All men are created equal before God. But you don't have to be a sociologist to perceive not all men are born with the same privileges, opportunities, or capacities. Becoming a Christian will not automatically elevate a man from ignorance to intelligence, from indolence to industry, or from poverty to plenty.
Nevertheless, in Christ all believers enjoy a oneness that transcends social and racial status. Christians don't always treat each other as through they were brothers and sisters in the same family. Even in the church, people prefer some to others. James indicts Christian for showing respect of persons.
Part 1 (James 2:1-7)
Everyone remembers the child in grade school who was the teacher's pet. All of us are prone to show partiality or favoritism toward special people. The fact that James said, "My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons" (James 1:1) indicates his Jewish readers were practicing this irregularity.
James illustrates what he means by showing respect of persons by citing two men coming into the assembly of the saints. (vs. 2,3). Their clothes disclose their economic status. The wealthy man wears a gold ring and probably takes pains to show it off. He sports expensive and ostentatious apparel.
By contrast, the poor man has no jewelry to flash before the people, and his clothes are ragged. The same word translated "vile" is the word translated "filthiness" in James 1:21 and "filthy" in Revelation 22:11.
Verse 3 depicts what respect of persons really is. The church shows great care of the concern toward the rich man. With pomp and ceremony they usher him to a conspicuous seat. But they treat the poor man with scorn and give him a choice either of standing in an obscure place or of sitting at the footstool of some prominent person.
Today, showing respect of persons takes different forms. It constitutes one of the most common failures among God's people. James doesn't ask these believers, or us, to fail to acknowledge people for what they are. He doesn't call for a leveling of social status. He doesn't urge the church to launch a campaign against social inequalities...
The issue in this passage seems to be Christians are capable of neglecting and even ridiculing the poor in order to impress and honor the rich. James argues those who commit the sin of showing partiality set themselves up as judges with evil thoughts (vs. 4). Christ never displayed preferential treatment toward man. Where then do those who claim to have faith in Him get their authority to behave unlike Christ their master?
Following his exhortation to "hearken" or "listen" (vs. 5), James enumerates three reasons why the exaltation of the rich and the neglect of the poor is folly, First, God has "chosen the poor of this world rich in faith."
This doesn't mean God chose them because they were poor; neither did He choose exclusively poor people. Of course, experience shows poor people are often more receptive to the gospel. The point is, God's action toward them was not influenced by their poverty and debasement.
The poor who receive Christ are wealthy spiritually. People who cater to rich men need their sense of values corrected. The wealth of this world is nothing in comparison to the riches of grace in Christ Jesus. The despise poor people is to despise those whom God has chosen and, therefore, to despise His choice.
A second reason appears in verse 6. Rich men especially seek to silence and oppress poor believers. With the least excuse they even go to the extent of taking the poor before law courts to be penalized for some imagined or minor infraction.
Verse 7 contains the third reason for not showing respect of persons. It comes in the form of question, "Do not they [the rich] blaspheme that worthy name by which ye are called?" Though certainly not all the rich are guilty of this sin, James knew some who were.
How silly and sinful to reject those whom God has received and to exalt and favor men who blaspheme the very name of the one who has redeemed us.
Part 2 (James 2: 8-13)
In James 2:8 the king James translators did not translate the Greek word mentoi, meaning "really," or "however". Its omission doesn't alter the essential meaning of the verse, but including it does indicate James changes his manner of speaking at this point. Sternness and even harshness mark the words of verses 5-7. But James doesn't want to appear to accuse everyone of the sin he has been discussing.
Thus, to those who were not guilty he adds a word, "If, however, you fulfill the royal law." Thou shalt love they neighbor as thyself," represents the essence of the royal law. The law of love includes and comprehends all the other requirements demanded by the law.
To show respect of persons is to evidence a feeling of contempt for others, and such feelings and deeds contradicts the law of love. Those who violate the law of love by showing respect of persons commit sin, and they are "convinced" (convicted) by the same law as transgressors (vs. 9).
