The Letter of James - 2:6-8

Last week we covered . In this passage, James shared a strong warning against favoritism. He gives a hypothetical scenario of two visitors joining their meeting, one dressed fancy with expensive jewelry while the other arrives in shabby clothing. Both should be treated equally. Discrimination goes both ways. Making decisions about anyone based on external factors is inconsistent with the life and teaching of Jesus.

Although this passages typically refers to one who gives special treatment to someone who is rich. The warning also applies to treating the rich with disrespect because they are rich.

We ended the session discussing the kingdom of God. reads.

James 2:5 CJB

5 Listen, my dear brothers, hasn’t God chosen the poor of the world to be rich in faith and to receive the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him?

The kingdom of God is a realm under the authority and rule of God. The kingdom of God is already, but not yet. It’s here, but not fully.

James uses verses 1-5 to declare that favoritism is wrong, he uses verses 6-13 to explain why its wrong.

Let’s read pick up reading James at verse 6.

James 2:6–13 NLT

6 But you dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? 7 Aren’t they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear? 8 Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 9 But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law. 10 For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws. 11 For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.” So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law. 12 So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. 13 There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.

James 2:6-13

The beginning of verse 6 is a continuation of thought from verse 5. God has honored the poor, but you have dishonor them.

James 2:5–6 ESV

5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court?

Don’t dishonor those whom God honors

The church dishonors those whom God honors. This is an attitude that is contrary to the attitude of God. Now, we know that James original readers were persecuted Jewish believers who possibly have been pushed out of their homeland, Israel. Verses 6 & 7 give a strong indication that they were also poor.

James 2:6 ESV

6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court?

James 2.

James 2:6–7 NLT

6 But you dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? 7 Aren’t they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear?

Isn’t it the rich, aren’t they the ones...

So if his original readers were poor, why would they show special treatment to the rich?

One would think they would despise the rich, not favor them. But human nature can cause us to treat people according to what we can get from them.

If we think someone can offer us some sort of gain, we tend to treat them more favorably. Even at the expence of dishonoring our true friends.

The classic teen drama love story.

Unpopular boy is noticed by the girl of his dreams.

Boy is accepted into her circle of friends, boy rejects his true friends and becomes like the ones they have all despised.

Boy’s friends get angry at him for being a sell-out, boy gets rejected by girl’s circle of friends, boy has no friends, boy is humiliated, boy restores relationship with old group of friends.

And sometimes, if he’s lucky, girl still loves boy and she is accepted by his circle of friends.

The exact thing is happening here in .

Well, except the boy and the girl part.

A poor christian gives special treatment to a rich pagan to avoid further exploitation. In the process, he dishonors other poor christians while the rich pagan continues to oppress the poor christians and blasphemy the name of God.

Our society is similar to theirs. Christians are becoming the minority. Christ following christians are the minority. We’re often on the receiving side of judgement. The judicial system usually rules against in favor of non-christian.

When a christian holds tight to the truth of of God’s Word and lives by it, they can be charged with a hate crime. But it’s okay for people to speak against christians.

Certain minorities are protected, christians are not on that list.

Just like James’ original audience, when we practice favoritism, we are engaged in the very practice of the ones who oppress christians. James cautions believers to have nothing to do with favoritism.

Selective Obedience

In todays society, it very easy to become selective in our obedience.

We have more choices than ever. Practically, everything is customizable. Our options are endless. There’s no longer “one size fits all.” We’re expected to pick and choose.

This is most evident when ordering fast food. Typically, I’m not one to customize my food order. That’s the way I was raised I guess. We would order our food and take off whatever we didn’t like. Now, I’m talking 30 years ago. The only place that was known for customizing an order was Burger King, “Have it your way.”

I did a little research and found a Burger King commercial from the mid 70’s.

Take a look.

Not many other fast food restaurants were happy to customize an order, especially if it was a busy time like lunch or dinner. Why? Because it was already cooked and packaged before you arrived.

I didn’t truly understand this until I met my lovely wife, Karen.

There are specific things that she can’t eat. Not because she’s allergic, but because she insists it will make her sick. This was a huge learning curve for me in our first few years of marriage.

If I order a burger and it comes with something I don’t like, I take it off or just deal with it. Why can’t she do the same?

After a few order mishaps and many trips back to the fast food chain, I started catching on. In my mind I was being annoying to the casher by specializing my order. This was foreign to me.

But I quickly learned, well I probably could have learned quicker then I did, but I learned that an annoyed casher was much better than what I had to face when I got home with a botched order.

“I want a cheeseburger, dry, no onions, with lettuce and tomatoes. Oh, and add pickles.” “I would like a nacho supreme with no sour-cream.”

