This post by christinecoltman was originally published at GRACE PLACE
When I first started to plan my intro for James 2, I started by focusing in on how divided our culture has become. But then I took a step back and asked the Spirit to help me start from a place of thankfulness, where I express to God my gratefulness for his care in these challenging days. So let’s start there together in prayer:
Lord, James is hard. Please, give us humility in this study, as we sit under your word. By your Spirit, open our eyes and hearts so that we’ll be willing to look at ourselves in mirror of James, knowing we have confidence in your grace, we rest Your love and are secure in Your mercy. Transform us so that we will be tools in your hands, here where you’ve placed us. Amen.
The sad truth is that we’re constantly surrounded by wars – wars of race, class, political parties, special interest groups, gender – all who are fighting for power and position. Jesus was born into a similar culture, but he challenged the Pharisees prejudice in their twisted rules. Like when he responded to women and children, the sick, the poor, to those labelled as immoral; he refused to keep the rules of that prejudice.
Which begs the question – what about me? I call myself a follower of Jesus, and yet I must confess that I am not free of that prejudice. Somewhere in me is intolerance, and partiality and favouritism.
And, as James compares the Gospel to what he is seeing in those who claim to be Christians, he’s calling out this really humiliating contradiction in those who claim to follow Jesus. But astonishingly, he’s speaking to poor people – who you’d expect to have a sensitivity to partiality – but they don’t!
Now, as a reminder of where we’re at in James – we’re in Chap 2 and it’s rather unhelpfully divided into two parts – ignore that! Obviously, the breaks were added later but if you read the letter as a whole it feels more like there are really just two parts:
In the first part, there is a sweet tenderness in James’ writing when he talks to people who are suffering. I can imagine him kindly ministering to their hearts and encouraging them to look past the tears, to see the world from a heavenly perspective as they endure through the pain.
But then we get towards the end of Chap 1 and James starts to describe the new life that God has called us to. His tone sharpens- ‘Remember, God hasn’t given you His grace to make your kingdom work, his grace is an invitation to another Kingdom!’ My life isn’t directed by what I want, what I feel, and what I need!
I’m now called to a life where my existence is that I would live, and think, and speak, and act – in a way that pleases my Lord. He says ‘The righteous life that God requires.’ He’s called you to live righteously – all the time.
Faith that’s incredibly solid right here, in this room, isn’t true faith at all. That’s a counterfeit. True faith, which God calls us to, runs into all the cracks of our lives – into the places where we live every day. Because true faith claims every area – all of our responses, and every desire.
As James unpacks the Gospel arguments against prejudice in a Christian’s life, he exposes the heart behind this. And as we grapple with this together, pray with me through this time that our hearts will be wide open to the Spirit’s work. To his council and conviction. May God give us courage to let the Word shine a light into the dark corners that we usually ignore, because the shame is too great. Because – as God’s child – all of your sin – past, present and future – has been fully covered by the grace of Jesus!! So you don’t have to fear anything you see inside of you.
2:1 “…how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favour some people over others?”
James doesn’t just say ‘Jesus’ – he calls him the ‘glorious Lord Jesus Christ’. Prejudice is all about the glory that rules our hearts. We were formed in the image of God. Wired for glory. But there are only two kinds of glories you can live for – the ones of this world that are created, or glory that’s truly breath-taking — the glory of God.
Glories that surround us here are meant to point us to God. But how often does my heart gravitate to them- instead of Him?! I chase the glory of wealth, control, appearance, strength, security, good health– and it’s in that glory-chasing that I realise how much more my heart is ruled by the created world, than by the glory of God.
And there we find the root of prejudice.
Prejudice will always reveal what is important to your heart – and what’s going on inside you is far more dangerous than what’s happening outside. But we don’t want to think that. We want to argue that our secret struggles are out of sight – out of mind, and who knows — maybe we’ll even be a badge for never acting on them! —But those unkind thoughts, rejecting or even just ignoring one another, dis-compassion, they reveal what is actually important in our hearts.
And as I’ve wrestled with my struggles in this, I’ve literally squirmed while considering that God doesn’t rule my heart in the fullness that I think He does. Because there’s a glory war raging in my heart – and sometimes I get it right, and sometimes I get it so wrong.
James holds nothing back – he says, the Gospel of Jesus is radically counter-cultural. And, it’s what’s going on -on the inside– that’s really the issue – but then James uses a physical example in v.2-4 – so am I misleading you?
Say you make a judgment based entirely on someone’s outfit. Would you? Be honest. What if someone turned up here tonight, with tats all over, earrings and gauges in places you didn’t know could be pierced – and after several side glances, you’re not even sure whether they’re a female or male…
What goes through your mind? Is your heart filled with love? Or do you make a quick judgment based on what your eyes see? Or what if you were out walking after dark – what kind of person makes you feel uncomfortable?