Many times a day our paths cross people who may not be poverty-stricken but who are less fortunate than we. Through no fault of their own they are not attractive.
Maybe they have few friends, and lack culture and education. Or possibly they feel as if they don't belong. The easiest thing to do is to neglect such people by showing no interest in them. Granted, it take the grace of the Lord to love the unlovely. But isn't that what our Lord exhibited when He gave Himself for us?
Solutions to the problem of partiality don't come easily. To gain the victory, we must think less of ourselves and what our friends think of us. We need to spend more time in prayer and exercise more effort to go tou of the way to be kid even to the unsaved and to befriend the friendless.
Its much easier to play up to the well-to-do, the popular, and the influential. James calls it sin. Partiality is all too common today. It's prevalent not only in our private lives but also in our churches. Its important the church not only be evangelical in doctrine but also in practice.
Verses 10,11 constitute an explanation and proof of the fact that one single offense wmakes one a transgressor of the law. James knew this fact would be hard for many to believe and understand. Since the law is a unit, the slightest infraction means the law has been broken.
James is seeking to communicate that respect of persons is an infraction against the command to love one's neighbor as himself and this one offense is tantamount to breaking the whole law.
What men, even Christians, fail to realize is that they are not free to pick and choose from God's commands what they will obey. Though the believer is not under the Mosaic law, as a rule of life during the church age, he is not free to do anything he pleases.
The New Testament is filled with exhortations and commands. Any offense against any of these commands is an offense against Him. That's what makes sin so exceedingly sinful.
As further evidence of the seriousness of any sin, James cites tow of the most obvious violations--adultery and murder. The same God strictly prohibited both of these sins. It naturally follows refraining from doing the one while committing the other makes the offender a law breaker.
Verses 12,13 provide a fitting summary and conclusion to the theme. Verse 12 emphasizes the need to practice what we preach--"so speak you, and so do". One is easier than the other. Our conversation ought to match our conduct, and our conduct our conversation.
The scattered Christians whom James addresses could and presumably did speak loudly of the equality of all men in Christ, but in their actual conduct in the church, they betrayed quite another policy.
Remember James is writing to Christians. This means the judgment of which he speaks (vs. 12) has nothing to do with salvation or eternal damnation. The thought amplifies James' remarks about the law of love. Believers should speak and act in love at all times because we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ where we shall give an account of our deportment.
The judgment seat of Christ involves only saved people. God will evaluate the believers works. We'll all want mercy or compassion shown to us at that time. James reminds us our receiving mercy is contingent upon showing mercy and compassion here on earth to needy people.
James echoes the teaching of Christ, "blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." He doesn't mean to suggest anyone can earn God's mercy by showing mercy.
Passages of Scripture like verse 13 must always be interpreted in harmony with all God's word teaches about salvation. We're saved by Jesus and His faith, because of God's grace. We believe Jesus is the Son of God, came to Earth to live as a man, died on a cross, was buried and on the third day He rose from the dead. Therefore, verse 13 cannot mean God saves sinners on the basis of their merciful acts toward others.
Matthew 6:12 reads, "and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." At first it seems to imply forgiveness before God depends upon a man's forgiving others. Does God save sinners on the ground of man's showing mercy and forgiveness? Of course not. If this were true, then salvation can be earned by the right kind of disposition toward others.
These passages were written to believers--people who had already experienced the gracious forgiveness and infinite mercy of God. The evidential proof they have received divine mercy lies in their merciful attitude toward others. Men who have become the recipients of God's mercy and forgiveness have no heart to act mercilessly toward their fellowmen.
Those who treat others without compassion and forgiveness have no reason for thinking they have been saved. The death of Christ is the only ground and basis for the salvation of sinners. Good works and generous dispositions toward others are th inevitable results of the work of God in the human heart. Showing mercy is not the cause of salvation; its the result.
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