20 years ago, this type of behavior was frowned upon.

Today, it’s expected.

“Hi, I would like a regular Gyro please.”

“White or wheat?”

“Wheat.”

“Would you like to customize your Gyro?”

“No, how it comes is fine.”

This type of customization has wiggled it way into our churches.

We want the benefits of salvation without obedience.

We want friendship with God without relationship.

We want the church to grow without tithing.

We want a stronger faith without fully trusting in God.

We want to be apart of the Kingdom of God without acting like a citizen.

We want to love God with all of our heart, soul, and might without loving our neighbor.

James 2:8 ESV

8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.

If you really fulfill the royal law, there will be action. Not just lip service, not just going through the motions. Not like the Pharisees we talked about last week. “Beautiful, whitewashed tombs on the outside while full of death on the inside.”

The Pharisees were an elite group of religious leaders that were more concerned about their outward shine than they were about doing what God truly desired. They meticulously followed the law that made them look religious, that made others think they were super spiritual, while neglecting and ignoring that which beautified their heart.

I better understand what James is saying in verse 8 by flipping it around.

If you don’t show love to your neighbor as you do to yourself, you’re not really fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture.

Don’t fool yourselves.

The Royal Law

James is coming back to kingdom language. He is stating that to “Lover your neighbor as yourself” is to obey the Kingdom Law.

The CJB translates this verse like this.

James 2:8 CJB

8 If you truly attain the goal of Kingdom Torah, in conformity with the passage that says, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.

Love your neighbor as yourself?

What does it mean to love your neighbor as yourself? Jesus explains it very clearly when he combines and

Leviticus 19:18 CJB

18 Don’t take vengeance on or bear a grudge against any of your people; rather, love your neighbor as yourself; I am Adonai.

Deuteronomy 6:4–5 ESV

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Leviticus 19:18 CJB

18 Don’t take vengeance on or bear a grudge against any of your people; rather, love your neighbor as yourself; I am Adonai.

Jesus is asked a question from an expert of religious law trying to trap him. He asks...

Matthew 22:36–39 ESV

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Did Jesus just say that?

Loving your neighbor is as important as loving God?

He did!

He goes on.

Matthew 22:40 NLT

40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Luke also records this interaction and adds that the man asks a follow up question.

Luke 10:29 NLT

29 The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

The Good Samaritan

This is where Jesus tells the story of the good Samaritan.

It is so interesting to me that this story is know world wide. Or, at least the title of the story.

Watching the news you’ll hear it often. “There was a crash early this morning and a ‘Good Samaritan’ stopped to help.” I have a very literal though process so when ever I hear this I ask a question like, “is that guy from Samaria?” I know I’m weird. But that’s how my brain is wired.

Someone who helps a person they don’t know is called a “Good Samaritan.” The whole reason Jesus told this story was to answer the question the expert of religious law asked. “And who is my neighbor?”

Luke 10:36–37 NLT

36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. 37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

Luke 10:36 NLT

36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.

Luke

Who is your neighbor?

So who is your neighbor? Anyone from Samaria that is a good person. No.

Anyone who is human.

Paul develops this thought a little deeper.

Romans 13:8–10 NLT

8 Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. 9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.

Rom 13.8-1

It is our obligation to love one another, to never wrong others. Not some kind of emotional affection toward someone. He is not talking about a feeling. He’s talking about a choice.

I think we miss this a lot because the english language doesn’t have a sufficient word for the true meaning behind what is translated as love.

The word is more along the lines of...

Charity, the voluntary giving help to those in need.

Compassion, sympathetic concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.

Mercy, compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.

Grace, courteous goodwill.

Kindness, the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.

Do you see where I’m going? Love is the best word we have in the english language to translate this concept to.

Paul struggles for one Greek word when he tries to describe the fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22–23 NLT

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Galatians 5:22 NLT

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

He describes it as a “love-joy-peace-patience-kindness-goodness-faithfulness-gentleness-self-control kind of fruit”

These are not multiple fruits. This is not a list we get to choose from. This is the only way he can describe what the character of the fruit of the Spirit is. He uses a whole list of word to convey a single meaning.

“love-joy-peace-patience-kindness-goodness-faithfulness-gentleness-self-control kind of fruit”

Biblical love is meeting the physical and spiritual well-being of those God has placed in your path. Family. Friends. Co-workers. Church members. People you don’t even know. Loving your neighbor is having a concern for others as one naturally does for themselves.

We’ll end with a passage from Philippians.

Philippians 2:3–4 NLT

3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

Let’s pray.