
James Chapter 2 Hypocrisy in the Church
Jas 2:1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
1. James ascribes the title Lord of
2. The book of James most likely being the
3. This is an example that from the beginning the church believed that Jesus is
4. Chapter 2 begins just as
Jas 2:2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
Jas 2:3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
Jas 2:4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
5. Apparently those with money were being catered to even to the point of assigning them good
6. In this case the poor were being placed were there was no seating or at the
7. The footstool was the place around the
8. At the footstool would have been no seats just the floor and it also associated a person as a
9. The problem was not the
10. Its obvious that the partiality that James is referring to is toward those with much money, but the truth applies to all
11. Verse 4 says these types of actions reveal
Jas 2:5 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?
Jas 2:6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
Jas 2:7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
12. Many times it is the poor in money that are rich in
13. Often wealth can be a
14. These verses are not meant to attack the rich but to point out they have
Jas 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
15. The answer to the problem of all prejudice is to love your
Jas 2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
Jas 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
Jas 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.
16. We should
17. We should understand these verses more like a breach of
18. This is to protect us from selective obedience AKA
Jas 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
Jas 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
19. These verses tell us that how we show mercy to other will be
Jas 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
20. The second issues James deals with here is the
21. James is saying that a faith that is not followed by good works is not
Jas 2:15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
Jas 2:16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
22. James is not teaching us that we are not saved by faith but that there is only one type of faith and that is a
23. A
Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
24. This is a
Jas 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
25. Here James shows that belief as used throughout scripture is more than just acknowledging
Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
Jas 2:23 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.
Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Jas 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?
Jas 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
26. This is not the justification of
27. These last verses are all talking about a visual faith, the justification referred to here is the justification of
28. Abraham’s faith was made known to men when he offered
29. Rahab’s faith was made known when she helped spies allude the soldiers of
30. Just as our