NEWS and 
Prophetic Commentary
 



Page date  April, 2002
Updated   June 2009











  

TEACHINGS

TEACHING LINKS

This chapter begins a discussion of various trials & temptations
that are common to all believers. There are certain trials and
temptations that constantly confront us. One of the strongest is
that of showing partiality or favoritism, of discriminating
against people. 

Verse 1
My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Lord of glory, with partiality.

What does it mean to show partiality? It means to favor some
people over others or to pay special attention to a person
because of his wealth, social standing, position, authority,
to name a few. This charge is given to believers who have faith
in Jesus Christ who is the Lord of glory. James here is showing
the deity of Christ. We as believers above all should not show
partiality. Everyone who is in the church stands on equal
footing before the Lord Jesus Christ.

Verses 2-4
For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold
rings, in fine apparel, and here should also come in a poor man
in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the
fine clothes and say to him,"You sit here in a good place,"
and say to the poor man, "You stand there," or, "Sit here at my
footstool, have you not shown partiality among yourselves,
and become judges with evil thoughts?

The word assembly here means synagogue or church.

Two unbelievers visit the church. One man is sharply dressed,
so much so that it is immediately notice that he is wealthy.
He has on the finest of clothes and expensive rings on his
fingers. The rich man is escorted to a good seat.

The other man is shabbily dressed, & it is immediately noticed
that he is very poor. The Greek word for the kind of clothing
he is wearing means filthy and dirty. The man is so poor that
he is actually a dirty smelly beggar or derelict from off the
streets. This poor man is told to stand or be seated over
there away from everyone else. He is treated as being less
important than the rest of us. He is treated no better than a
servant who sits at the footstool of our feet.

How often has a poor person visited a church and was not
welcomed with open arms? How many of us have felt uncomfortable
and uneasy, ignored, neglected and failed to greet and welcome
this person? Many people have come to church overdressed.
And in our society today some have come underdressed. But
regardless of how they are dressed they are to be treated
equal. For those undressed, get them saved and then they will
learn to dress appropriately as God deals with them. Showing
partiality sets us up as the judge of people. It says who can
worship God in your church and who can't, who is acceptable to
God who is not. God determines who he will accept & not accept.
The overdressed, Well God can deal with them also. Partiality
reveals evil thoughts. It makes appearance more important than
the person himself.

For these two unsaved people here in this verse, what matters
the most is that they get saved, and come to know the love,
joy, and peace that only Christ can bring.




Verse 5
Listen, my beloved brethren: has God not chosen the poor of the
world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He
promised to those who love him?

Partiality discriminates against the poor and lowly. This verse
does not say that God does not love the rich because he does.
But history shows that God has chosen the poor and lowly to be
rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom. The poor have been
the very ones who have found so much hope in the gospel & have
turned to it in great numbers. God has made it clear from
Genesis to Revelation that He has a concern and consideration
for the poor. As long as men are not born again Christians,
the poor will never get a fair deal in this world.
Their only hope is in Jesus Christ. 

He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise
their prayer. Psalm 102:17

Those who mistreat the poor will have to answer to God someday
for their actions. But right now the poor can be rich in
spiritual things, and that is the important thing for the poor
man to see. Believers are not to shun them nor shut them out
of the church.

Verse 6
But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress
you and drag you into the courts?

Showing partiality shows a disgraceful attitude. It shames,
disgraces, and insults the poor and lowly person. We are not
to make a person feel unwelcome or of little value and worth.

Matthew 11:5
The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers
are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and
the poor have the gospel preached to them.

The rich oppress the poor and use the law unjustly to get what
they want. 

Verse 7
Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?

Worthy, noble, all mean honorable. A person may be poor in this
world's goods and yet rich in the eyes of God. Many who profess
the name of Christ "despise the poor." Often the rich are very
disagreeable to get along with, and even oppress the poor. Some
hate the very name of Christ. They blaspheme the name of Christ
by denying, mocking, neglecting, ignoring, and rejecting him as
the Savior of the world. When you mistreat the poor,
you are blaspheming the name of Christ.

Verse 8
If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture,
"you shall love your neighbor as yourself, you do well.

The royal law or the Mosaic Law is the king of all laws, it is
the sum of all the laws pertaining to man's relation to man.
This law includes all other laws. If a person loves God and
loves his neighbor as himself, he will automatically be obeying
all the other laws. If you want to please God, to obey Him,
and to discharge your responsibility, James makes it very clear
what you are to do: Thou shalt love your neighbor as your self.

Verse 9
But if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted
by the law as transgressors.

Believers are to love people, not show partiality. Showing
partiality is sin and it makes us a transgressor of the law.

Verse 10
For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in
one point, he is guilty of all.

If a person breaks one law, he has violated the whole law of
God. Although he broke only one law, he is still guilty, and
a transgressor. He is no less guilty than if he had broken
every law. We cannot pick and choose which laws we will keep
and what laws we will violate.

