A Few Thoughts on the Epistle of James—James 2:1-4

B2 Chapter 2

C1 The Christian life—no socioeconomic prejudice James 2:1-13

D1 Believers Should Treat All Christians Equally James 2:1-4

James 2:1-4 WEL My brothers, do not have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Glory [of God], with partiality. 2 For if a man with a gold ring and expensive clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor man with shabby clothes comes in also, 3 And you favor him who wears the impressive clothing and say to him, “Sit over in this place of honor,” but you say to the poor, “Stand over there,” or “Sit here under my feet.” 4 Are you not prejudiced in yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ= His Gospel, His Beliefs (doctrine), His life (worldview and lifestyle)

The Glory=

• Various interpretations as Lord of Glory, of the Glory (heaven or the only Glory), or the Glory (of God) as in the Shekinah Glory of God (See Robertson’s Word Pictures for example).
• Some verses
  • Luke 9:26 LITV For whoever is ashamed of Me and My Words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that one when He comes in His glory, and that of the Father, and of the holy angels.
  • Luke 9:31-32 LITV Appearing in glory, they spoke of His exodus, which He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem.  32  But Peter and those with him were pressed down with sleep. But fully awakening, they saw His glory, and the two men standing with Him.
  • John 17:5 NASB Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
  • Jesus is THE Glory, the standard, the ultimate, so compare: 1 Corinthians 15:41 NLT The sun has one kind of glory, while the moon and stars each have another kind. And even the stars differ from each other in their glory.

Partiality=

• The Greek word is προσωποληψία prosōpolēpsía. It means showing favoritism to one and disregarding the other.
• God has no partiality. He wants all to be saved and forgiven, not just a few that He elected before creation or, if you prefer, after Adam’s sin. 1 Timothy 2:4 NIV Who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
• This partiality is not treating our spouse better than other men or women, treating our children better than other children, treating a fellow Christian better than another.
• We are not to show partiality either, especially in the church (the people). Some brothers and sisters are rich and others are poor. We must treat and respect them equally.
• Reasons
  • God does not show favoritism or bias.
  • It will cause someone to sin. Perhaps, they will take advantage or ignore the needs of the poor and find excuse to do so. Proverbs 28:21 NIV To show partiality is not good--yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.
  • It causes divisions in the church. 1 Corinthians 3:3-4 NIV You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere human beings?
  • It might cause elders (pastors, ministers, overseers, bishops, etc.) to not be disciplined in the church. 1 Timothy 5:21 NIV I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.
  • It is listed in the New Testament as sin that God will punish. James 2:9 NIV But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

Sit...stand=

• What we really believe is seen in our actions in private and public.
• Actions like partiality are due to pride.
• A decision has been rendered, not according to justice but evil thoughts.
• Decisions like this come from an evil heart. Mark 7:21-23 NLT For from within, out of a person's heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.
• Vincent’s Word Studies comments: Their evil processes of thought lead to these unjust discriminations.
• Craig Keener comments on this passage (IVP Background Commentary): Roman laws explicitly favored the rich. Persons of lower class, who were thought to act from economic self-interest, could not bring accusations against persons of higher class, and the laws prescribed harsher penalties for lower-class persons convicted of offenses than for offenders from the higher class. Biblical law, most Jewish law and traditional Greek philosophers had always rejected such distinctions as immoral. In normal times, the public respected the rich as public benefactors, although the Zealots recognized in the Jerusalem aristocracy pro-Roman enemies. The Old Testament forbade partiality on the basis of economic status (Lev 19:15) and called judges among God’s people to judge impartially, as God did.

Questions

• Why is God so against this type of discrimination?
• How can we avoid this?

A Few Thoughts on the Epistles of James—James 1:26-27

D2 Believers Should Realize Actions Speak Louder Than Words James 1:26-27

James 1:26-27 WEL If anyone among you seems to be religious and does not control his speech, he deceives his own heart. This man’s religion [is] useless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God, even the Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unblemished from the world.

