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BOOK OF JAMES ‐ 2

2: 1‐26 Practical Faith

The Challenge of Chapter Two

We must strive to live the Christian life without partiality. If we preferred the rich over the
poor, we are operating out of impure motives and are no better than the world. The
expression of our faith should be evident to both believers and the world through good
works motivated by God’s love dwelling in our hearts. The object of the Christian life is to
become more like Jesus.

1. Faith’s Reaction to Prejudice (1‐13)

James was seeing partiality and preferential treatment being demonstrated in his
congregation at Jerusalem. The rich were being preferred over the poor and James strongly
warns the congregation against this because they were acting no differently than the world.
The rich and poor are the same in God’s eyes. James also warns that God would quickly
judge divisions in the church resulting from a respect of persons.

A. Rebuke Against Prejudice

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

My brethren, have (echo: hold) not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with
(combined with) respect of persons (prosopolempsais: partiality toward people).

“My brethren” marks the beginning of a new section dealing with partiality of persons
(prejudice). Verse 1 deals with the existence of prejudice in the congregation. Verses 2 and
3 give an example of prejudice. Verse 4 gives a condemnation for these actions.

Our faith is free; it is a gift of God (Acts 3:16, Ephesians 2:8‐9). Faith is given to us from the
Lord without respect of persons. Faith is a gift to male and female, black and white, rich
and poor, Jew and Gentile.

The Lord is also called the “Lord of glory.” This is a reference to the cloud of glory from the
Old Testament that accompanied the children of Israel through the wilderness. It was their
protection by day and warmeth by night. It led them through the wilderness, and it too was
given without partiality. All were protected, warmed, and led by it, male and female, rich
and poor, Jew and Gentile.

God was consistently against partiality in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 10:17, 2
Chronicles 19:7, Job 31:13‐15, 34:19).

In the New Testament, God’s attitude does not change (Acts 10:34, 15:9, Romans 2:11‐12,
10:12, Ephesians 6:8‐9, Colossians 3:24, 1 Peter 1:17). He continually comes to the defense
of the poor, the widows and the orphans. This too, becomes one of James’s contentions
over his congregation (1:27), and he later calls it sin (2:9). Believers are warned not to have
respect of persons (Proverbs 24:23, 28:21; 1 Timothy 5:21). The faith that God has given us