Commentary on James 2, Written by Mel

Commentary on James Chapter Two, Written by my husband, Mel

 

When I was a young man, I was involved with street ministry. A very arrogant man led one of the ministry teams that I ministered with. This man was not in the ministry for the love of people, but for perceived power. He made comments about the poor neighborhoods and people that we ministered to. This man showed partiality to those whom he ministered to. There is no reward for those who minister to receive glory from man, and despise those, they feel are beneath them. James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote about having unconditional love, as well as mercy, for those who come into the assembly. If a poor man comes into your assembly in filthy clothes, and you seat him in the back of the room, and give the fine seats, up front, to the rich, you commit the sin of partiality.

 

If the love of God is perfected in your heart, you will not make a distinction between people, based on their attire, appearance, race, or economic status. Many Christians are guilty of judging people because a man may have long hair, or dress poorly, or a lady may not be able to afford a nice dress, or a family may drive an old car. Looking down upon people, for any reason, is not proper Christian behavior. I have attended churches where the elders, deacons, as well as those in other ministry positions, were placed in office because they were the biggest tithers. A church assembly should pray, fast, and seek God, to determine who should be placed in ministry positions. I have also visited churches, where the women all dressed similar, and wore their hair the same, and they looked down upon women who appeared differently. Many people have been driven away from the churches, because of holier than thou behavior. The churches are a hospital for the spiritually sick to recover. How will they recover, unless they see the love of Christ in action.

 

(James 2:1) 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?

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.

 

If we have the love of Christ in our hearts, we will meet the needs of those who are destitute, or struggling. There have been times, when my family and I have gone through major economic hardships, and family and friends would offer their prayers, but do nothing to help us during our hour of need. I have also known of others, who have been neglected, by those who could help. James states that faith without works is dead. If you see your brother without food, or basic needs, and you neglect to help him, your faith is dead. James makes a good point by emphasizing that the demons believe in God and tremble. So claiming faith in God is meaningless, if you do not have good works present in your life. In verse 26, James states for as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. In Revelation, chapters two and three, Christ tells the seven churches that they need to repent and have good works before God. On judgement day, as well as the bema seat judgement, every man will be judged according to their works. In (Matt 25:35-46), Christ taught that when you feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, cloth the naked, visit those sick, or in prison, you have done it unto him, and you shall enter eternal life. If you neglect the hungry, thirsty, sick, destitute, or those in prison, you shall enter everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. It is very important that we show the love of Christ to those who are perishing, because you may be their only spiritual lifeline. We must walk in the fear of the Lord, and rescue the prisoner of war. God Bless!

 

(James 2:14) What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?

15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,

16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?

17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble!

20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?

22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?

23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God.

24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

 

(Matt 25:35) for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;

36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'

37 Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?

38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?

39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'

40 And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'

41 Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:

42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;

43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'

44 Then they also will answer Him,saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'

45 Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'

46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Commentary on the Book of James 1, Written by Mel

Commentary on the Book of James 1

Written by my Husband, Mel

 

The book of James was written by Jesus half-brother to Jewish Christians living outside of Judea. This book is very crucial for the believer in understanding that faith must be accompanied by good works, and a godly lifestyle.

 

(James1:1) James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,  3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.  5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.  7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;  8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

 

Our faith is tested in many ways, and we don’t always understand why hardships occur. The death of family members, unemployment, sickness, or relationship problems, are examples of hardships that will try our faith. When the hard knocks of life occur, we may choose to allow bitterness to take root, or learn to develop character by trusting in God. We don’t see the big picture, but God does, and we need to trust Him with our lives. The Lord showed me once, that a chain of events in my life was making me clay fit for the potter’s hand. If we will allow the potter to shape us into vessels of honor, we will be beneficial to the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

(James 1:2-4) says, to count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience, and to let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. Patience is a hard thing to endure for most people; however, if we trust in God to see us through the storm, we will become strong spiritually. It is a good thing to pray for wisdom in how to handle life’s situations. If you ask for wisdom in faith, without doubting, God will impart knowledge in how to respond to the trial.

 

9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation,  10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away.  11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.

