Living Out Our Faith Openly - v.5-6
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
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? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
GRAMMATICAL STUDY
GRAMMATICAL STUDY
Verbs
Hearken - to listen; to hear with intention.
Hath…chosen - to choose; to select for one’s own reasons or purposes from a number of alternatives.
Hath…promised - to promise; to make a verbal commitment by one person to another agreeing to do (or not to do) something in the future.
To them that love him - to love (Christian); to have strong, non-sexual affection and love for a person and their good as understood by God’s moral character; especially characterized by a willing forfeiture of rights or privileges in another person’s behalf.
Have despised - to dishonor; to bring shame or dishonor upon or fail to respect.
Oppress - to oppress; to come down on or keep down by unjust use of one’s authority.
Draw - to seize away or haul; to lead someone away by force against their will; conceived of as drawing a heavy object out of something with great effort.
Nouns
Brethren - sibling believers; believers understood as one’s own siblings in God’s family.
World - world (creation); the created realm considered as a distinct spatial-temporal entity in distinction to the heavenly realm.
Faith - trust in the gospel; trust in Jesus as contained in the content of the Gospel.
Heirs - heir; a person who is entitled by law or by the terms of a will to inherit the estate of another.
The judgment seats - court (legal); an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business.
Adverbs (none)
Adjectives
Beloved - beloved (lover); a person dearly loved and cherished; sometimes preferred above all others and treated with partiality.
Poor - poor person; a person with few or no possessions (but not yet reduced to begging).
Rich - rich; characterized by some particular trait or aspect; conceived of as being wealthy in material possessions.
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
What is the Holy Spirit talking about?
What is the Holy Spirit talking about?
We must remember that the Holy Spirit is continuing with the thought of verse 1 which says...
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
Thus, the Holy Spirit is still talking about this important subject of partiality or impartiality. Again, we would use the terms prejudice, bias, or discrimination today.
What is the Holy Spirit saying about partiality or impartiality?
What is the Holy Spirit saying about partiality or impartiality?
To answer that question we need to break this verse down. Note...
First, we are instructed to listen intently. The word used is “hearken.” That word means to that there is something very important to follow. Something so important we must set up and pay close intention to what is about be said.
Second, we know that He, the Holy Spirit, is talking to believers. Just like our text this morning the Holy Spirit uses the term “brethren.” Brethren as we have noted many times means sibling believers. However, unlike this morning, the Holy Spirit uses an adjective to describe the word “brethren.” The adjective is “beloved.” Beloved refers to a person who is dearly loved and cherished. What is interesting about this word is the Holy Spirit using it in this particular context. You see the word “beloved” is often used of someone who is dearly loved and cherished above all others and treated with partiality. So, in the teaching us to treat others impartially, the Holy Spirit gently reminds us that we, as the children of God, are ones that He loves and treats with partiality above all who have not accepted His Son. There is little bit of irony there.
Third, the Holy Spirit ask the first of two questions in these two verses.
Now, remember, a question is often asked in order to make us think and consider something important. And, as we learned not too long ago, we can take questions and turn them into statements. By doing so, it helps us to understand the important something we are to learn.
So, the first question has two parts.
“Hath not God chosen the poor of this world...” or “God has chosen the poor of this world...”
The word “chosen” means to choose or select for one’s own reason or purposes from a number of alternatives. The word “poor” as we already know from last week and tonight’s study means a poor person who has few or no possession, however, they have not yet been reduced to begging. They are hitting on rock bottom. They are literally living paycheck to paycheck, but as of yet, are not living on the street. So, God chooses to use the poor of this world for His own reasons and purposes. This goes right along with other verses in the New Testament.
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
This verse teaches that God made this decision long before He laid the worlds foundation. He also determined that His people were to be holy and blameless.
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
We just covered these verse in Sunday morning. Again, the focus being that God has chosen the weak to confound the mighty. We talked about the base, the despised and the things which are not. Essentially, the down, the out, and the nobodies as the ones He chooses to use for His service. He very seldom uses the mighty, the noble, and the wise.