We don't become acceptable to God because we keep most of the
laws and break a few. We are guilty of breaking all the laws
of God, and are just as subject to punishment as any other
transgressor.

Verse 11
For He who said "Do not commit adultery," also said
"Do not murder." now if you do not commit adultery,
but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

One is just as bad as the other in the eyes of God. an
illustration of a man held suspended over a cliff by a chain
of ten links. What happens if all ten links are broken?
The man falls to his doom. If only one link is broken the man
falls just the same. How many lies does it take to make a liar?
Just one.

How many thefts or murders does it take make a thief or a
murderer. Just one. The point James is trying to bring home is
that the one who shows partiality (respect of persons) is a
lawbreaker and guilty of all. We who belong to Christ are
"not under the law but under grace." Does this mean then that
to Christians it matters little as to how we behave? No!!

There is coming a time when we must all given an account of our
actions before the judgment seat of Christ. 

Verse 12  Speak and act as those who are to be judged
by the law of liberty.

The law of liberty is the law of Christ. We should speak and act
like people who stand before God and give an account for what we
have done. Social standing and wealth, clothing and appearance
are to have no effect on us. We are to reach out to them through
our speech and behavior, no matter who they are. Outward actions
show very clearly what is on the inside of a person.

Verse 13
For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy.
Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Today we need to recognize that it is a sin to think that we are
better than someone else and to look down on others. It does not
matter who a person is, before God that person is on the same
plane as we are. The one who shows no mercy to his fellow men,
demonstrates clearly that he knows nothing of real faith. Such a
person will some day have "Judgment without mercy." God will
treat us exactly as we have treated others. If we have shown
mercy, he will show mercy to us, if we have not shown mercy,
then he will not show mercy to us. The one who truly trusts
Christ will be kind and merciful to others.

Matthew 6:14-15
For if you forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father
will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their
trespasses, neither will our father forgive your trespasses.

In Verses 14-26 we see a change. It now speaks of professing
faith without works. The greatest tragedy of the church today
is people who profess Christ and yet do not live for Christ.

Verse 14
What does is profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith
but does not have works? Can faith save him? No!

A person who really believes something does something, he acts.
Millions profess faith in Christ and belong to the church, yet
they do not live for Christ. They have been baptized and joined
the church and attend worship services, but they do what they
want when they want. They live like everyone else in the world.
There are two questions here in this verse. Can a man have
faith and not do good works? And can faith save him?
Let's look at these:

1. The man says he has faith, but does nothing to show that he
really believes in Christ. His faith is only a faith of speech,
not of behavior and life. His faith is a faith of profession &
not of possession. If a man has real faith in God, & in Christ,
it is bound to make a difference in his life. If a person makes
a profession of faith but his or her life remains absolutely
unchanged, the question has to be asked Can that faith save
him? Real faith can save him. But can he be saved by faith that
is all profession, Just words and nothing more. Faith must be a
working faith. Saving faith is alive, professing faith is dead.



HELL-BOUND CHURCHES
One commentary made this statement: We are so anxious to get
church members that we accept them on the slightest profession.
As a result, many churches are filled with professing
Christians who are really unbelievers.

Verses 15-16
If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and
filled" but you do not give them the things which are needed
for the body, what does it profit?

This is an example of a destitute Christian believer.
A brother or sister faces some need or problem that makes him
or her destitute. When a brother or sister has a need we visit,
comfort, and wish them well. What good is all these things if
we do not give them the things they need?

JAMES Chapter 2:17-26

Verse 17
Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Faith is it does not do good works, is dead. True faith loves
and cares and is compassionate and reaches out to help the needy.
This dead faith of which James speaks, this faith that cannot
save, not only is all profession and no possession, but is
lifeless.

Real faith is a living vital things. It is the soul reaching out
and taking hold of the promises of God. a person can talk about
believing in Jesus Christ, but if he or she is not reaching out
to others his faith is dead, meaningless. True faith is an
operative faith, a faith that works. If we really believe in
Christ, we will follow Christ.

Verse 18
Someone will say, "you have faith, and I have works."
Show me your faith without your works, and 
I will show you my faith by my works.

We have the example here of two people. 

#1. This man has faith. He believes that he is saved by faith
that God accepts him because he believes in Jesus Christ even if
he fails to live for Christ, his life shows no evidence of any
work of grace. Once he has believed in Christ, professed and been
baptized and joined the Church, God has accepted him and will
take him to heaven when he dies. But look at Matthew 7:21

"Not everyone that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into
the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father
in heaven. 

They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being
abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
Titus 1:16

#2. This man says look at my life and see that a change has
taken place. Look at my works, look at the things I have done
since I made a profession of faith in Christ, look at the life
I have lived, and you can see that something real has taken
place in my heart. You can't see my faith, that is inside my
heart. But you can see my works, and by those works I can show
you the unseen faith which motivated them. This man is saying I
will show you may faith, by my works. 

