Reading and meditation on Chapter 2 of the Letter of James:
We must not treat with partiality the rich and the poor: « My brothers, you are not holding to the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ while showing favoritism, are you? 2For if a man with gold rings on his fingers and in splendid clothing comes into your meeting, but a poor man in filthy clothing also enters, 3do you look with favor on the one wearing the splendid clothing and say, “You take this seat here in a fine place,” and do you say to the poor one, “You keep standing” or, “Take that seat there under my footstool”? 4If so, do you not have class distinctions among yourselves, and have you not become judges rendering wicked decisions? 5Listen, my beloved brothers. Did not God choose those who are poor from the world’s standpoint to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom, which he promised to those who love him? 6But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you before law courts? 7Do they not blaspheme the fine name by which you were called? 8If, now, you carry out the royal law according to the scripture, “You must love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing quite well. 9But if you continue showing favoritism, you are committing sin, and you are convicted by the law as transgressors » (verses 1-9).
We must practice the whole Christian law and not forget to be merciful: « For if anyone obeys all the Law but makes a false step in one point, he has become an offender against all of it. 11For the one who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.” If, now, you do not commit adultery but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of law. 12Keep on speaking and behaving in such a way as those do who are going to be judged by the law of a free people. 13For the one who does not practice mercy will have his judgment without mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment » (verses 10-13).
Regarding mercy, Jesus Christ says in the Sermon on the Mount, that it will be shown mercy to the merciful and God will forgive those who forgive their neighbor (Matthew 5:7 and 6:14,15).
The living faith is authenticated by Christian works, but a faith without works is dead: « Of what benefit is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but he does not have works? That faith cannot save him, can it? 15If a brother or a sister is lacking clothing and enough food for the day, 16yet one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but you do not give them what they need for their body, of what benefit is it? 17So, too, faith by itself, without works, is dead. 18Nevertheless, someone will say: “You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” 19You believe that there is one God, do you? You are doing quite well. And yet the demons believe and shudder. 20But do you care to know, O empty man, that faith without works is useless? 21Was not Abraham our father declared righteous by works after he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22You see that his faith was active along with his works and his faith was perfected by his works, 23and the scripture was fulfilled that says: “Abraham put faith in Jehovah, and it was counted to him as righteousness,” and he came to be called Jehovah’s friend. 24You see that a man is to be declared righteous by works and not by faith alone. 25In the same manner, was not Rahab the prostitute also declared righteous by works after she received the messengers hospitably and sent them out by another way? 26Indeed, just as the body without spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead » (verses 14-26).
The works mentioned by the disciple James, according to the context, are works of mercy and not the works of the Mosaic Law (see verses 15,16,25).
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Meditation on the Letter of James leading to Christian maturity
When we read the Letter of James, it is surprising to see the likeness of his way of teaching, with that of his older brother Jesus. He uses many illustrations as Jesus did…
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Achieving Spiritual Maturity (Hebrews 6:1)
Table of contents of the http://yomelyah.fr/ website
Reading the Bible daily, this table of contents contains informative Bible articles (Please click on the link above to view it)…
Table of languages of more than seventy languages, with six important biblical articles, written in each of these languages…
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