 

God’s Word has many warnings against those who seek riches. James tells us that the rich may appear as a beautiful flower, but they will fade away in all of their pursuits. In (Luke 16:19-30), we read of the rich man who refused to help the beggar Lazarus who was laid at his gate.  The rich man died, and was tormented by flames in hell, while Lazarus who also died, was comforted in Abraham’s bosom in paradise. Christ said that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven (Matt 19:24). Christ also said that you cannot serve two masters. You cannot serve God and mammon (money). (Matt 6:24) “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. As Christians, we must have love in our hearts for our fellow man. True love will help those in need, rather than seek after materialism. The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. It is impossible to serve God, if you live the lavish lifestyle that many of the television evangelists and mega-church leaders live. They live in multi-million dollar mansions and drive luxury cars, while robbing the poor, sick and needy. Their fate will be the same, or worse, than the rich man in Luke 16.  

 

12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.  13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.  14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.  15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

 

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.  17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.  18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

 

Christ said that those who endure unto the end shall be saved. James also states in verse 12: Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. James continues that God tempts no one, but each one is tempted when he is drawn astray by his own desires and enticed. Our minds are a battleground. We must be careful what we allow our eye gates and ear gates to receive. Television, music, books, etc. may fill your mind with lustful, or rebellious thoughts. We must also be careful with the company that we keep, because peer pressure may lead to sin.

 

 The world is full of many forms of temptations, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin,  when it is full-grown, brings forth death. The good news is that Christ will forgive your sins, and give you a clean, fresh, start if you repent, and turn from your sins. Repentance is a lifelong process, and you must remain on the highway of holiness unto the end, to inherit the crown of eternal life. Please read Revelation chapters two and three if you disagree with this. If your works are not perfect before God, he will remove your candlestick from before his presence, or vomit you out if you are lukewarm.

 

(Rev 2:4) Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent.

 

(Rev 3:1) "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, 'These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

 

(Rev 3:14) "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, 'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.

 

(James 1:19-26) Teaches us about the power of the tongue, as well as being doers of the Word and not hearers only. James exhorts us to be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. Outbursts of anger will hurt your Christian witness. We must be examples of the good fruit of the Spirit. If the world will see the love and kindness of God in our lives, they may desire to know the Savior. (James 3:1-12) addresses the power of the tongue in more detail. We must not only hear God’s Word preached to us, we must live our lives according to God’s Word. If we love Christ, we will keep his commandments. If we live a sanctified life by the power of God’s indwelling Spirit, we will overcome the evil one, and be an example others may follow.

 

19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;  20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

 

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;  24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.  25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.  27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

 

I have heard many Christians swear, tell dirty jokes, as well as talk about the sinful movies that they watch. They would tell me that they were saved, and believed in grace. According to (Eph. 5:3-5), no unclean person has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Filthiness, foolish talking, and coarse jesting, will send you to hell, unless you repent and turn from it. To be born again is to become a new creation in Christ, for without holiness no man shall see the Father.

 

The Lord also gave me this dream about those who claim to know Christ, but swear like a sailor. I dreamed that I was standing in an office-building lobby, and there were around a dozen elevators that led to Heaven, but only two were in use. There was a man standing there that was using God’s name in vain, as well as, cussing like a sailor. He walked away, and then was replaced by a lady, who represented the modern church. I said to the lady, “If this guy does not repent of his swearing he will go to hell.” She said, “This man is saved, and his salvation is secure, but his swearing may cut him off from the Holy Spirit.” I told the lady, that the grace message that is being taught by most churches, is way out of bounds, and does not line up with the Word of God. I also told her, that holiness preaching has been replaced, by a lukewarm message. As I walked away from her, she exclaimed in a loud voice, “Thank you Lord for your grace!” and she repeated herself several times.

 

I then was walking through the lobby in a large crowd of people, the people were following evangelist Billy Graham, who has passed away. Billy Graham has preached the eternal security doctrine for many decades. The large crowd of people refused to take the two elevators that led to Heaven, and were content to follow this evangelist to Hell. Although there were twelve elevators, the two that were functional, were symbolic of the few churches left that preach holiness. There is grace for those who repent of their sins, as well as turn from them, but grace is not automatic. The Lord has given me many dreams, as well as visions, concerning how serious sin is in the life of the Christian. The Lord shows me people wearing clothes covered with spots and wrinkles, as well as their skin covered in layers of dirt. The Lord then tells me to instruct people to take a spiritual shower and get their lives in order. Without holiness, no man will see the Father.