There's a third person really that James does not mention here.
But we see a lot of them today.

#3. This man claims to have works,that God accepts him because
he does good works and live as good a life as he can.
He believes that the important thing to God is to be religious
and do all the good that a person can. If a person does this,
God will never reject him God will accept him no matter who he
is and no matter what religion he follows.

Can people see your faith shining in the life that you live?
If not then we need to ask ourselves seriously if you have ever
had a real encounter with the Lord, if you have ever taken
Jesus Christ as your own Saviour. Have you been born again?

A person who truly believes in Christ works for Christ. He
follows and lives for Christ. A person who only professes Christ
lives for him or her self, going & doing what he or she wants
when he wants. This person does not live a life of separation
from the world, a life of righteousness and purity. He professes
Christ but lives for the pleasures and things of today.

Verse 19
You believe that there is one God. You do well.
Even the demons believe, and tremble!

A true man of religion believes in one God. He is not an atheist
or agnostic. His belief in God is said to be a good thing. But
believing in the existence of God is not saving faith. There is
a dead belief and a living belief, a belief that does not lead
to salvation and a belief that does lead to salvation.

Consider the demons or evil spirits. They believe in God, they
even know that God exists. They even believe in the deity of
Christ. One time they cried out to Jesus "What have we to do
with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God?" Matthew 8:29 But the demons
are not saved. Their belief has not affected their lives and
behavior. They hate and bitterly oppose that God. knowing the
facts about God revealed in the Bible is one thing, trusting in 
Him and depending on His Son Jesus Christ for salvation is
quite another.

Verse 20
Don't you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works
is dead?

Dead faith is fruitless. There are many vain, foolish people who
do not want to know the facts from God's word. They prefer to
live in a fool's paradise, (as one commentary said)and to pride
themselves on their faith and religion, and know nothing
whatever of saving faith. I like to use the words stick their
heads in the sand because they don't want to know God's word
because they might have to make some changes in their lives.

True faith is a living faith, a faith that works, a faith that
stirs a person to live for Christ, and to live a pure and
righteous life. 

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good
works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

Verse 21
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered
Isaac his son on the altar?

What James is saying is that Abraham proved that he was
justified, he proved that he was justified by what he did by
his works. Abraham's faith was proved to be a true and living
faith by his works. 

Verse 22
Do you see that faith was working together with his works,
and by works faith was made perfect? 

Abraham's faith worked or cooperated with his works. His faith
was acted out and proven by his works. By his works Abraham's
faith was made perfect or complete. Abraham's faith was shown
to be a complete faith. A true and living fath works,
it finishes its course. If a faith does not work or act it is
a dead faith, incomplete, unfinished.

Verse 23
The Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God,
and it was accounted to him for righteousness. And he was
called the friend of God.

Abraham's faith fulfilled Scripture. Genesis 15:6
These words were declared some 30 years before Abraham ever
offered up Isaac. When Abraham offered up Isaac he was proving
his faith. There is not a chance that Abraham would have ever
offered up Isaac unless he already believed in God. Abraham
offered up Isaac because he did believe God. Therefore he did
what God said. If a person believes Christ, he does what Christ
says, he follows Christ. The same applies to the person who does
not believe Christ, he does not do what Christ says.
He does his own thing.

Abraham had an intimate relationship with God, he walked in
communion and fellowship with God, followed and was living for
God, and because of that he was called a "friend of God."

Verse 24
You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith
only. By works a man (proves that he) is justified, and not by
faith only. Faith only is a dead faith, inactive, worthless.
True faith is a living and active faith, a faith that proves
itself by living for Christ and working for Christ.

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

Rahab was not a member of the chosen nation. She was a converted
harlot. The lowest of society. But she placed her trust in
Jehovah God and believed that he would fulfill his promises to
Israel. When the Israeli spies were being hunted by the Jericho
soldiers, she hid them. By these acts she showed that she had
a real living faith in God. Her faith was proved by her works.

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

A body without the spirit or breath is dead.
It is empty, useless and worthless. It is just a dead body.

So if your faith is without works it is dead. It is empty,
it does not live for Christ, does not follow him in
righteousness or purity nor work for him in reaching people.

James 4:17 says "Therefore to him who knows to do good,
and does not do it, to him it is sin.

If you have a living faith, there is going to be fruit in
your life.  Paul says in 2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith.
Test yourselves. Know ye not your own selves, how that
Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

All Christians should examine themselves to make certain that
their salvation is a PRESENT reality.




THIS IS THE JUDGMENT
that the Light has come into the world, 
and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, 
for their deeds were evil.  

GOD so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have
Eternal LIFE. For God did not send his Son into the world
to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

He who believes in Him is not judged;
he who does not believe has been judged already, 
because he has not believed in the name of the only 
begotten Son of God.  John 3:16-19