17th century interpretation of saint James as the Moor-killer from the Peruvian school of Cuzco. The pilgrim hat has become a Panama hat and his mantle is that of his military order.

Lesson 2 – The Rich & “the poor man,” Partiality, Justification & Works

James 2

A. 1:2-27 – Patience and faith in trials, sin & save your souls

B. 2:1-7 – Rich and “the poor man”

C. 2:8-13 – Royal law & partiality, Judged by the law of liberty

D. 2:14-26 – Justification [dikaio] & works

E. 3:1-12 – The tongue

D’ 3:13-18 – Righteousness [dikaiosune], Wisdom, & works

C’ 4:1-12 – Members at war; Judged by the Lawgiver

B’ 4:13-5:6 – Rich & “the righteous one”

A’ 5:7-21 – Patience in suffering, sin & save his soul

I. 2:1-8 – Rich and “the poor man” – Showing Partiality

In the book of James (as with elsewhere in the New Testament), discussions of the poor and rich are not abstractions or generalizations. He is not making a broad condemnation of all rich people. James tells us who they are – they come into assembly with gold rings and want attention. Poorer Christians are tempted cater to them. The reality is that they will pass away like flowers of the field (1:9-11). James is saying the same things that Jesus did in the Gospels about the poor: Blessed are the poor in spirit, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5; James 2:5). As we will see, the rich are those who oppress and blaspheme the name called out over you (2:7). Their riches will perish in judgment (5:1-3); they have murdered the righteous one (5:6, i.e. Jesus/Stephan). James is saying that faithful believers, even under persecution and oppression by the rich, are exalted (1:9-12). Blessed is the man (not person) v.12 – Will receive the crown of life (the name “Stephan” in Greek is the word for “crown” – the righteous man Stephan received a crown of life because he remained faithful under trial – as will all believers).

Here is another outline of the book that shows that the issue of poverty and riches is a big theme in the book of James.

A. Joy in trial, 1:2-8

B. Rich fade, 1:9-11

C. Lustfulness, 1:12-15

D. Perfect Gift, 1:16-25

E. Restraining the tongue, 1:26

F. Religion in deed, 1:27

G. Distinctions of rich and poor, 2:1-13

F’. Faith in works, 2:14-26

E’. Restraining the tongue, 3:1-12

D’. Wisdom as perfect gift, 3:13-18

C’. Lustfulness and sin, 4:1-12

B’. Ways of the rich, 4:13-5:6

A’. Patience in suffering, 5:7-20

http://www.leithart.com/2008/04/28/chiasm-of-james/

In James 2 people are acting like the world – especially in the way they make judgments about people in terms of their worth. They are mimicking the world in their fights and quarrels – not imitating Jesus.

James is saying that the Christians were showing partiality against the poor in favor of rich people in their assemblies – presumably to gain their favor and avoid persecution and oppression. They would give benefits to the rich at the expense of the poor. In so doing they were setting themselves up as judges over people – demonstrating by their partiality that they had evil thoughts (2:4). They dishonored the poor (whom God had chosen to be rich in faith) in favor of those who oppress and persecute the poor, and blaspheme the honorable name of Jesus (2:5-7). Because of their suffering and persecution – the believers that James was writing to were using bad judgment to make things better for themselves.

James 2:1-13 is about showing partiality toward the poor  and how to live like heirs of the kingdom (v. 5), like those following the royal law (v. 8). Jesus is the “Lord” (i.e. king) who has given us His royal law to follow, enabling us to make righteous judgments. “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18 – see wider context before; quoted by Jesus in Matt. 5:43; 19:19; 22:39-40). If we (both Christians in general and leaders of the churches) are to see the righteousness of God among us (1:18), we must fulfill the law of our King (1:25; 2:8, 12). Throughout the scripture, Kings are shown as those who to take care of the poor (like David and Solomon and Jesus). How do we know the kingdom has come? Jesus feeds the poor and heals the sick. Jews (worldly) were looking for a different kind of king. Jesus dies like a king – giving himself as a king would. 2:1 – As you hold to the faith of Lord Jesus Christ – Lord of glory – do not show partiality. If you want to be like the King – act like Him. It is his royal law of the kingdom we need to live by – not the world. Don’t make superficial judgments about people – keep Christ’s royal law: This comports with the honorable name (2:6-7) that was literally “called out over you” (at baptism). Rich blaspheme the name of Jesus (Father, Son, Spirit given at baptism) by partiality – don’t be that way – treat people with love – Kingly/royal love and make right judgments toward people, not superficial. These are people who are heirs of the kingdom, looking for the crown of life, looking for righteousness in the world.

