James 2:14-25
"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such a faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, 'Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.... [Abraham's] faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,' and he was called God's friend. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did...." (James 2:14-25).
Sunday morning, snazzied up in Sunday clothes or came casual, Chris Tomlin's chords ringing out, hands are free to be raised, some people sit and some stand... A relaxed atmosphere, free to worship as I please. Yet, it is as we please. We, the majority. Can the very structure of our worship services show partiality?
James has just mentioned favoritism. Now faith. It can appear James switches topics, yet there are integral ties. The example that James gives of faith in action resonates with the pure religion of caring for widows (1:27) and his rail against favoritism for the rich (2:1-4). This is what a life that follows the royal law (2:8) and the law of liberty (2:12) looks like. Giving to the poor is mercy, the antidote to partiality. Thus, there are connections between faith-in-action and favoritism. James is calling us to not only end showing favoritism, but to the positive of showing mercy and being proactive.
Finally, a connection is made with his two role models: Abraham and Rahab. Culturally, socially, religiously, you-name-it-ly apart; James is giving a picture of radical inclusion in this new people we are a part of. Our righteousness is not based on ethnicity or education or anything we do. We are all recipients of mercy.
So, what does it look like to live that out as a church? Does the very way we do church proclaim the radical new nature of the kingdom? Do our services show there is no Gentile or Jew, slave nor free, male nor female (Gal. 3:28)? Do our ways of relating to each other on Sunday mornings herald that Christ is our peace and that he has broken down all barriers, making one new man out of two (Eph. 2:14-22)? Does our music proclaim the mystery of Christ, that he has reconciled man-to-God and man-to-man, to the very rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms (Eph. 3:10)?
Our lack of partiality, our generous mercy to one another, our unity and love that crosses barriers and boundaries is a powerful witness. Jesus pointed to our love as proclaiming him to the world (John 13:35; cf. John 17). Paul points to Christ's death as destroying the barriers between human divisions, whatever they may be, as a proclamation to the very heavenly authorities! Imagine that--the unified church manifests the wisdom of God! (Eph. 3:10) For Paul, this unity across Jew-Gentile, poor-rich, etc. was an eschatological sign fulfilling the prophecies. His collection from the Gentiles to the Jews was more than just a nice giving pat on the back, but a sign that the kingdom of God had come in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecies that the nations would send gifts to Jerusalem and that all nations would worship God. In short, our inclusion of Hispanics, African-Americans, Indians, eastern Europeans, Arabs, etc. in our church services proclaims God to this world and the heavens, is a fulfillment of prophecy, and points to the final consummation in heaven.
Are we willing to put faith into practice and die to our own preferences to show mercy, to end partiality, and include some ranchero praise songs, styles of relating and greeting that will make those from other backgrounds welcome? Are we willing to become all things to all people so that Christ may be known (1 Cor. 9:22-23)? Are we willing to fill up in our flesh what is lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions for the sake of the church (Col. 1:24) in giving up some of our comfort to welcome the poor of the world, however they may be different from us?
Sunday morning, snazzied up in Sunday clothes or came casual, Chris Tomlin's chords ringing out, hands are free to be raised, some people sit and some stand... A relaxed atmosphere, free to worship as I please. Yet, it is as we please. We, the majority. Can the very structure of our worship services show partiality?
James has just mentioned favoritism. Now faith. It can appear James switches topics, yet there are integral ties. The example that James gives of faith in action resonates with the pure religion of caring for widows (1:27) and his rail against favoritism for the rich (2:1-4). This is what a life that follows the royal law (2:8) and the law of liberty (2:12) looks like. Giving to the poor is mercy, the antidote to partiality. Thus, there are connections between faith-in-action and favoritism. James is calling us to not only end showing favoritism, but to the positive of showing mercy and being proactive.
Finally, a connection is made with his two role models: Abraham and Rahab. Culturally, socially, religiously, you-name-it-ly apart; James is giving a picture of radical inclusion in this new people we are a part of. Our righteousness is not based on ethnicity or education or anything we do. We are all recipients of mercy.
So, what does it look like to live that out as a church? Does the very way we do church proclaim the radical new nature of the kingdom? Do our services show there is no Gentile or Jew, slave nor free, male nor female (Gal. 3:28)? Do our ways of relating to each other on Sunday mornings herald that Christ is our peace and that he has broken down all barriers, making one new man out of two (Eph. 2:14-22)? Does our music proclaim the mystery of Christ, that he has reconciled man-to-God and man-to-man, to the very rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms (Eph. 3:10)?
Our lack of partiality, our generous mercy to one another, our unity and love that crosses barriers and boundaries is a powerful witness. Jesus pointed to our love as proclaiming him to the world (John 13:35; cf. John 17). Paul points to Christ's death as destroying the barriers between human divisions, whatever they may be, as a proclamation to the very heavenly authorities! Imagine that--the unified church manifests the wisdom of God! (Eph. 3:10) For Paul, this unity across Jew-Gentile, poor-rich, etc. was an eschatological sign fulfilling the prophecies. His collection from the Gentiles to the Jews was more than just a nice giving pat on the back, but a sign that the kingdom of God had come in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecies that the nations would send gifts to Jerusalem and that all nations would worship God. In short, our inclusion of Hispanics, African-Americans, Indians, eastern Europeans, Arabs, etc. in our church services proclaims God to this world and the heavens, is a fulfillment of prophecy, and points to the final consummation in heaven.
Are we willing to put faith into practice and die to our own preferences to show mercy, to end partiality, and include some ranchero praise songs, styles of relating and greeting that will make those from other backgrounds welcome? Are we willing to become all things to all people so that Christ may be known (1 Cor. 9:22-23)? Are we willing to fill up in our flesh what is lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions for the sake of the church (Col. 1:24) in giving up some of our comfort to welcome the poor of the world, however they may be different from us?
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