Daily Bible Reading (Thursday, November 2nd)

4

James 2 (ESV)

 

The Sin of Partiality

My brothers,[a] show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court?Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of 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 murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Faith Without Works Is Dead

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good[b] is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Footnotes:

  1. James 2:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 514
  2. James 2:16 Or benefit

4 Comments

The sin of being prejudice is what meant.

Wow...setting the record straight on perhaps old habits when unsaved, sinful as they may be. Breaking old ways due to the Pharisaical system and the impact it might of had, may be in reference here. However, James is making it clear that it is the prejudice of sin that is truly in question here. There needs to be good works as a result of being saved. Feeding upon verses 14-17...we are saved by faith alone but not a faith that remains alone. Help me Lord in my complacency (old habits)...verse 26 gets to the point quite explicitly.

Verses 12-13 captured my attention today. 12 "So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment." How often do I (inwardly) criticize other Christians words or behavior instead of judging them on the 'law of liberty'? How easy it is to expect to be judged with mercy, but fail to extend that mercy to others! Ouch! Oh Lord, I repent. Please help my hard heart to soften here and extend mercy instead of criticism - keeping in mind your mercy on me despite my sin.

show no partiality - I have to be careful that I do not form opinions of people by looking at the outside rather than the inside. And forgetting what James reminds us of in Chapter 3 that all people are made in the image of God. Jesus cautioned us to do good "to the least of these".

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