People are always tempted to give favors to the rich, and not love the poor. This is a very important principle in the church: Do not show partiality toward the rich and neglect the poor.

I. 2:8-13 – Royal law & partiality, Judged by the law of liberty

The Royal law that they should be obey is what they were violating. By setting aside the royal law of love – James says that his readers sinned and are convicted and condemned by the whole law (2:8-11). The people James was writing to were probably justify themselves that they were keepers of the law – but James says that they were in fact law breakers because they failed to keep the Royal Law of love. This sections is very much like Jesus’ sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7) where He commands His disciples to keep the whole law faithfully (and in Matt 5:21-32 the only two commandments Jesus spoke directly was of adultery and murder; just like James 2:11). In James 2:12 he said that we will be judged by the same standard we judge others – exhorting us to use the law of liberty (i.e. Royal Law) as the standard for our judgments. Then he continues in v. 13 to speak of mercy and forgiveness as the primary basis for judgment, just as Jesus did in Matt. 6:9-15. Love and mercy should be the basis for our relationship with people – just as it is with our relationship to the Lord. In Matthew 18:21-35 and 25:31-46 we have parables of Jesus that illustrates this principle.

II. 2:14-26 – Justification [dikaio] & works

In the first half of James 2, James is talking about making judgments that are righteous and consistent with the Royal Law of love (2:8) that brings liberty (1:25; 2:12). In the second half of the chapter James takes up the question or what kind of faith people are to have if they are living faithfully to the Royal Law of Christ. This section has been very difficult for people to understand because they place James’ statements about faith and works next to those of Paul in Romans and Galatians and think that James and Paul contradict each other. Both are talking about the kind of faith that saves.

We need to begin by understanding what James is saying before we can see how it agrees with the rest of the New Testament’s teaching on justification, salvation, faith and works. Notice first the difference between the works James refers to and those that Paul writes of. Paul specifically refers to the works “of the law,” whereas James is talking about works of love and mercy to people and general obedience to the Lord. Paul is writing to those who are being told that justification by God/salvation comes by doing the works of the law (e.g. being circumcised, keep Sabbath, eating the right foods, etc); whereas, James is writing to those who say that they do not have to do works of love for other people (i.e. the poor; 2:3, 8, 15-16).

James’ readers are those who talk about having faith (2:14, 16, 18) – but, as we just saw in vv. 1-13, they are not living according to the Royal Law of Christ. James asks, “what profit is it if someone says he has faith – but does not have”/do the works of the law of liberty? Can that the kind of faith that saves him” (v. 14)? The obvious answer that James implies is “NO!” Just as thinking you are religious but not bridling your tongue means your religion is useless (1:26); so too, saying you have faith but not doing works of love are useless. That faith is useless in the sense that it cannot save. James is saying that faith is complete/perfected/brought to maturity by works (2:22). A person is justified by works – not by faith alone (vv. 24, 26).

What follows between v. 14 and the end of the chapter is a line of argument that concludes that faith without works is dead, just as the body without the spirit is dead (vv. 20, 26). The word “justify” in v. 24 is talking about salvation (in v. 14), so that if you are saved you are justified.

Repeatedly, Jesus Himself said that those who refuse to love and forgive and to show mercy (Matt. 6:9-15; 18:21-35; 25:31-46) will themselves not receive the mercy of God. In these passages, as with James 2:14, the Day of Judgment is in view when Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead. In the court of judgment, those who had faith that works will be declared to be just and righteous.

This whole section uses language that would be used in a courtroom scene where people are being judged. As we have seen in the previous section (2:1-13), the standard of judgment is to be the Royal Law of Christ. In this case the Judge is the Lawgiver Himself – God. The implication from the previous section is that the judgment of mercy will be given to those who live according to the law of liberty (v. 13). Since some of the readers of James have not shown mercy (showing partiality without love and mercy for the poor), they are sinners who are liable for condemnation for being law-breakers (vv. 9-13). Thus, the salvation spoken of in v. 14 is salvation from condemnation when we stand before the Lord for judgment. Salvation from condemnation, is justification (v. 24); it is the declaration by God that our sins are forgiven. In His judgment of us, we are declared to be just in His court of justice. And that justification saves us from condemnation, and gives us eternal life because we are saved.

