Evil in the Church

Introduction

The Roman Empire was certainly a place where status meant a tremendous deal. If you were born a Roman then you had a much higher status by birth than anyone could ever muster by some other means. If you had great wealth you would certainly be courted by people for a number of different causes or purposes. You would be treated better and with greater respect. In contrast, the poor would be reviled and driven from the presence of the rich. They didn’t smell as nice, they didn’t dress fashionable, and they didn’t have fancy things to make them look “civilized”.

There was a great divide between the rich and the poor and there were few people in between those two classes. This was a common line that the culture of the Roman Empire had fostered. Most were used to this kind of division. The poor were often mistreated by those that were more wealthy and poor people developed as much of a disdain for rich people as the rich people had for the poor people. This was a great hurdle that needed to be overcome inside the church. Beginning at the lips of Jesus and repeated throughout all the epistles was the truth that the gospel was for everyone; Jew and Gentile, rich and poor, businessman and men of the field. It does not matter who you are in your life when it comes to being accepted into the family of God and the church of God. All are invited to trust in Christ.

James approaches a real problem that, from the context, we presume had made its way into the church. The Roman culture of dividing by class had made its way into the church. The people of God had begun to treat a wealthy person with more respect and personal attention than the poor people that came into their congregation. This kind of favoritism was not after the mind of Christ. Christ never meant for the poor to be treated one way and the rich person another way. When a person comes to Jesus Christ they are saints regardless of their cultural status. In essence James was giving a very clear demand that his readers cease and desist their preferential treatment of the rich over the poor and outlines that it is not only unacceptable, but it is a violation of God’s law.

Favoritism is not consistent with Christianity

James 2:1 “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.”

We are not to develop a church filled with only people that can raise the status of our church through the special treatment of wealthy people. The church is not a place for this kind of behavior. Sure that is how the culture of our country often works. As in the days of the Roman Empire so it is in our culture of western civilization; to treat wealthy people with more respect and dignity than we do those that are less fortunate. However, this kind of behavior does not belong in the churches that bear the name Christian. We are to be loving and kind to all people. We are to tell the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people. We are to welcome everyone that comes into our doors with the same dignity and respect. We should not see a person that has some sore of grandeur status in the community as more of a prospect for our church than those of less means or influence. This kind of behavior only leads to the church being like a country club rather than a house of God meant to bring healing, forgiveness, and love to everyone.

James goes on in the passage to give us a very clear example of what he is talking about:

James 2:2–4 “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; 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: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?”

The place where someone sat was a bigger deal in Bible times than it is today. Here James describes a situation where a rich man dressed in fine clothing and decked out with expensive jewelry. He is met by the church with the best seat in the church. On the contrary, poor people that enter are kept away from the rich man so as not to disturb him or make him feel uncomfortable or offended.

James calls this favoritism evil. Take note of that word. He doesn’t say it is unkind. He doesn’t say it is unacceptable. He doesn’t say it is inappropriate. All of these words could well describe the behavior, but James, under the leading of the Holy Spirit wrote the word evil. Favoritism based upon wealth and appearance is evil. Since the behavior is called evil it certainly is inconsistent with the behavior that we should find in the church.

Favoritism is not consistent with Christ’s Work

James 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?”

He then asks a rhetorical question to describe God’s outlook on people that are poor. God chose to include the poor in his work. He calls them rich in faith. People that are poor, but have Jesus, are considered rich in the eyes of God. God does not make a decision about a man based upon what he has in this life; he makes a decision about a man based on what he does with Christ. One that accepts Christ, whether he be poor or rich, is wealthy in a spiritual way that an unsaved, unbelieving, wealthy person could be.

He also chooses the poor to be heirs of the kingdom. The Bible says that those that are saved are heirs with Christ of the kingdom. Specifically he uses the word, joint-heirs. All saved people are rich in Christ and are destined to inherit the kingdom of God. Favoring a rich person over a poor person is not consistent with how Christ has chosen to use people to spread the gospel, to serve the Lord, to magnify him, and to work for his kingdom.

When we choose to favor someone because of how they look, what they wear, or the amount we think they may have in their bank account is not consistent with Christ’s work. We need to realize that in Christ we are all the same; sinners that were bound for hell who were in need of a savior and we called by God into a relationship with Jesus Christ through the convicting power of the Holy Spirit.

Favoritism is not consistent with righteousness

James 2:9 “But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.”

We established that favoritism was not consistent with the Christian faith and it was not consistent with the work of Christ. Given these facts James concludes this portion of Scripture by identifying the obvious conclusion; favoritism is not then consistent with the righteousness that God calls us to as Christians.

If you favor one person over another then you are committing sin. James first calls it evil; now he calls it sin. He is very clear on this matter that everyone that we speak to in our lives should be given the opportunity to accept Jesus Christ. We should witness to the well dressed and polished person no easier or more promptly then we would witness to the person with tattoos all over, hair styled differently, piercings all over their body wearing things that may be inappropriate. Isn’t the love of Jesus and the salvation of Christ to be freely given to all people? We should not base our decision to reach someone for Christ based upon how someone looks.

We also should not be concerned with the reputation of the church based upon someone that we believe to be unsavory coming into the church. James says this attitude is evil, it is sin, and it is inconsistent with righteousness. We should be willing to witness to anyone, invite anyone to church, sit with anyone at church, fellowship with anyone that comes in those doors and we should poor out the love of Jesus into and onto them so that when they depart they come to the conclusion that they were more well loved than anywhere they had ever been.

James gives another illustration about this portion of Scripture;

James 2:10–11 “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 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.”

He says that you cannot justify favoritism to the rich over the poor by doing something else that is consistent with righteousness. Just because you attend church faithfully and do that well does not mean it justifies you committing some other sin. If you commit adultery, but you don’t kill anyone does not minimize or make up for the sin of adultery. Just because we serve the Lord well in one area does not excuse us to live unrighteous in another area. Just because you teach Sunday School doesn’t mean you can treat one group better than another and be righteous in your favoritism.

ILLUSTRATION

Hebrews & James (3. Living by God’s Law (vv. 8–13)) God’s Law is not like a setup of ten bowling pins which we knock down one at a time. It more resembles a pane of glass in which a break at one point means that the entire pane is broken.

Conclusion

James 2:12–13 “So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.”

James concludes this passage by reminding us that we will be judged for our actions in this matter. Of course, as saved people, we will not stand in judgment for our sins, but James is clearly saying that this type of favoritism shown to people will likely lead to people being driven from the church by this unrighteous, evil behavior and those works that we do that diminish the work of Christ in this world will lead to wood, hay, and stubble waiting for us at the Judgement Seat of Christ.

Calvary Baptist Church needs to be a people that welcome everyone, that witness to everyone, that loves everyone so that we can influence them in a great way to receive Christ and enter the kingdom with us. James urges us, “So speak ye, and so do...” He wants us to do right by receiving others regardless of their bank account, their clothes, their jewelry, their appearance, or their cultural status. May we be a welcoming church that loves people; not so they can stay the way they are, but so they can become what Jesus wants them to be.