May 17, 2009
Evening Service

James 2

 

Review:   In chapter one we saw:

1. The purpose of tests.  When overcome makes us stronger in the faith.
2. The source of temptations.  From our own lusts, not from God.
3. Faith obeys the word.  Being doers of the law, and not hearers only.

 

This evening we want to look at chapter two.

 

Jam 2:1-26  My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

Who is this Lord of Glory?

• Psa 24:7  Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.  Psa 24:8  Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.  Psa 24:9  Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.  Psa 24:10  Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.
• 1Co 2:8  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

What about this respect of persons?

• Pro 24:23  These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
• 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.
• Act 10:34  Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
• Rom 2:11  For there is no respect of persons with God.

(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? 

• “Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only.”   See how it works?

(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? 

• Paul said it like this: 1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are:
• In the sermon on the mount: Mat 5:3  Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

(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? 

• Acts 11:26; And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.  AD 44

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

• 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.
• Mar 12:29-31  And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:  (30)  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.  (31)  And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
• Joh 13:34-35  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  (35)  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

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

• Not only is this God’s law, but it is the law of our land. 

(13)  For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. 

• Mat 5:7  Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
• Mat 6:14-15  For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:  (15)  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

(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 a lengthy topic.  Must help, but not let people take advantage of the church.

(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. 

• This will happen.  The works will follow the conversion.

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

• James’ way of telling us that it takes more than to just believe in Christ.

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

• Paul goes into greater detail concerning faith, and Abraham, in the Roman letter.

(25)  Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?  (26)  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

 

I DON’T THINK WE CAN DISAGREE WITH JAMES’ LOGIC HERE.  IT IS VERY CLEAR, THAT IF WE SAY WE HAVE FAITH IN CHRIST, GOD EXPECTS US TO HAVE THE GOOD WORKS TO GO ALONG WITH IT.