Going back to our text, we see that “God has chosen the poor of this world RICH IN FAITH...” (v.5)
The word “rich” stands in contrast to the word “poor.” The “rich” are often conceived as being wealthy in material possessions. Yet, here God is saying that the poor chosen by Him are rich. They are wealthy. However, their wealth is not contained in material possessions. Their wealth is “faith.” Faith meaning their trust in the gospel. Their faith in Christ as Savior translates them into being quite wealthy.
There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: There is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
Think about our riches. Even though we may not have much according to the world’s standards, we have eternal life in Christ. That is something I would not trade for any riches here on earth. We have the Holy Spirit living within. We have the love of Christ shed abroad in our hearts. We are adopted sons and daughters of the God of the Universe. We are joint heirs with Jesus Christ. We will see the Millennial Reign of Christ. We will enjoy watching God create a new heaven and a new earth. We visit and worship Him in the New Jerusalem. All of these are far greater riches than anything this world has to offer.
In fact, the thought of being joint-heirs with Christ is mentioned in our text.
Look again at verse 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?
Note the phrase “heirs of the kingdom...”
An “heir” is a person who is entitled by law or by the terms of a will to inherit the estate of another. The word “kingdom” refers to the kingdom of God or the domain ruled by God as sovereign king. By virtue of God’s will, we stand to inherit His kingdom.
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Now, as you look back to our text note again verse 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?
The Holy Spirit now reminds us that it is a PROMISE - “which he hath promised...”
The word “promised” means to promise or to make a verbal commitment by one person to another agreeing to do (or not to do) something in the future. You will also note that His promise is to “them that love him.” Thus, those who have abandoned their life of sin and exchanged it for a life of love for the Lord Jesus Christ are the ones to whom the promise is given. In fact, this takes us back to James 1 where we read...
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
I love them that love me; And those that seek me early shall find me.
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Let’s go back to our text. Already, we see the Holy Spirit driving home a point. The point is that POOR BELIEVERS are chosen of God and are heirs of the kingdom of God. Now, the Holy Spirit drops the shoe.
But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
BUT…O boy, o my, you have despised the poor. Now remember this follows verses 2-4 which was the illustration of...
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?
They were guilty of showing partiality to the wealthy, but they DESPISED the poor. Who were the poor in God’s eyes? They were ones chosen by Him and heirs of His kingdom.
The word “despised” means to dishonor or to bring shame upon or fail to respect. They were NOT respecting or honoring the poor believers. They were treating them with great disrespect. These poor brothers and sisters in Christ were beloved just as much as other believers. Yet, they were being treated horribly. Something that was not to happen within the family of God.
Folks, we are to treat everyone the same. We are to open our arms to lovely and the unlovely. We are to welcome the poor and the rich. We are to help those who cannot helps themselves as well as those who can.
Listen to the stern rebuke of God upon the church of Corinth who had done the same.
What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.
We know from our Sunday morning study of 1 Corinthians that it was church full of carnal believers. Carnality looks down upon the poor and seeks lift up the wealthy. Carnality looks favorably upon those who benefit us. The wealthy with their money and their material possession always appeals to the flesh. However, the poor person who has very little or no possession is rejected. Let’s not let carnality infiltrate our church and our lives. Instead, may we heed the warning of the Holy Spirit and have the mind of Christ.
Finally, note the James 2:6 again...
But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
What about the rich? How are the often characterized? Well, there is great tendency among the “rich” to oppress others. In fact, we often feel that same oppression even today. The word “oppress” means to come down on or keep down by unjust use of one’s authority. Not only do the oppress, but they will “draw you before the judgement seats.” In other words, if you owe them they will drag you down to the courthouse for prosecution. Basically, we are being reminded that there is nothing to gain from the wealthy except more misery. The rich man likes what he has and always wants more.
Someone once asked John D. Rockefeller, the richest man on earth at the time, how much more money he needed. His reply was “One dollar more.”
Most rich people are only concerned with themselves. They care not who owes them as long as they get paid. And, when they do not receive payment, they use every bit of the law to get what is owe them. Thus, you gain nothing by showing partiality to the rich.
The real tragedy is believers treating other believers with contempt. That is how the poor believer was being treated. They were made to sit in the lowest places. Such things should never be in God’s house and among God’s people.