (v4)
[iii] The law of God condemns those who engage in such wickedness (v9)
[Note: We are still under the directions of the Law/God - it is no
longer a covenant to us (Romans 10:4) but a rule/life and to break it
is sin]
[iv] To break one point/law is to break the whole law, not
individually, but to break the chain and so ruin the whole
(v11-12)
A man with leprosy in the arm is still called a leper even if it appears nowhere else
E/ It is far better to show mercy to the poor man (v12-13) than to take a hard line of judgement, even if deserved
Let mercy rejoice against judgement and all will be happier
THE END