January 15, 2012
Evening Service

James 2

 

Review:

1.     This morning James said, “blessed is the man who endures temptation,; for when he has been proved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to them that love Him.

2.     Then he told us where temptations come from, not God, but our own lustful desires.

3.     Then such great quotes as

• “be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath.” 
• And “Receive with meekness the engrafted word that is able to save your souls.”
•  And “be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” 
• And “pure and undefiled religion before God, and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”

 

So this evening we are ready to look at chapter two, let’s begin:

 

Jam 2:1-26  My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.  (2)  For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;  (3)  And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:  (4)  Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? 

• Clear and simple.  Show no favoritism in respect to people’s status in life.
• Lev 19:15  Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor.
• Deu 16:19  Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
• It was said of Jesus ;  Mat 22:16  And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.
• Paul said;  1Ti 5:21  I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

(5)  Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?  (6)  But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?  (7)  Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? 

• I mentioned this morning it’s not just because someone is poor that they are pleasing to God, but it seems the poor have a tendency to rely, and depend more on God, therefore be more faithful to His commandments.
• And of course this statement made by James concerning the rich is so true.  It is what’s wrong with the world today.  Just as Jesus describes the church at Laodicea. 

Rev 3:14-17  And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;  (15)  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  (16)  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.  (17)  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

·     And as far as rich men oppressing you, and taking you before the judgment seats, that’s just the way they are they can never get enough wealth to satisfy their cravings.

 

(8)  If ye fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well: 

·     It was taught in the law of Moses; Lev 19:18  Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the LORD.

·     And also by Jesus;  Mat 22:39  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

(9)  But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. 

• These are the laws within the law of Moses that pertain to all humans.  Remember what the Apostle Paul told Timothy, “all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, for correction, and instruction in righteousness.”
• Jesus didn’t die to deliver us from these types of laws, whether in the O.T. or the New.

(10)  For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.  (11)  For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.  (12)  So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.  (13)  For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. 

Jesus taught;  Mat 19:18-19  He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,  (19)  Honor thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

• The Apostle Paul taught;  Rom 13:8  Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.  Rom 13:9  For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  Rom 13:10  Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
• When we talk about the things of the law that Jesus took away Paul explained it like this; 

Col 2:14-22  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;  (15)  And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.  (16)  Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:  (17)  Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.  (18)  Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,  (19)  And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.  (20)  Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,  (21)  (Touch not; taste not; handle not;  (22)  Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

 

(14)  What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?  (15)  If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,  (16)  And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 

• This is one reason why it is so hard for a Christian to be rich.  There are always the poor, and God has instructed us to share what we got with them.  Plain and simple.

(17)  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.  (18)  Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.    ***Enough said.  You got faith, there will be good works.

(19)  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 

• And this is one of the teachings that really confuse the Jews concerning Christianity.  They know that there is but one God, and most of Christianity preach a trinity, and triune Godhead.
• We believe in one God, and we know what His name is, Jesus.  They don’t accept this revelation, because their minds are blinded so the gentiles could be brought into the plan of salvation.  God did the blinding.  Read it for yourselves in Romans 9, 10, 11.

(20)  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 

NOW JAMES GIVES A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT HE IS SAYING:

(21)  Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?  (22)  Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 

• And he is exactly right.  Tell the story.

THEN JAMES USES PAUL’S EXAMPLE OF FAITH BY ABRAHAM:

(23)  And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.  (24)  Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 

• This is true.  James is not saying a man is saved by works.  He is just saying that works will accompany faith.

(25)  Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 

• I think this is another example just like Abraham.  Rahab believed what the men said that her household would be saved if she hid the men, and didn’t tell on them. 

(26)  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

 

So James is telling us, if good works don’t come out of your life, and you claim to have faith, it will be questioned.

 

We Christians need to strive to improve our good works.  Because there is certainly a book opened at the judgment in which people are judged according to their works.

 

May God add His blessings to His Word.