Gospel Light Christian Church Thru-The-Bible Series (29.5)

The General Epistle of James

James Chapter 2:4-26 - Read this Bible passage once through before referring to the notes below.

Reasons for condemning partiality

v4-13  James gives us 6 good reasons why partiality is condemned.  First, as stated earlier, it makes one a judge of evil thoughts. Are ye then not partial?  What a question to ask!  In other words, have you action by favouring the rich man make a difference in the judgment?  By your action, you have already prejudged the issues, and that may be a misjudgement.  You have become judges of evil thoughts, because your prejudices have blinded you in the discharge of justice in the assembly. 

Secondly, why discriminate against the poor when Scripture says: 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?  Many of the poor on Earth are actually chosen of God, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which all believers receive, by divine promise. Why despise these people who are chosen by the same God who had chosen you in the first place?

Thirdly, Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?  Yes, riches are often the cause of great persecutions and blasphemies. Consider how often rich people have blasphemed the great and holy name of our Lord, and how often Christians are persecuted with money from the rich, so why then do you show partiality to the rich?

Fourthly, showing partiality is against the royal law, which states: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  This point is added to emphasize that James is not himself prejudiced against the rich, because our neighbours can be either rich or poor.  Irrespective of rich or poor, we are to love them as ourselves. Thou shalt do no unrighteousness in judgment; thou shalt not respect the person of the poor nor the person of the mighty; but in righteousness shalt though judge thy neighbour (Lev 19:15).

Fifthly, If ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. If you justify your action of being partial to the rich because you love him as your neighbour, then you automatically sin because ye despise the poor man who is also your neighbour worthy of your love. And James says: For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 

Lastly, we shall be judged by the law of liberty, in which judgment without mercy is given to those who show no mercy.

Faith without work is not saving faith

v14-19  What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?  Does James here contradict Paul who stated in his epistles to the Romans and to the Galatians very plainly that that we are justified by faith only and not by the works of the law?  No at all!  Scriptures never contradict one another.  Paul is speaking of a different kind of faith, and a different kind of work.  Understanding this is crucial.  Paul is speaking of the faith before a person is saved whereas James speaks of the faith after a person is saved.  Paul speaks of trying to justify oneself before God with works of the law, i.e. relying on doing the requirements of the Mosaic Law for salvation.  Such efforts are futile, for we are justified by faith only, not of works of the law.  James speaks of the works that manifest our faith after we are saved, a sort of justification of our existing faith before men, not before God. 

Faith that is not saving faith does not profit us.  Notice that James does not say that a saved man can have faith without works. Rather he says, if a man say he hath faith, and have not works, can faith save him?  A person can profess faith, but if it is not manifested in works, that man’s faith is useless. By way of illustration, James says the devils also have this kind of faith that can’t save them.  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 

Saving faith is made visible by deeds of mercy.  Suppose your neighbour comes knocking at your door one day, and he tells you that his family is starving with nothing to eat.  And you tell that person that you will pray for him, and then send him off empty handed, saying, “Don’t worry, the Lord will work things out.”  Is that true saving faith?  No, you don't have faith at all, because the faith of Jesus Christ, faith in Jesus Christ, means that you actually have the life of the Lord Jesus. Can you imagine the Lord treating anybody who had a need in that way? No way! So, if you want your faith to be seen and recognized, it must manifest itself in actual deeds.  It is not enough to claim to have faith; the devils believe in God also, and they tremble, but they are not saved.

Faith without work is dead

v20-26  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?   It is interesting that James describes a person who makes a mere profession of faith without accompanying evidences of faith as a vain man.  That man’s faith is vain, and his faith is dead – there is no eternal life for him!  James gives us two examples to illustrate this point that saving faith is always manifested by works. 

The first example is about Abraham.  Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Paul, on the other hand, says (in Romans chapter 4) that Abraham believed, and it was counted to him for righteousness. But these are well reconciled, by observing what is said in Heb. 11, which shows that the faith both of Abraham and Rahab was such as to produce those good works of which James speaks, and which are not to be separated from faith as justifying and saving. Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? By what Abraham did, it appeared that he truly believed. 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. And what is the message here? Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. The last phrase, and not by faith only, is important to note. It means mere profession of faith, without accompanying evidences of works, is not saving or justifying faith.  It was the act of offering up Isaac upon the altar that made Abraham the Friend of God.  Likewise we too are friends of the Lord (Jn 15:15) when we have the same saving faith that is evidenced by works.

The second example given by James is that of Rahab the harlot. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?  It is interesting that in giving us 2 examples, James chose Abraham who is well regarded by the Jews and known as the Father of the faithful, and Rahab, who is one with a bad reputation.  God justifies all sorts of people indeed.  Rahab had heard of God’s power and believed that report.  That faith was translated into works when, at great risks to her own life she received the Jewish spies and sent them out another way.  The conclusion of all this is this: For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. The best profession, if it are not accompanied by evidences of work, is dead faith, not saving faith.