Call to Commitment

 

Where's the piccolo?

 

The sin of partiality

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

      2.    For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 

      3.      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," 

4.      have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 

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

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

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

We are seeing that James is a firm believer in “the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ”, as surely as is the apostle, Paul. However, in this chapter we will see that James is concerned with a faith that is tainted by partiality. He deals with it first and then goes on to deal with an incomplete faith… a faith that is not completed by God-ordained works in verse 14. In Ephesians 2:10 we read, “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.” Yes, Paul also believed in works.

 The faith of Jesus Christ is not compatible with worldly standards, a practice of giving preference to the affluent. It is not a worthy representation of “the Lord of glory.” His glory is seen in the Gospels, as He points favorably to the good Samaritan, who attended the fallen traveler, whom the Levite and priest ignored (Lk.10:33). He conversed with the Samaritan woman, even though “Jews have no dealings with Samaritans” (Jn.4:9).  It was a Samaritan leper, who returned to Jesus to give thanks, after he was healed (Lk.17:6).

 Christian practice was demonstrated by Philip, “who went to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them” (Ac.8:5). Peter and John followed, praying that the Samaritans would be wonderfully baptized in the Holy Spirit. On their return to Jerusalem, they preached “the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans” (Ac.8:25). The glory of Jesus Christ continues to shine in the book of Acts, as the gospel opens, step by step, to the Gentiles, despised by the Jews. 

 

 When the Jewish Christians heard Peter’s report of the conversions in the centurion’s house, “They glorified God!” (Ac.11:18). When the Jerusalem church, which was led by James, heard of the work of God among the uncircumcised Greeks in Antioch, they sent Barnabas to minister to them (Ac.11:22). The outcasts’ reception of the gospel was good news to the Jerusalem church.

 We will read exactly, to that which James is referring, beginning in verse 2, where he takes his example from the assembly of the believers. He shows his Jewish roots, by calling the meeting of Christians, synagogue (Greek), and is the only one to call it by this term in the New Testament. The Jewish synagogue meant the place, as well as the gathering of the Jews, but we learn in this verse, that James also called the Jewish Christian gathering a synagogue.

 To give preference to the rich man over the poor man was a breach from Christian custom, as James saw it in the first chapter, verses 9 and 10. The practice should be the exact opposite. It not only constituted bad Christianity, but was harmful to the spiritual development of the rich man and humiliated the poor man, who should be treated with dignity in the church (3).

 James saw this as a serious error, demonstrating evil thoughts and poor judgment (4). Partiality is, in fact, a sin, outside the will and ways of God and Christ. It shows a world-like mentality, that disqualifies the person who possesses it, from judgment in the church.

 James follows the facts laid out by Paul in 1 Corinthians 1. Paul is only writing what he is witnessing among believers, which are to be seen as the ways and means of God, flowing from the intentions of His heart: “Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?... God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things what are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence” (1 Co.1:20, 27-29).

 From her own experience as a humble woman from the village of Nazareth, Mary, knew divine principle: “He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty” (Lk.1:53). James exposes the same principle, when he writes that God has chosen the poor to be spiritually rich in faith and to be heirs of His kingdom. God’s ways are not the ways of the world.

 Jesus told the Roman governor in Jerusalem, “My kingdom is not of this world… my kingdom is not from here” (Jn.18:36). He stood before Pilate, representing a source of authority, immeasurably above Pilate’s. James shows that God promised that the poor would be heirs of His kingdom, on the basis of their love for Him (5).

 James is receiving news that the dispersed Jews, at least a significant part of them, have strayed off-course. Showing partiality to the rich, they are catering to their enemies, who oppose all that God is doing.  They have lost the direction set by Christ for His church, which has aroused the hatred of the rich and powerful. Their kingdom is this present world and God´s future kingdom poses a threat to them. They are friends of the Roman empire, using its tribunals, in many provinces, to persecute Christians (6).

 As Christians, we have identified with the name of Christ and honor and adore Him in love. He is priceless to us and our hearts are torn by the treatment given Him in this world. We are called by the name of Him, who has called us to Himself. Our reaction is expressed by the songwriter, W. Spencer Walton in his hymn, In Tenderness He Sought Me:

He washed the bleeding sin wounds, and poured in oil and wine,

He whispered to assure me, ‘I found you, you are Mine’

I never heard a sweeter voice, it made my aching heart rejoice!