James says that works demonstrate faith (v. 18). He says that mere faith does not save, any more than it saves the demons that believe in God and tremble (v. 19).  He goes on in vv. 20-23 to prove his point by using Abraham as an illustration. Abraham is said to be justified by works and not by faith alone, his sacrifice of Isaac fulfilling the declaration of Gen 15:6 that “Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” And nestled in this discussion is James’ claim that Abe was “called the friend of God” (v 23). Being justified and being called a friend of God are two ways of describing the same reality for James: To be reckoned righteous is to be reckoned a friend of the righteous God. James, in short, is talking about Abe’s legal standing, and he says that Abe came into this standing by a faith that works.

James also uses another illustration to make his point. Even the Gentile woman, Rahab, was justified/saved by her works of mercy in saving the messengers of Israel. His point is that faith without works is dead – worthless in salvation. Only those with a faith that works love will be declared by God to be justified in the Judgment.

Common myth: When you die God will ask you a series of questions and if you answer right you will get into heaven. Just saying the right thing saves you. James is saying that just saying that you are saved by faith, reciting the creeds and confessions, is not what Jesus taught.

““Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ ” (Matt. 7:21–23)

Like a body without breath is dead – faith without works is just as dead. This is the same thing that Paul meant by justification. If you want to be saved – you just don’t say things about faith. Your faith will be manifested as the faith of a justified one by what you do. People were being persecuted – if you don’t take care of the widows and orphans, no matter what you say about faith – you are not a justified one. Your faith is going to guide your actions – without actions you evidently have not faith. This should not be controversial if we just use James’ own words in context; our first task in to know James – and only secondarily reconcile it with Paul. Note: both James and Paul are addressing proud boasting – one on his faith and the other on his works. Both Paul and James can be summarized from Gal. 5:6: Saving faith is a “faith working through love.”

Icon of James, the Son of Zebedee, 18th century (Kizhi monastery, Karelia, Russia).

I began my Lord’s Bible Class on the Epistle of James today at Church.

Lesson 1 – Introduction: James’ Call to Patience, Faith & Doing the Word

James 1

Outline of the book of James

A. 1:2-27 – Patience and faith in trials, sin & save your souls

B. 2:1-7 – Rich and “the poor man”

C. 2:8-13 – Royal law & partiality, Judged by the law of liberty

D. 2:14-26 – Justification [dikaio] & works

E. 3:1-12 – The tongue

D’ 3:13-18 – Righteousness [dikaiosune], Wisdom, & works

C’ 4:1-12 – Members at war; Judged by the Lawgiver

B’ 4:13-5:6 – Rich & “the righteous one”

A’ 5:7-21 – Patience in suffering, sin & save his soul

I. Biblical and Historical Background for the Book of James

During the ministry of Jesus we learn the following from Matthew 9-10:

“³⁵ Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. ³⁶ But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. ³⁷ Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” (Matthew 9:35–37).

Then He appointed twelve of His disciples to be His Apostles (lit. “sent ones”) and when He had given them power to do the same works that he had been doing, He sent them out to preach the gospel (“good news”) of the kingdom (Matt. 10:1-4). Then He warned them that they would be persecuted in much the same way that He would be (Matt.10: 5-42), and told them how they should respond to the persecution they would endure from the Jews: they should not worry about what to say (v. 19), flee to other cities (v. 23), do not fear them (vv. 26-31), continue to confess Jesus before men (vv. 32-33) and be willing to die worthily for Jesus, even if persecuted by family (vv. 34-39). Thus, the harvest of souls won for Jesus would come through the ministry of the Apostles (and the Church that followed their leadership) – but it will come at the cost of great persecution. The message of the kingdom would bring division in Israel and horrific suffering and trials to the Church – just as it did for Jesus.

This was a very difficult message for the Apostles to understand and accept. When Jesus began to show the disciples that He would be suffer many things from the Jewish leaders and be killed and raised again on the third day, Peter rebuked Jesus. But Jesus responded strongly by saying that such thinking was Satanic, and of men not being mindful of the things of God (Matt. 16:21-23). When Jesus was finally betrayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter used violence (Satanic action) to defend Jesus, which Jesus reproached because this is not the way the kingdom would come (Matt. 26:51-53; Mk. 14:47; Lk. 22:49-51; Jn. 18:10-11, 36). The kingdom would come by dying (both Jesus and the disciples).