Is your heart embracing the radical culture of the Gospel? Can you see in your heart that we’re not free of this struggle? We were created as responders – and how we respond to people all around us draws out the distinctions we’ve made and our evil thoughts. And they are evil; don’t fall into the trap of rationalising and excusing them because of what your physical eyes see!
2: 5 Listen to me…hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised, to those who love him?
Prejudice forgets the work of the Gospel in your own life. Why were you accepted? Why were you forgiven—oh! It was your beauty, your gift of hospitality, your warm smile, your willingness to serve — absolutely not!!
Dane Ortlund: All our bad does not make us harder to save, and all our good does not make us easier to save. What saves us is Christ, and therefore all we contribute is honesty – admitting we are sinners and casting ourselves on him.
When we come to Christ – we’re absolutely poor. We have nothing to bring but dirty hands and broken hearts. We are naked, empty — and we get everything! So how do we get from there – to any justification for pride? or prejudice?
We come with nothing – but even more importantly tonight — you still stand with nothing before Christ! The only difference between me and the person I described that joins us off the street, if there is any spiritual difference, is that I’ve been given that awesome gift of God’s grace, but I am still as poor and needy as she is.
v.6-7 But you dishonour the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? Aren’t they the ones who slander Jesus, whose noble name you bear?
James is addressing current issues going on here, but he’s showing us how prejudice will always lead me to respond in ways that are inconsistent with the Gospel, because I want favour with those who have power, position, are beautiful, or whatever-
The heart of Christ and his call aren’t my motivation – no, I’m warped by the physical world around me that rules my heart more than the Gospel.
So then, when I get to v.8: “love your neighbour as yourself,” I’m faced with the reality that my callous heart can’t love others like that! Because prejudice is the ultimate love blocker.
Ah but, I can rationalise that because – ‘you don’t know the hurt I’ve felt, the rejection I’ve faced, the pain I’ve endured…’ So, I’ve built a comfortable life. I do predictable things with my close circle of friends that make me feel special – where I am safe.
But the Gospel is wildly unsafe! It’s a call to live in places that are uncomfortable, with people who make us uncomfortable, following after Jesus who did all this and it cost him his life! Where does my entitlement come from to rationalise my desire for a good, comfortable life? Why am I indifferent to the most exceptional calling we have as believers – to love our world like Christ did!
Well, that’s really quite easy – it’s because prejudice and partiality has this unique way of blinding us that enables me to arrange God’s laws to suit my own order so that I can spend all my time and energy on the ones I like, and overlook the others. But prejudice actually exposes my desire to make my own rules and resist surrendering to the Lord.
v.13 There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you’ve been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.
The place of pride where prejudice lives – maliciously overlooks mercy. It’s not a ‘forgetfulness’ of mercy – is contempt for the person of Jesus and the liberty that we have because of him. But thankfully the Spirit is persistent! He keeps calling us back, reassuring us and reminding us what God is like.
Just like what James is doing – he says, we’re no longer children of judgment! Our identity is that we’re children of mercy! We’re free from our bondage to all the division that destroys relationships. BUT — not by the law, not by rule-keeping, not behaviours!!! But only by God’s grace, his Spirit at work in us.
v.14 What good is it if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?
Do you know what it means to have true faith? James says, it’s one thing to think about faith – it’s another to embrace it as a central part of our lives. He goes on to say that others will see the reality of our faith through our good works. Our faith isn’t an intellectual decision, it’s a response that results in changes you can see on the outside as we’re more drawn to Jesus.
A couple months back, J and I walked up to Sainsburys to pick up a few bits. On route we passed an elderly man, walking with the opposite direction, who had a pronounced limp. I smiled warm as we passed. On the way back, we saw him again, still making his way slowly down our street. He had two bags of groceries and was struggling, so we offered to grab the car and give him a lift home.
Those of you who know me to any degree know that cleanliness and order are among two of my biggest idols. Daily they cause me (and everyone around me) incredible pain and frustration (and wonder!) – and it’s not just in my home where I struggle, but in my car too.
So, as we return to the man with my car, and the reality of his physical state starts to sink in – I am too ashamed to tell you even half the thoughts in my head. It was clear it had been a long time since the man had bathed. His sweatpants were soiled with various layers of well-aged grime. His breath was sour and though it was not a warm day, I drove all the way with the windows part-down, to what I justified as an acceptable level, with total disregard for his comfort.
I made no conversation – not wanting to give reason for him to lean from the backseat into the front to speak. And thought the journey was only 5 minutes, I was convinced the long-term damage to my car would be irreparable.
So, what has this got to do with true faith? I suggest that is has everything to do with it.
James is asking – ‘What’s the nature of true and saving faith?’ What’s the life God has called us to?
