There were problems in the ecclesiae to which James was writing. He takes care of each individual problem within the greater context of attacks and tells the ecclesiae and individuals within them what they need to do.
Welcome Attacks because they will force you to exercise in practice what you have learned in Christ: James 1.3-4
The Problem: Jesus followers were showing favoritism.
The Treatment: James 2.1-13
James 2.1 gives us a direct answer to the problem of showing favoritism: “show no favoritism.” He calls Jesus “our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.” The word glory is a title for Jesus that indicates a part of the nature of God. By using this word, he is telling his readers that those who have Jesus as Lord, the one who expresses the very nature of God, cannot have discrimination in their collective body, i.e., individual ecclesia.”
Illustration: James 2.2-4
James is using a tool of teaching, which takes a point and stresses it to the exclusion of the other side so that he can get a hearing for his point of view. Showing favoritism based on outward appearance should be abolished. In this new creation which Jesus inaugurated, there is no race, color, creed, etc. (Gal. 3.28). There were many problems within the early ecclesia, which had to be dealt with in a completely new fashion. The early ecclesia was predominantly poor and humble, therefore, when a rich person was converted there was a real temptation to make a fuss over that person and treat him/her as a special trophy for Jesus. The rich and the poor were being treated differently. James says not to have this habit of life.
This idea of “showing preference” to those of “note” is still a problem in today’s ecclesia both the institutional variety that I call ChurchWorld and any ecclesia not associated with ChurchWorld. The ecclesia should always remember the words of Paul that in the ecclesia, we are all one in Christ (Gal. 3). As Jesus followers in today’s highly politically charged world in USAmerica, we are followers of Jesus first before anything else. Rather than focusing on what political party we think is God’s answer to the world’s problems, we should focus on the stated fact that we “are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Exhortation: James 2.5-13
The rich already have salvation in their possession. They have no need for any further salvation in their minds. One of the messages, which Jesus constantly shared, was that God was intensely concerned about those who mattered to no one else. In his first sermon at Nazareth, Jesus said, “he has appointed me to preach the gospel to the poor (Luke 4.18). In his exhortation, James reminds his readers of three things:
- He reminds them of their spiritual experience, James 2.5. They were chosen by God to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom. That’s good news!
- He reminds them of their spiritual experience, James 2.5. They were chosen by God to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom. That’s good news!
- He reminds them of their spiritual experience, James 2.5. They were chosen by God to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom. That’s good news!
- He reminds them of their earthly experience, James 2.6-7. They will be dragged into court. Moneylenders were plentiful in the ancient world. They had the power to find in public, one who owed them and physically dragged him into court. The rich had no sympathy. James is not condemning riches; it is the conduct of the rich who act without sympathy that he is condemning.
- He reminds them of the royal law, James 2.8-13. If you break one of the commandments, you are guilty of breaking all of them is the argument of James.
James concludes this treatment by telling his readers that they should speak and act as those who live and are judged by the law, which brings freedom.
The Problem: Believers were shunning the responsibility of taking care of the less fortunate.
The Treatment: James 2.14-16
James suggests the problem in verse James. 2.14.
Illustration: James 2.15–17
James explains what faith is not. In short, there is no faith without practice.
Hypothetical Dialogue: James 2.18-19
James carries on this dialogue to suggest another illustration of what faith is not. In effect, he is saying, “You claim to have faith, and I claim to have faith. I can prove the existence and quality of my faith by my works, but I defy you to prove the existence and quality of your faith without any works.” James demonstrates that he has a worldview, which includes the idea of being truly human. We must remember that he was the brother of Jesus, the second truly human creation that lived in this world.
Scriptural Evidence: James 2.20-25
In this section, James turns to Scripture, i.e., the First Testament, to identify what faith really is. He uses two illustrations:
- First, he speaks of Abraham telling his readers that works of obedience provide evidence that faith is genuine (James 2.24).
- Second, he refers to Rahab and the spies. Her actions demonstrate her faith in God. The general summary of James 2.25 tells the reader that the activity of works is the arena which reveals that faith is alive.
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