This is the One, Whom the affluent blaspheme, mock and insult. In their foolish arrogance, they are not afraid to raise their voices, heart and mind against the Christ and Creator. They are not worthy of a Christian´s preference, because their elegant exterior is erased by their inner poverty (7). On the other hand, by his rich faith, the poor reflects the glory of God. Christian, I urge you to take your stand with the Nazarene and His despised Galilean outcasts, the weak, the poor and the nobodies!

 

You shall love your neighbor as yourself

 8.      If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF," you do well; 

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

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

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. 

12.  So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. 

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

 James sometimes uses very colorful language. Only James termed, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” as the royal law and only James referred to the word of God in the gospel, established in love by faith, as “the perfect law of liberty” (1:24). The royal law is the law given by the King of Kings and is prominent over all other laws concerning human relationships (8). Jesus said that it is the second commandment, only surpassed by one supreme commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mk.12:30).

 James considered partiality a breach against the royal law and a sin against Him, Who is no respecter of persons, as Elihu states in Job 34:19: “Yet He is not partial to princes, Nor does He regard the rich more than the poor; For they are all the work of His hands.” It is repeated too many times in Scripture for me to quote every passage. Partiality is a sin against His nature and His law, for the law states that not only do we not show partiality to the rich, but also we are not to favor the poor in judgment (9). Lady Justice is blind to all persons, races, and classes: “You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor” (Lv.19:15).  

Verses 10 and 11 state a truth that is greater than the subject at hand and refers to the law, in general. He who is guilty in one area of the law, is condemned by the entire law. Jamieson-Faucett-Brown says, “The law is a musical harmony, which is spoiled if there be one discordant note.” Paul also said that a poorly-given note can spoil music: “Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played?” A trumpet, sounding for battle, has a potential for disaster: “For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?” (1 Co.14:7-8).

 Let me add that a simple omission in fulfilling the law, brings a similar consequence. I share a story that I heard in my youth of a disgruntled piccolo player, who felt he was not recognized, because his instrument was so small and its music was so soft. In a rehearsal of hundreds of instruments and voices, led by a famous 19^th Century conductor, Sir Michael Costa, the choir sang, accompanied by a thundering organ, with a drum roll and a blare of trumpets. The piccolo player decided to stop playing. Immediately, the conductor brought the rehearsal to a halt, and shouted, "Where is the piccolo?" To many, perhaps, the lack of the piccolo was not noticed, but to the conductor, the entire piece of music was spoiled by the negligence of the piccolo player. In the same way, God sees that the slightest neglect of His law, even if by a simple omission, is of grave consequence.

Allow me to oversimplify: Suppose a thief comes before a judge with the following argument. “Yes, it’s true that I stole the money from the store, but I didn’t kill or hurt anybody. I didn’t do any damage to the store and I didn’t hold anyone hostage.” Ah, but he stole and the entire law charges him with theft and deals out a sentence for his crime.

 Because of this fact, the argument many offer in defense of their goodness, is invalid: “I have been a good person. I give to the beggars, who come to my door. I help the neighbors, when they are in difficulty. I visit the sick in the hospitals, and I always attend church.” The Lawgiver charges you guilty for the times you have broken His law, even if it was only in one area, and that fact totally nullifies all the good deeds. A brief review of anyone’s life, will prove that person, whoever he or she may be, has sinned. Therefore, the one who shows partiality is a sinner and is guilty before God.  

Let Colossians 3:17 define the responsibility of the Christian, who is under the law of liberty: “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” His words and deeds point to the nature of Christ within him, and, by the same nature, he gratefully acknowledges the grace of the Father in his life. The Lord Jesus, according to the will of the Father, has put him under the law of liberty, the gospel of love (12). He can reason, honestly, that the law of God is just and good, and that Christ has rescued him from his guilt against the holy law. He now willingly obeys that law and he need not justify his many offenses; God has justified him by his faith in Christ.

 I read this morning in devotions of two birds in Leviticus 14:4-7. One bird, along with certain ingredients, is killed in a vessel with running water. The second bird with the same ingredients, is dipped in the blood of the bird that was killed… and is set at liberty. The first bird died, so that the second could freely live. It is a wonderful example of the law of liberty, in which Christ carried the sins that bound us and held us guilty to the law of God, so that we could be free.  

 The judgment against our sin has been conducted with mercy on our behalf. May God help us to be merciful towards every offense, which is done against us, so that the law of liberty will not condemn us (see Mt.18:27-34)!  May it become easy for us to forgive, because of full recognition of God’s forgiveness towards us. By the cross, mercy triumphed over judgment (13). Truth and mercy met; righteousness and peace kissed (Ps.85:10). These true words have come to us, as we walked in our wayward paths in life, and when we believed, they were applied to us eternally!