The disciples, correctly believing that Jesus was the Messiah predicted in the Old Testament that will rule the nations, incorrectly thought that the kingdom would be primarily a political reality and that Jesus would be a political King – rather than a suffering savior. They were caught up in the common assumptions of the Jewish culture that the primary thing they needed was to be delivered from the oppression of the Romans. They had to learn from their own experience that it was through the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom that they would see the righteousness of God transform the world. Indeed, Jesus would put all things right in the world that is contrary to the word of God – but it would happen as a result of His death and resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the empowering of the Church to be His witnesses in the world, beginning in Jerusalem and moving out into all the world (Acts 1:6-8).

Soon after this, the Church in Jerusalem began to suffer persecution. In Acts 4 we learn that Peter and John were arrested because of their preaching and healing ministry. As the Church continued to grow by the ministry of the Apostles, the persecution began to increase by repeated imprisonment and beating (Acts 5). In Acts 7 we have account of Stephan’s ministry, arrest and martyrdom at the hands of the Jews – after which came a great persecution against the Church, resulting in the scattering of the Christians everywhere, preaching the word (Acts 8:1-4). It seems most reasonable that this is the scattering referred to by James in James 1:1.

II. The Message of James

“James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.”

There is much debate about who wrote the book of James. The name used in Greek by the author is “Jacob,” as with all the names in the New Testament that are translated as “James.” It is a popular legend that “James” is used because James I (of England, who had the King James Bible created) wanted to increase the fame of his name. However this is not the case. “James” is descended from the old English for Jacob, which is ultimately from an old French form for the popular Latin “iacomus” for the Latin “iacobus.” The Welsh for Jacob is “Jams,” Gaelic is “Sheamus.”

Who was James? There are three main possibilities: 1) James the son of Alphaeus (Matt. 10:3), 2) James the brother of Jesus (Matt. 13:55), and 3) James the son of Zebedee (brother of John) (Matt. 4:21; 10:2). Given the historical circumstance it seems highly possible that is was James the Apostle, the son of Zebedee, the brother of John. The primary reasons for this conclusion are: a) He was one of the three “cornerstones” among the Apostles: Peter, James and John; and was with Jesus at key events (Mark 5:37; 9:2; Mark 14:33; Acts 1:13). b) Textual link between James 1:1 and Acts 8:1, 4 & 11:19 (“the dispersion”) indicates the specific context. After Stephen’s death, there was a great dispersion of many believers, but the Apostles remained. James wrote to Christians dispersed abroad. He was not writing to the Jewish exiles throughout the Roman Empire, but the Christian Church dispersed. Thus, James wrote at the about same time as Matthew, in the 30’s. c) James appears to have been an early leader in the Jerusalem church, and was killed in 44 AD by Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:1-2), making the writing of this letter early in the life of the church. d) Since there is no mention of Jew/Gentile issues, the writing of James is likely before Paul, and the discussion of the Jerusalem Counsel (Acts 15).

The assumption of these lessons is that James, the Apostle, the brother John, the sons of Zebedee, wrote this letter to build an Apostolic foundation of Christian teaching and living for the very early church, not long after the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), probably in the 30’s AD. Given the horrific nature of persecution by the Jews (e.g. betrayal by family members, being cast out of the synagogues and the general life of society, ruined financially, violently treated, and loss of reputation for the name of Jesus), the Christians likely struggled to know how to behave themselves in this new situation. How should they respond in light of their new position in the social world of Israel and among the Jews?

James calls for wisdom and maturity, and especially the right kind of action. James addressed the kinds of frustrations, errors, temptations, and questions that would have engaged disciples of Jesus in the first few years of the life of the church. They may have been asking: Stephan was ordained to feed poor and help Apostles – now that he is dead what do we do? Maybe we should fight & be zealots, or be nice to the rulers and give them honor in our Church meetings, etc. James’ emphasis is on what they were supposed to do in such extreme times. Just as Jacob of the Old Testament (Gen. 25:19-32:32) unjustly suffered many things at the hand of unrighteous men (his brother Esau and uncle Laban), and later learned that it was with God he wrestled all his life, so too, the church (under James’/Jacob’s instruction) will also struggle with trials from God.

