Study of James: Wisdom and Practical Christian Living
JAMES 1:
27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
The Book of James is probably the oldest book of the New Testament, written perhaps as early as A.D. 45, before the first council of Jerusalem in A.D. 50. James was martyred in approximately A.D. 62, according to the historian Josephus.
James is a great complement to Paul’s teaching on faith…
• By grace alone (solo grati)
• By Faith alone (solo fidei)
James focus…
Although James does not teach us how to come nearer the lord through salvation, he does tell us how a just man orders his daily existence. James, throughout his life, was known as James the Just, because of the correctness of his actions, the uprightness of his demeanor and the strength of his character.
By following his words, we can live the same way.
MAJOR THEME: THE BALANCE BETWEEN FAITH AND WORKS
Some think that this epistle was written in response to an overzealous interpretation of Paul’s teaching regarding faith. This extreme view, called antinomianism, held that through faith in Christ one is completely free from all Old Testament law, all legalism, all secular law, and all the morality of a society. The Book of James is directed to Jewish Christians scattered among all the nations (James 1:1).
In the book of James we see the reality of the Christian walk and how to walk it…
• The adages…
o Don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk
As Martin Luther himself said, "You are saved by faith alone, but if faith is alone, it is not faith."
James 2:
1 My brothers, as believers in our glorious LORD Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 3 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," 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
Favoritism… we do it all the time.
Webster defines: as one who has deemed a favorite… which is… 1 : one that is treated or regarded with special favor or liking; especially : a person who is specially loved, trusted, or provided with favors by someone of high rank or authority
To hold in high regard … we extend that not only to others, but also to ourselves…. Rather than living as servants we can think to highly of self because of accomplishments…
Last year, Ken Griffey, Jr. chose not to attend "The Players Choice Awards" to receive the "Player of the Decade" award. Junior beat out three time MVP winner Barry Bonds and four time Cy Young Award winner, Greg Maddux for the honor. The award is a big deal. He joins the ranks of baseball greats Wagner, Cobb, Ruth, Foxx, Williams, Mantle, Mays, Rose, and Schmidt.
Why didn’t he go? Trey, his 5-year-old son had a baseball game that night--his first, and Junior didn’t want to miss it.
Favoritism is a sticky thing…
Philip Yancey, in his book, The Jesus I Never Knew, says, “.....it seems that God arranged the most humiliating circumstances possible for his entrance, as if to avoid any charge of favoritism. I am impressed that when the Son of God became a human being He played by the rules, harsh rules.....”
Jesus Himself… allowed to be placed in an animal stall… a manger of some kind…
And here James warns us… favoritism can become a sin… by disregarding the life of another… AND WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT DEGINERATES THE VALUE OF PEOPLE … in movies we see death often… we have raw and crude humor that mocks or makes fun of others for anything and everything… we show favoritism when we don’t value any soul that God would bring our way because of some form of discrimination… whether by color or by economic status… God says this is a sin.
STORY OF MAN WITH GLADIATORS ARENA…
OUR STORIES today are just that, stories… in a movie someone is killed, it’s just an actor… My Grandmother could not watch TV because in her mind if she saw it happen, it happened.
In the times of Rome they didn’t have TV… they had the gladiator games… real people, slaves and political prisoners… forced to fight for their life… STORY OF TELMECHIUS AND GLADIATOR FIGHTS
James challenges to value life… and not to show favoritism… for it is a sin… and then James makes that comparison and contrast…
5 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? 6 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? 7 Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong? 8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
Treat others how you would like to be treated… honor, respect, love, mercy… Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Switched around… Doomed are the unmerciful, for they too will not be shown mercy!
IT is a sin to show favoritism… to life up another over someone else… whether because of the color of their skin or the amount of backing they have in their wallet… God values all of life!
It’s all about perspective on things…
Have you ever noticed: When someone else does the same thing as we do, we change how we talk about it… "that way", he is ugly; when you do, it’s nerves. When others are set in their ways, they’re obstinate; when you are, it is firmness. When your neighbor doesn’t like your friend, he’s prejudiced; when you don’t like his, you are a good judge of human nature. When he tries to treat someone especially well, he’s a flatterer; when you try it, you are being thoughtful. When he takes time to do things well, he’s a slowpoke or lazy; when you do, you are deliberate and careful. When he spends a lot, he is a spend thrift; when you do, you’re generous. When someone picks flaws in things, he’s cranky and critical; when you are, it is graciousness. When someone dresses especially well, that person is extravagant; when you do, it is tastefulness. When he says what he thinks, he’s spiteful; when you do, you are being frank. When he takes great risks in business, he’s foolhardy; when you do, you are a wise financier.
10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 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 is making sure Christians don’t feel like they can treat scripture or Godly values like a buffet table.
Christianity is not a religion of convenience to pull out when you need to feel better. Or when it conveniently works for you…
He is challenging that sin is sin… and so if you decide to have prejudice and favoritism… that’s sin… just like committing adultery and murder…
BE CONSISTENT…
HAVE CHARACTER…
LOVE GOD, LOVE PEOPLE…
The story is told of a group of women that met for Bible study.
While studying in the book of Malachi, chapter three, they came across verse three which says:
"He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."
This verse puzzled the women and they wondered how this statement applied to the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out more about the process of refining silver, and to get back to the group at their next Bible study. The following week, the woman called up a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him while at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest, beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith work, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire, where the flames were the hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot, then she thought again about the verse, that "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the entire time the silver was being refined. The man answered yes, that not only did he have to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on it the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "But how do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that’s easy - when I see my image in it."
So is the heart of God to wean us away from all unrighteousness… every sin that entangles us. Deal with it… stop it… and get right.
Let God refine you in the fire. Then as you are free, don’t use that for wrong…
12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!
Mercy triumphs over judgment!
At a comparative religions conference, the wise and the scholarly were in a spirited debate about what is unique about Christianity. Someone suggested what set Christianity apart from other religions was the concept of incarnation, the idea that God took human form in Jesus. But someone quickly said, “Well, actually, other faiths believe that God appears in human form.” Another suggestion was offered: what about resurrection? The belief that death is not the final word. That the tomb was found empty. Someone slowly shook his head. Other religions have accounts of people returning from the dead. Then, as the story is told, C.S. Lewis walked into the room, tweed jacket, pipe, arm full of papers, a little early for his presentation. He sat down and took in the conversation, which had by now evolved into a fierce debate. Finally during a lull, he spoke saying, “what’s all this rumpus about?”
Everyone turned in his direction. Trying to explain themselves they said, “We’re debating what’s unique about Christianity.” “Oh, that’s easy,” answered Lewis. “It’s grace.” The room fell silent.
Lewis continued that Christianity uniquely claims God’s love comes free of charge, no strings attached. No other religion makes that claim. After a moment someone commented that Lewis had a point, Buddhists, for example, follow an eight-fold path to enlightenment. It’s not a free ride.
Hindus believe in karma, that your actions continually affect the way the world will treat you; that there is nothing that comes to you not set in motion by your actions. Someone else observed the Jewish code of the law implies God has requirements for people to be acceptable to him and in Islam God is a God of Judgement not a God of love. You live to appease him At the end of the discussion everyone concluded Lewis had a point.
Only Christianity dares to proclaim God’s love is unconditional. An unconditional love that we call grace. Christians boldly proclaim that grace really has precious little to do with us, our inner resolve, or our lack of inner resolve. Rather, grace is all about God and God freely giving to us the gifts of forgiveness, mercy, and love.
Mercy triumphs over judgment… for we all need mercy!
Remember who you are… don’t show favoritism.
Be kind, loving, and Godly in all situations…
