ames gives an imperative to these scattered Christians that true faith in Christ regards the glory of God and does not hold the so-called "glory" of man above the Lord's. They are not to have personal favoritism with one person over another. As God is impartial in His character and election of the redeemed so are we not to be partial. He now gives a scenario that has key indicators to demonstrate this sort of thing has happened before. A man walks into a Christian worship service with bright and shining clothing with a gold ring on his finger signaling to some level of wealth or status. While another man walks in clothes of dirt the text says; they are stained, faded, and now carry an odor. The saints in that assembly then crowd around the rich man showing him to the front to give him a seat of status just like the wicked Pharisees would do. But the poor man is seen as a blemish on their congregation despite most of them coming from the same circumstances; he stands in the back or sits on the floor by a prominent member's footstool.
James pulls the reader out of the scenario and asks a question they should know the answer to. They have divided these men in their hearts. Both men are in Christ but they have made one of more importance than the other, disregarding the poor brother. They have become like evil judges with motives for self-gain. But he reminds them that God's choice is flawless while theirs is terribly flawed. The poor in spirit are rich in faith because Christ became poor for us. He gives an inheritance of the heavenly kingdom to people who otherwise would have no inheritance or worse yet, an inheritance in hell fire. James reminds them that giving deference
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Wade is Pastor/Elder of Apologia Church in Utah since it was founded in October 2021. He was raised up by the Elders at Apologia Church in Arizona for over 6 years. God saved Wade in 2012 and since then he has been committed to following Christ and getting the Gospel out into...