Because of their time with Jesus, Apostles had at least an intellectual understanding what they were to do now that He had ascended to heaven. They were to follow him, and what happened with Jesus would be repeated in them and the church. But they needed to grapple with it when it happened. What were they hoping for? A new age, where they would go forth in conquest, baptizing the nations. They expected the righteousness of God to be manifested in the world through their ministry (James 1:20). They would see their hopes fulfilled by the tremendous growth of the Church, but it would happen through persecution by the very people they always looked up to and trusted (Chief Priests, Scribes, Pharisees, etc). Jesus was gone, and the Church would have to trust the Apostles. The early believers were being told by those whom they always respected and trusted that Jesus was a hoax, a discredited false-messiah, and the disciples were lying and stole the body of Jesus; Rome is still supreme and the Jewish rulers are still in charge. They lost everything. The Jews had killed Stephan – but to their surprise, God did not avenge the church. The Jews were likely empowered in their persecution. This would be very confusing and disorienting to the new church – what should they do? Now that they are attacked, how should they respond? With Anger? Speaking in kind? The leaders of the church were tempted to write nasty speeches – and even take up the cause of zealotry and violence (Ch. 4 is not metaphorical violence). James teaches them about how to behave – how the righteousness of the kingdom of God comes. That is what James is about.

III. James 1

A. Patience and Faith in Trials 1:2-11

In 1:2 James addressed his “brothers.” This word “Brothers” is used15 times, and could be referring to Christian believers generally or congregations. It could also be a sort of theological reference to Christian brothers in conflict (e.g. Cain & Abel and Jacob & Esau; brother/brother hatred, anger and murder), which James deals with in the letter. But the repetition of the word brothers could, and most likely does, refer to the ministers/leaders/pastors; those being trained by Apostles to lead the churches. In the book of Acts we see that it is the leaders of the brothers that are initially persecuted – and then later others. The word “brother(s)” is used elsewhere in the New Testament to refer to leaders (3 Jn. 3, 5, 10), and specifically those who speak for the Lord (as prophets Rev 19:10; 22:9). James clearly focused on those who speak for the Lord in the church (i.e. leaders, ministers, teachers), with the central section of the book dealing with teachers, sins of the tongue, and the need to be wise and mature so that they can control the body (of the church) (3:1-18). James is a circular letter to the brothers/ministers (1:19) to train them to lead the church. The pastoral ministry should be a model for the church, and is therefore applicable to all. But the focus in James is on the pastors/leaders who do not know what to do to lead the people in these troubled times.

The first thing he wants the brothers to understand and do is to lead the people in counting it all joy when they fall into various trials (vv2-8).

Various Trials/Patience/Maturity (vv. 2-4) vs. Lacking wisdom à Doubting à Double-mindedness (vv. 5-8)

James begins with a shocking command that gets right to his purpose in writing: Be joyful when you encounter all kinds of trials. This joyfulness, which is the posture of faith, will give you patience as God works into your life maturity. Maturity is the goal (being “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing”). At the time the new church was immature and frustrated. James’ call to joy, patience is the way to maturity in their new situation.

Anyone (pastors and members of their churches) who lacks wisdom and understanding of how to live in the midst of the trials they were going through needs merely to ask God – who will give them all the wisdom they need in abundance. But it must be the kind of asking that comes from faith in God, not from doubt. Those who doubt that God will give them wisdom to deal with their trials will receive nothing from God – and will be unstable as the waves on the sea.

In vv. 9-11 James seems to change the subject, but in reality gives us a clearer picture of the kinds of trials the church was facing. James says: “Let the lowly brother glory/boast; but rich person in his humiliation.” Rich/poor here is deeper than just money. The Jews at that time have all the riches and resources – but they are judged because they use the riches wrongly. They will pass away. Church is poor, but is blessed. This is not an abstract condemnation of the rich. Later, in Ch. 2 and Ch. 5, we will see more about this issue of wealth and poverty. There are those that want to be catered to because they are rich; or in some cases, the poor may want to cater to the rich so that they will stop the persecution. James is saying to the suffering poor: You are exalted and blessed – don’t be confused about what you see around you. Things will not always be this way.

