3.1.2 James 2

James is addressing imbalances and abuses in the early church as a result of neglecting some fundamental duties.

These duties are the convictions resulting from examining:

• Christ's life (v.1 "The faith of our Lord Jesus)
• God's actions and judgments (v. 5 Hath not God chosen...)
• and the testimony of Scripture. (v.8 "according to the Scripture")

These imbalances should not be as:

1. They are obviously out of order in the light of Christ (v.1)
2. Are disloyal (Whose side are we on? Whom do we really serve? v.5)
3. In so doing we commit sin against God (v.9)
4. In so doing we cause harm to others (v.15,16)

1. The Duty of Impartiality, vs.1-9

Favoritism - Respect of persons. Partiality. James 2:1-18

James 1:5 — 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?

GBN — He shows that those who prefer the rich over the poor are wicked and disobedient judges, since God on the other hand prefers the poor (whom he has enriched with true riches) over the rich.

Matthew 11:5 — Mt 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 rejected Christ, but the poor received Christ's ministry. Therefore, while the poor were despised of men, they were highly prized of God.
• God selected his friends mainly from among the poor.
• Do not think too highly of yourself.

Romans 12:3 — For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

• Whose side are you on? Does this make sense. v.6 Christians in this time by necessity left "society" in order to be Christian. Expecting and requiring justice from but one … God.

• The Rich (Jews?): 1) Mistreat the Poor (followers of Christ) and 2) Blaspheme Christ's holy name.

2. The Duty of Obedience to the Whole Law, vs.10-13

• Religion consists in obeying the law of God, and that there can be none when this is not done.
• We cannot have "true religion" and merely pick and choose what we like from the law of God.

James 2:10 — For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

• Every part of the law rests on the SAME authority. (he that said ... said also)

James 2:11 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.

• v.12 "law of liberty" - The rule by which true freedom is to be secured

3. The Duty of Good Works, vs.14-26

• "Faith without works is dead"
• Can faith (without works) save him? works are necessary in order that a man may be saved
• Faith which does not bring forth works is not that faith by means of which we are justified, but a false image of that faith
• They who do not show the effects of faith are not justified by faith.

Luther, supposing that James did actually teach the doctrine of justification by works, which his good sense showed him to be absolutely insufficient for salvation, was led to condemn the epistle in toto, as a production unauthenticated by the Holy Spirit, and consequently worthy of no regard; he therefore termed it epistola straminea, a chaffy epistle, an epistle of straw fit only to be burnt.

JOHN WESLEY: From James 1:22 the apostle has been enforcing Christian practice. He now applies to those who neglect this under the pretence of faith. a) Paul had taught that a man is justified by faith without the works of the law. Some wrestled wrongly with this to their own destruction. b) Therefore James, purposely repeating, Jas 2:21,23,25, the same phrases, testimonies, and examples which Paul had used, Ro 4:3; Heb 11:17,31, refutes not the doctrine of St. Paul, but the error of those who abused it.

theme	James	Paul
Abraham's Imputed Righteousness	James 2:23— ... Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness:...	Romans 4:3 — ...Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Abraham Offered Up Isaac	James 2:21 — Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac ...	Hebrews 11:17 — By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: ...
Rahab the Harlot	James 2:25 — Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?	Hebrews 11:31 — By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, ...

John 15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.