Seems to be religious=

• The Greek word for religious is θρησκός thrēskós. It means worshipful, pious, religious, and caring about the outward form of religious duties, actions, and rituals.
• Seems means seems. The understanding of this is an outward form of being religious, not inward. An inward religious faith will be seen outwardly, since we live what we really believe.
• Being religious outwardly is deceptive. The practitioner seems to be the most holy person, but in private, they are not. The outward deception would lead a person to believe they are right in God’s eyes when they are not at all.

Luke 11:42 NRSV But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others.

◦ Galatians 6:3 NRSV For if those who are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves.

◦ 1 John 1:6 NRSV If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true.

• The opposite is seen

◦ In James 1:27

◦ Galatians 5:22-23 NRSV By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,  23  gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.

Control speech=

• The Greek word is χαλιναγωγέω chalinagōgéō. It means to lead an animal by a bridle, so controlled and restrained.
• This is aligned with James 1:19 in being quick to listen, slow to talk, slow to anger.
• Proverbs 13:3 NLT Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything.
• Deceives=
• The Greek word is ἀπατάω apatáō. It means being fooled into believing something that is not true.
• Self-deception is one of the worse of deceptions (2 Timothy 3:7).

◦ People flatter themselves that they are good and right with God and that they are not evil or sinful: Psalm 36:2 NET for he is too proud to recognize and give up his sin.

◦ 1 John 1:8 NLT If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.

◦ Church members can be deceived, too, in thinking they are spiritually rich and gifted. Revelation 3:17 NLT You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.

The person described is seen by God as being empty. Their “religion” is worthless.

• Pure and undefiled religion=
• Religion is the same word as verse 28.
• Pure and undefiled is according to God’s standards, not ours, the churches, or the worlds.
• Deeds show the true belief of a person. Things done in private are important, for people can be willfully deceptive outwardly, as we have seen.
• Before God and Father=
• God sees all we do and think.
• He sees our motives.
• Two examples are given—visiting the Christian needy especially orphans and widows and to be unblemished by the world’s worldview and lifestyle.
• Meeting needs in priority

◦ My spouse first (God has no needs), then my children, then the members of my Christian fellowship, then the greater family of Christians, and finally unbelievers.

◦ Orphans and widows. Orphans before widows. Just giving money is not the same. If possible give personally face to face to help meet all needs.

▪ John Wesley writes on this verse: The only true religion in the sight of God, is this, to visit - With counsel, comfort, and relief. The fatherless and widows - Those who need it most. In their affliction - In their most helpless and hopeless state. Note, relief has the idea of physical needs (food and shelter), emotional needs, and spiritual needs.

▪ Remember Luke 10:25-37, the illustration of the Good Samaritan giving help to the needy.

Unblemished from the world.

◦ The Greek word is ἄσπιλος áspilos. It means to be free from scandals and evil (1 Timothy 3:7).

◦ Not living the world’s way (Galatians 5:19-21), thinking the world’s way (Colossians 2:8, 1 John 2:15, 1 Corinthians 3:19-20), or anything of the world’s standards and beliefs (Romans 8:7, 2 Timothy 3:1-9).

Questions

• Why do actions reveal more about us than words?
• What does our speech reveal about us?
• What does God look at more than words or deeds?
• How can we avoid being self-deceived?

How can we help our brothers and sisters?

A Few Thoughts on the Epistles of James—James 1:26-27

James, speech, façade of righteousness, true righteousness, meeting needs, self-flattery, self-deception

A Few Thoughts on the Epistle of James—James 1:19-25

C3 The Christian life—listening and actions James 1:19-27

D1 Believers Should Listen Quickly, Hesitate Speaking James 1:19-25

James 1:19-25 WEL So too my beloved brothers, all must be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20 Because the anger of man does not bring about the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filthiness and all types of wickedness. Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 Be doers of the word, not just hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at himself in a mirror. 24 He looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But whoever looks at the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, is not being a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work. This one will be blessed for what he does.