Well, I think we struggle with James because we read ‘a person is justified by works, not by faith alone’ and most of us will respond in one of two ways:
- Some think – “This is such a contradiction of the Gospel –”
That’s because we read James like we read Romans / Galatians. But in both of those books, Paul’s addressing a specific teaching that suggested you could achieve acceptance with God, by outwardly keeping the law. But with power, he destroys that argument because he says that, if it’s true we’re sinners and sin reaches into every crack within us, then it’s impossible to be justified by our performance!
- But the other way people respond is to think – “Phew! I have very little to show for my faith, but I believe in God… I pray, I know the ‘grace’ and I still carry a printed Bible with me to church… I’m just not the type to get expressive or open about it…’
And that’s where James aims his very sharp arrow – and he’s calling out cheap faith.
He’s calling out belief which is some kind of agreement with doctrine, but doesn’t captivate and transform the heart! He calls a spade a spade and says — that is not true faith! And it’s a danger for all of us – all of us who want comfortable faith when we’re challenged by the radical claim that Christ makes on our lives.
Now, the obvious take-away is that James challenges ‘faith’ that doesn’t result in action. But there’s a more revealing test – that true saving faith will always result in a life of love. That’s because true faith is always the result of a NEW HEART!
Ezekiel 36.26-27: I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh and I will put my Spirit within you…
The nature of the Gospel is that our hearts are TRANSFORMED from the inside out! A transformed heart responds to the world by seeing through a new lens – that gives us new desires, new purposes, values, loves, and all new thoughts.
My old life was controlled by my needs, my desires and my feelings – my new life is moved by my love for God, and because of his great love for me, I can (and want to!!) love my neighbours.
Now, in the rest of this passage, James lays out 3 arguments in support of what true faith is: two of these are very reminiscent of Heb 11 where the Heroes of the faith are listed, and we have the Abraham argument and the Rahab argument – but there’s also the argument of the demons…
- Let’s start with Abraham
True faith is seen by fruit. The fruit in my transformed life, assures me of God’s justifying grace – it doesn’t justify me! But James says:
v.20 Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
So, is James saying Ab was justified by works? –And that is how scripture becomes miss-interpreted! When we pull out little pieces without the context – because look at the next verse:
v.22 You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete.
Ab’s faith demonstrated itself to be true, because it was a testimony of a transformed life! The emphasis here is to say ‘hey look – this is what true faith will do. You will willingly offer the most precious thing in your life to God for the simple reason — that you love the Lord more and you trust him!
Whatever is the most treasured thing in your life — you will be able to say ‘God, I give it all to you.’
Not because it is logical, or practical, or easy. But because I am content to let the world go!
And tonight – search our hearts oh God – what precious Isaac in your life are you holding on to?
- Then he moves on to Rahab
v.25 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road.
With Rahab, it sounds as if her ‘works’ might be taken as the key here. But isn’t it actually her confession of faith that the God of Israel – is the only true God? (Joshua 2:11) Her actions then follow. And that’s the point James addresses. Rahab’s love is challenging – after all, her neighbours will die within the following week because of her decision. But she does, indeed, trust that God is good in what he does.
- But I’ve skipped over the argument of the demons
At the very core of our faith is that we believe that there is just one God. And then James says, “well even the demons believe that”!!
What!?! Are you not shocked? James is being as provocative as he can – to challenge us! He’s isn’t saying that theology isn’t important – but he is saying that theology on its own isn’t enough! And, in fact, if good theology that doesn’t result in changes to how you live, is actually bad theology.
But we’re really good at making a separation between head-faith and lived-faith. Going back to where we started tonight, we get comfortable with detaching what we say we believe and what we actually live out in our lives.
Like me – and my car – and the old man with the limp, whose desperation for help was greater than his shame of appearance. My unfiltered-heart wanted to say – ‘Just give me a moment to cover my precious car seats before you sit down – and I hope you’ve picked up some laundry soap and body wash in your shopping…’ And that exposes my continuing struggle of faith that is at war in my heart.
v.26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.
If your faith doesn’t result in life-changing love for God and life-shaping love of others, then it’s dead.
You may be feeling conviction. But if you’re a child of God – there is encouragement for you! If you’re the Lord’s, if you have true faith in Him, there’s already fruit in your life – the fruit of love for Him. The evidence is in your love for others, your words, actions, responses – outward expressions of His saving grace in your heart.
But perhaps there is someone else whose faith is what James calls a counterfeit. Your mind has committed to a system of belief, but your heart and your life are your own. Please – don’t be satisfied with fake faith! You need to confess that that what you have is not faith, and seek God in forgiveness, and trust Him like you never before.
On this side of heaven, we’re not free of favouritism, partiality or prejudice. And women, as a community, we’re not always a space of love, grace, compassion, kindness. But, if you believe the Gospel, use the Word to look at yourself, and let the Spirit help you to see the true state of your heart – but also see the loving eyes of the father looking back at you.
There is hope for us, that we will be an amazing community of love that our Father will use to transform the world around us!!