B. Trails/Temptations and Sin 1:12-20

1:12 “Blessed is the Man who endures temptation/trial.” The word translated “temptation” is the same word used in 1:2 for “trial.” The temptation referred to is something that come from within a man (depravity of man) The desire/deception is thinking that God is not giving me good gifts – that he is not our Father. James is saying that we should not read into the situation an indication of God’s disposition toward us. God is the father of lights that give good gifts (1:5). He will not change – our situation/trials are not an indication of God’s disfavor. To doubt this makes one double-minded and unstable – and unable to lead the people of God into righteousness of God.

Something is coming and anticipated: that through the church will come the righteousness of God (which He has promised in Jesus) into the world, that God would make everything right in a sinful and wicked world. Vv. 19-20 says that righting wrongs will not come through anger (words and actions). Brothers are tempted to think that it is right to respond to the trials with angry words and actions. It is natural for to us to feel that way. Like Peter in Gethsemane; or when he reacted to Jesus’ announcement of betrayal (Matt 16). Peter thinks he is righteous and has wisdom, but Jesus said it is Satanic – not wisdom from above (James 3:15).

C. Be Doers of the Implanted Word of Truth 1:21-27

In conclusion of this section, James says: “Therefore, lay aside (various sins)…vv. 21, and receive with meekness the implanted word, for it will deliver them, save their lives (souls). Instead of quickly spoken angry works, filthiness and overflowing wickedness vv 22-25 – Leaders/ministers should be like God commanded the kings of old (Deut 25) and remain in the word – and DO IT! Ministers should be changed by it, and do what it says. Those who look into the law of Christ/gospel will be blessed (with saving his life).

Being religious is not just talk – don’t be ministers that are unrestrained in speech and with self-deceive pride become useless. Ministers: Speak carefully and act biblically/consistently with gospel – have active undefiled religion: orphans & widows (of those killed or imprisoned in the persecution) – and keep yourself unspotted from the ways of the world around you. By so doing, the leaders of the people will lead the people in the way that produces the righteousness of God.

Homework assignment: Read the handout entitled “How James [Jacob] Came to Be Written.” This will provide, in story form, a background to the message of James.

Saint James the Elder by Rembrandt

Our Church provides a worship services for the residents of the McLoughlin Place, a Senior Assisted Living community in Oregon City. I had the opportunity this month to provide the devotional. We are going through the book of James.

“Being Doers of the Word”

“Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. ” (James 1:21–25, NKJV)

The book of James was written very soon after the Lord Jesus was crucified, resurrected and ascended to the right hand of the Father. It was a time of confusion, persecution and suffering for the early church. Soon after Stephen, the first Christian martyr, was murdered, the church began to be scattered throughout the Roman world. As they went, the Christians spread the gospel.

But their lives were very difficult. They were falsely accused in courts, they were cut off from their families and synagogues, they were unable often to provide for their needs, and they were likely not sure how to live in such conditions. James wrote this letter to help suffering Christians to learn how to live as mature people of God. The first thing he said is that their trials and sufferings, however unjust, would produce in them maturity. The Father sees all of their troubles and will reward His children with the crown of life – which He has promised to all who love Him. James goes on to say:

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. ” (James 1:17–20, NKJV)

How we respond to our trials and sufferings is very important. It is easy to get frustrated and even angry at people when things don’t go the way we want them to. James said that if we want to see the righteousness of God manifested in us and through us to other people – we will avoid wrath and anger. He made us new creations in Christ by the word of truth. And so we must receive the word of God to us and lay aside all sinfulness in our lives.

God calls each of us to be doers of the word – not just hearers of the word. We deceive ourselves if we think that God doesn’t care about how we live our lives. When the word of God comes to us, we should remember what it shows us about ourselves and how He wants us to live. If we are just hearers of the word, and not doers, we are like someone that looks in a mirror and immediately forgets what kind of person we are. Rather, God wants each of us, when we face various trials and troubles, to remember to do His will. If someone mistreats you, or disappoints you, or isn’t as loving as you would like them to be – don’t get angry and speak badly to them. Rather, be a person that is so transformed by the word of God, the perfect law of liberty, that you love them and minister grace to them. Ones religion is useless if we are unable to control our tongues – for we deceive ourselves if we think we can both love the Lord our God and also speak wickedly to others. For pure and undefiled religion is loving those around us (as the text says, “visiting orphans and widows in their trouble”) and keeping unspotted from the world. For those of you who live here, you may be a widow yourself. You may be troubled physically, emotionally or spiritually. God is calling on you, and all of us, to not focus on our own troubles and forget to be doers of the word and minister to the needs of others. May God so fill us with His Word that we are able to produce the righteous of God in connection with all those around us.