7 rules=

• 3 Attitudes and actions
  • Quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger

• Good listening requires slow to speak.
• Slow to speak is to listen until the other has finished speaking, except for those who talk continuously.
• Slow to speak has the idea of thinking before talking.
• Slow to speak has the idea of not offering advice until asked.
• Slow to anger is to be angry slowly.
  • The next verse points out that our anger does not achieve (bring about, bring to reality). Arguing to prove doctrine or pressuring one to believe the Gospel, will not bring about God’s righteousness. So this leaves out bullying, verbal abusing, controlling, etc. behavior. These actions will not bring about God’s righteousness. In fact, often it makes things worse.
  • There are 2 wills: God’s will and any other will.
  • God’s way is best. Being angry at God’s thoughts, desires, words, and deeds does no good. Fighting it is wrong. The Pharisees were guilty of this (John 16:2, for example).
  • Our thoughts, desires, words, and deeds do not bring righteousness. Building a church, do it God’s man, not with man’s philosophical or business practices. Encouraging spiritual growth, same. 1 Peter 4:3 NIV For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do--living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.
  • JFB: Man’s angry zeal in debating, as if jealous for the honor of God’s righteousness, is far from working that which is really righteousness in God’s sight. True “righteousness is sown in peace,” not in wrath (James 3:18).
  • It is not debating as Stephen did (Acts 7). It is an anger that destroys as Acts 15:2 NIV This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.
  • Proverbs 15:1 NKJV A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.
• Anger is not necessarily a sin. There is both an anger that is not sinful and a type that is. Consider, Mark 3:4-5 and John 2:13-16.
• Unrighteous anger leads to sin
  • Psalms 37:8 NRSV Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret—it leads only to evil.
  • Proverbs 15:18 NIV A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.
• 4 duties
  • No moral filthiness
    • This is specifically referring to James 1:14-15)
    • It refers to dirt as opposed to clean.
    • Acts 15:20 NIV Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.
    • Galatians 5:19-21 MKJV Now the works of the flesh are clearly revealed, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lustfulness,  20  idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, fightings, jealousies, angers, rivalries, divisions, heresies,  21  envyings, murders, drunkennesses, revelings, and things like these; of which I tell you before, as I also said before, that they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
  • No wickedness
    • Breaking God’s laws in thoughts, desires, words, and/or deeds
    • See Romans 1:18, Romans 1:29, Romans 6:29.
  • Read and study Scriptures especially the New Testament. Understand it, believe it, and live it.
  • Be doing what the New Testament teaches
    • This is what we believe and why
    • This is how to live and why

Implanted word= the Gospel and God’s law which is written on our hearts by God Himself. (Romans 2:29 and Hebrews 8:10).

Law of liberty= the opposite of Old Testament law which could not bring righteousness and reconciliation with God. The New Testament contains God’s rules for us (Galatians 5:1).

Reading the Bible brings blessings, but the Bible is not just to be read but to be lived. We live what we believe.

Questions

• How can we change our lives?
• If we can’t, who can?
• How do Christians cooperate with God to live more God’s way?
• Which law is greater, Old Testament law or New Testament law? Defend your answer.
• Why do Christians have to live by God’s New Testament rules?

A Few Thoughts on the Epistle of James—James 1:16-18

D5 Believers Should Know That God Is Steadfast James 1:16-18

James 1:16-18 WEL Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good common-gift and perfect special-gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights with whom is no variation, neither shadow from turning. 18 Having willed it he gave birth to us by the Word of Truth, so that we should be a type of first fruits among his created things.

Deceived (err or misled in other translations)=

• This is the Greek word πλανάω planáō. It means

◦ In a passive sense, to go astray on your own initiative (Matthew 18:12, 1 Peter 2:25).

◦ To lead away someone usually in the sense of error through deception (Matthew 24:4, 1 John 2:26, 2 Timothy 3:13b).

• Here it is used in the passive sense. We are not to drift away from the Gospel, Christian doctrine (the teachings of the New Testament in its plain, normal sense), or the Christian life (as defined in the New Testament).

