The Devotional – Search the Scriptures – 271


The Devotional – Search the Scriptures – 271

Personal Thoughts and Retake

I see the need to retrace my steps in the Epistle of James. Over the years I have tried a half-dozen or so times to meditate and write regarding this epistle. If the epistle of James were a target, I have missed it in all of my attempts! So, with the help of excerpts from the Holy Spirit and the writings of Dr. Thomas Constable, I will try again. This retake of the epistle is mainly focused on the devotional 270 which is the start of James chapter 2, but certainly affects the other devotionals pertaining to this epistle. Dr. Constable indicates that the epistle is almost certainly intended for public reading in the churches. Thus James's letter is basically a speech or sermon, cast in written form, for the Jewish dispersion and the several churches which emerged from that scattering.

Christ/Messiah is Our Only Hope
An excerpt from Dr. Constable’s journal – "The design of the Epistle is on the one hand to encourage those to whom it is addressed to bear their trials patiently, and on the other hand to warn them against certain errors of doctrine and practice." 
"The purpose of this potent letter is to exhort the early believers to Christian maturity and holiness of life. This letter deals more with the practice of the Christian faith than with its precepts. James told his readers how to achieve spiritual maturity through a confident stand, compassionate service, careful speech, contrite submission, and concerned sharing. He dealt with every area of a Christian's life: what he is, what he does, what he says, what he feels, and what he has." 
"The chief aim of the Epistle is to strengthen the faith and loyalty of the Jewish Christians in the face of persecution from rich and overbearing Jews who were defrauding and oppressing them." 
Now, with this, we can begin chapter 2 of James. I see the entire epistle as an expression of personal faith in God as He guides and directs our daily walk with Him resulting in works that Glorify God. God has provided everything we need; Justification through the Person of Jesus Christ, in His death and resurrection. Sanctification through the Holy Spirit who guides us into all Truth, and Glorification through the Plan of God, who first raised up our Savior from the dead, He is the First Fruit of our salvation, living proof that for those who believe in Jesus, we to will be with Him – forever.
Partiality is a sin of public status, it is found in every workplaces and family, It ought not to be found in the church of Jesus Christ. Yet, it is found in our churches! What does this mean? Basically, it means that as children of God, we willingly carry our worldly conduct into our places of worship. This visible effort to segregate the rich from the poor was common in the synagogue and it is common in many churches today. This public display of sin in the church is called Judging.
The exposed status of the poor is humiliation, and the spiritual reward for the poor is one of increased humbleness, God is glorified and the poor are blessed. God has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith, therefore when the poor of this world are humiliated their faith is gifted with additional riches and their kingdom of heaven’s experience is magnified in the love of God.
On the other hand the rich, because of the status afforded to them by leaders (not all leaders) have suppressed the rich man’s faith to the point of being poor in faith and their kingdom of heaven on earth experiences are subjected to ruin.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Devotional – Search the Scriptures – 203

The Devotional – Search the Scriptures – 203 Luke 21:7   –   So they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?” Matthew 24:3 – Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” Mark 13:4 – “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?” Jesus, the Christ of God/Messiah Yesterday we looked briefly at the First coming of the LORD Jesus, born of the virgin Mary, suffered and crucified, killed by the power of sin of which we all had and have a part in. He rose from this death; He is alive again . The apostle Paul writes, “For I deliver to you first of all that which I also received that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose
Read more

The Devotional – Search the Scriptures – 169

The Devotional – Search the Scriptures – 169 Luke 14:7-14 - So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; “and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. “But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. “But when you give a fea
Read more

The Devotional – Search the Scriptures – 161.1

The Devotional – Search the Scriptures – 161.1 SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:   Luke 12:1-5 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. “Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” Jesus, the Christ of God/Messiah An excerpt from yesterday’s devotional: In our passage, the point of the LORD is not that of being a newscaster but placing the death of these people beyond human judgment, in fact; Jesus does not look at the death of human beings as we do. All humans, past present and future will die a ph
Read more