Good morning and welcome in everyone. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
Many years ago, I can remember someone telling me about an officer who had pulled over a young man for speeding on the highway. The young man apologized profusely and asked if the officer would please let it go, but he continued to write up the speeding ticket anyway, handing it to the driver and telling him to slow down and have a good day. Ten miles down the road, the same officer pulled over another vehicle, this one being driven by a young woman. She too apologized profusely, asking if the officer would just let it go. He smiled and ripped up the ticket in front of her, reminding her to make sure to watch the posted speed limit.
This reminds me of the Christian life.
It’s a wonderful thing to show mercy and forgiveness to others, but this is and example of partiality. The officer in the story could have extended mercy to both people equally, but he didn’t. If you are going to extend forgiveness and mercy to one person, then it needs to be extended to all. This same kind of issue was going on in the early Christian church. They were clearly treating the rich better than the poor. They were playing favorites.
James 2:1-4 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 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?
This passage has to do with giving preferential treatment to those who were wealthy. Instead of treating everybody equally, they were catering to the rich, and hating the poor. The beloved Apostle speaks about respect of persons. Respect is defined as possessing an attitude of high regard and admiration for someone else. You treat them with honor, and have a good opinion of them. You regard them as worthy of special consideration. It’s like giving a wealthy man a padded front row box seat in the church, while the poor have to stand in the back without a chair at all. We must remember, when you strip everybody’s money away, when you take all of their possessions and belongings from them, when you remove all of their fancy clothes, we are all the same In the eyes of God. God judges the heart, not what’s on the exterior.
James 2:5-13 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.
It is the poor who are rich in faith, because they love the Lord Jesus Christ more than amassing temporal gain and Earthly possessions. Remember that Moses turned away from all the wealth and treasures of Egypt, choosing to become poor, so that he could become rich in Spiritual things. This is because he loved God more than the world. He wanted to attain spiritual things, rather than attaining worldly possessions. This is why the love of money is the root of all evil. Instead of seeking after God, this misguided love only focuses on increasing one’s personal wealth.
Matthew 13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
This world treats the wealthy with great respect, but looks down upon their poor neighbor with contempt. This might happen in the world, but it is not supposed to happen within the church. Love your neighbor is a command that is supposed to be applied to all the members of the church, not just the rich.
………..Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
Giving preferential treatment to somebody, just because they are wealthy is wrong. In recent days I have noticed that there are people who hate the rich too, which also is wrong. A wealthy person can be hated because they are surrounded by covetous people. Whether one is rich, or whether one is poor, we are commanded to love one another, and it is by this rule that we must all give an account to God someday. In the church, you will be responsible to account for the distribution of temporal riches that God has given you. Others will be responsible to account for the distribution of Spiritual riches and knowledge that God has given them. Either way, freely you have received, freely give.
2 Corinthians 8:13-15 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.
God made both the rich and the poor. The worldly wealthy are to help the poor, and those who are wealthy in spiritual treasures, are to help the poor in Spirit. This is equality. Playing favorites in the church just because of someones pocketbook is downright wrong. All of us are the same, sinners who are being saved through faith in Christ. Sometimes I envision the church as a gathering where each one of us wear the exact same t-shirt, like soldiers in the military who are all dressed the same. No one’s better than the other, and no one worse.
Proverbs 14:20 The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.
Luke 6:24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
Some people who are rich, desire the poor to get a job in order to increase their wealth just as they do, but the truth is, certain people have chosen a life of poverty to increase their wealth spiritually. The Apostles left their occupations to do this very thing. Whatever you seek after in this world, is what you will be filled up with, either Earthly wealth, or the riches that come through seeking Christ.
In the church, we want to love one another equally, and certainly don’t want to be…..
…..Playing Favorites
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching tlkjbc, or by going to hipcast, buzzsprout or amazon, or by going to our blog at tlkjbc.com, or I suppose, you can find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️
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