Gift=

• Two types

◦ Good and perfect

◦ It is difficult to know what these mean

◦ Commentators

▪ John Wesley comments on this verse: No evil, but every good gift - Whatever tends to holiness. And every perfect gift - Whatever tends to glory.

▪ JFB: gift ... gift — not the same words in Greek: the first, the act of giving, or the gift in its initiatory stage; the second, the thing given, the boon, when perfected. As the “good gift” stands in contrast to “sin” in its initiatory stage (Jas 1:15), so the “perfect boon” is in contrast to “sin when it is finished,” bringing forth death (2Pe 1:3).

▪ Hiebert: Although all good gifts that men enjoy come from God, the context suggests that James is thinking specifically of His gifts "with special reference to their action on the soul of man; for he is exhibiting the truth which stands opposed to the error that God is the author of sin." (James -- D. Edmond Hiebert) (Hiebert's Excellent Commentaries) (Source)

▪ From a devotion at Our Daily Bread (31 March 95):

When Satan tempted Eve, he did so by enticing her to doubt God’s character. He told Eve, “God knows that in the day you eat of [the forbidden fruit] your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:5). Satan was implying, “God has a hidden agenda, and it is an evil one.” The devil knew that once Eve doubted the goodness of God, the temptation would work. We may not think we doubt God. But when events happen in our lives that make us question Him, that’s exactly what we do. We seldom stop believing in Him, but we do stop believing in His goodness. And that is a faith-poisoning idea! Never doubt God’s goodness. Even when our trials seem beyond our understanding, we can trust God to give us perfect gifts (James. 1:17).

Variation=

• The Greek word is παραλλαγή parallagḗ.

• It means change.

• The Lord is steadfast and doesn’t change (Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8).

• This is a character trait called immutability.

• Some more verses (Psalm 102:27 and Hebrews 6:18)

• This inspires our confidence, because we don’t have to worry if He thinks differently about us, maybe doesn’t love us anymore, has left us, He has changed His standards, He has changed His ways, and changed His Gospel, so now we are disqualified for heaven.

Birth=

• Regeneration, born again, born of the Holy Spirit

• The Greek word is ἀποκυέω apokyéō.

• It has the meaning of birth at the end of pregnancy (Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon of the New Testament).

• Again, note the contrast between James 1:15 and James 1:18.

◦ James 1:15 speaks of sinful desires giving birth to sinful actions, and sinful actions grow into death.

◦ James 1:18 speaks of God’s work of regeneration. The Word of Truth is used by the Holy Spirit to bring conviction and open our hearts and minds to our true condition. (See 1 Peter 1:23-25).

Word of Truth=

• Truth is reality. God shows us reality. Truth is very important God. He is the non-lying God (Hebrews 6:18, 1 Samuel 15:29).

• Some things about truth

◦ What God speaks is truth even history and science when referred to in the Bible (John 17:17). God uses truth in the process of sanctification.

◦ Jesus, Himself, is truth (John 14:6).

◦ The Holy Spirit guides us into truth (John 16:13).

◦ Humanity’s natural sinful nature suppresses truth. We all want our sins covered up (hidden) (Romans 1:18).

◦ Truth is freeing (John 8:32). In Robertson’s Word Pictures on this verse, he writes: The freedom of which Jesus here speaks is freedom from the slavery of sin as Paul in Rom 8:2. See John 8:36. This freedom is won alone by Christ (John 8:36) and we are sanctified in truth (John 17:19). In John 1:17 truth is mentioned with grace as one of the marks of the gospel through Christ. Freedom (intellectual, moral, spiritual) is only attainable when we are set free from darkness, sin, ignorance, superstition and let the Light of the World shine on us and in us.

Type of fruits= the first century Christians.

Summary= God’s gifts are a great blessing. We may take food for granted (God forbid) but it is a great blessing. We need to be thankful for all that God gives us. The greatest blessings are salvation and reconciliation with God, fellowship with God and fellow believers, and the hope of heaven.

Questions

• Why is the scariest thing about deception?

• Why is it important to know the God does not change?

• How can we know absolute truth?