Our Church provides a worship services for the residents of the McLoughlin Place, a Senior Assisted Living community in Oregon City. I had the opportunity this month to provide the devotional. We are going through the book of James.

McLaughlin Place Devotional -May 23, 2010: James 1:9-11

“Exaltation and Humiliation”

Over the last couple of month Matt Lyons has been speaking to you from the book of James, and we will continue today to see some of the surprising things the Lord has to say to us. Let us pray that God would speak to us from His word today.

Our Father, we often feel as if we do not have the wisdom we need to live as those who are made complete by your grace and Spirit – We ask that you, the Father of lights, would give us your grace to live patiently in our trials, knowing that you are providing all that we need to enable us to say that we lack nothing. You are the generously giving God – Give us now wisdom live for you, in faith, without doubting that you are willing to give your good gifts to us liberally and without reproach. For we pray in the name of our only Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

God works in our lives and in the world generally, in ways that are often a mystery to us. We know that he wants us to be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing – and that He has the power to just say the word and we will be perfect and complete, lack in nothing. But he doesn’t do things that way. He has saved us by His grace, through the faith that He has given us. But, in the perfect wisdom of our heavenly Father – He chooses to test our faith and to make things more difficult sometimes than we would like. But if we remain steadfast in our faith that He is a good Father to us, not doubting that He loves us – He will enlarge our faith in Him and give us patience and wisdom in this world. All the various trials we have in life are often confusing and difficult – but if we have in us His perspective on these trials – we can actually rejoice in the fact that on the other side of them we will know Him and His wisdom better.

In the next section of James he gives us an example of how we can have joy in the midst of testing. James 1:9-11

Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich [brother] in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.

This is certainly an odd passage, and somewhat confusing. What James is saying is that the brother in lowly or humble circumstances is encouraged to see himself from God’s perspective and glory or take pride in his exalted position before the Lord and in the Christian community. God has lifted him up: James 4:6 and 10 says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble…Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”

Just as we should see trials as a cause for joy (when seen from the perspective of God’s purposes in our lives), so too, the lowly brother should see himself as God sees him: one who is equally a son of God with the rich.

The world views this person as poor (the term ‘humble’ has behind it a Hebrew concept of the humble or oppressed poor) – and somehow less important in the big scheme of things. The poor, those who live in humble circumstances are often despised and neglected, sometimes even by the church and their families. But God has, however, lifted them up – exalted them. God’s view is the truer one and so the person can rejoice in its reality even when their outward circumstances have not yet changed.

If I am not too far wrong – some of you here may feel poor and humbled and less important or significant in the world. God is telling you to glory in the fact that you are loved and cared for by Him – and that he counts you as equal to all the rest of His children.

In contrast, the rich brother should glory in his humiliation. This sounds strange to us, but what we are to learn from this is that those Christians who are rich in this world could be tempted to see themselves are more important than those who are poor. In fact, this sinful attitude is something that James draws attention to later in 2:2-9: But God has shown them that they are not any more exalted before God than any other Christian.

This passage in 1:9-11 teaches that a rich man could properly glory and rejoice in having been humbled by God and brought to associate as an equal with poor Christians. Both poor and rich are exalted by His grace. He opposes the proud – but gives grace to the humble, whether rich or poor.

James is saying that if the rich person looks at the same future as the ‘humble’ brother, he will see that both will fade and die – just as the flower of the field. The glories that accompany riches will fade away – and in the end – only those who are humble before the Lord will be lifted up and exalted in His sight. This is a subject that will get much more attention in the book of James.

This ‘reversal of fortunes’ theme is often found in the scriptures (e.g. 1 Sa. 2:1–10; Lk. 1:46–55). When God acts, the low are raised up and the high are brought down. What God wants us to see is that our exaltation in this world is not about riches – it is a result of God lifting us up by grace and making us exalted as His dear children.

Brothers and sisters – don’t look at your circumstances as the sum of your true standing in Christ Jesus. If you are poor and ill treated in this world – rejoice and be glad that before God you are exalted and dearly loved. If you are rich and well treated – glory and rejoice in the fact that your value to God isn’t reliant on your riches because they will all be gone in the end.