James 2:1-10, (11-13), 14-17 (NRSV)
Read James 2:1-10, (11-13), 14-17 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 2My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? Verse 2For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, Verse 3and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, "Have a seat here, please," while to the one who is poor you say, "Stand there," or, "Sit at my feet," Verse 4have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Verse 5Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? Verse 6But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? Verse 7Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?
Verse 8You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Verse 9But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. Verse 10For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. Verse 11For the one who said, "You shall not commit adultery," also said, "You shall not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. Verse 12So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. Verse 13For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
Verse 14What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? Verse 15If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, Verse 16and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? Verse 17So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
Devotion
Martin Luther had a problem with James, describing it as “an epistle of straw.” But contrary to what one might think his comments had nothing to do with its assertion “So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” its conclusion in today’s reading: “You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.” Boom! Rather it was because he didn’t see in it enough of the gospel’s central witness to the death and resurrection of Christ.
The late Keith Green, an early contributor to contemporary Christian music, in his haunting song, “Asleep in the Light,” pens these words:
The world is sleeping in the dark that the church just can’t fight
‘Cause it’s asleep in the light
How can you be so dead when you’ve been so well fed?
Jesus rose from the grave
And you, you can’t even get out of bed.
Faith and works are not adversaries. They are inseparable. And in them we find a promise and a purpose for our lives.
Prayer
Holy Spirit, your grace alone brings me to a living faith and compels me to be your hands and your lips for those who need to see a sermon. Guide me, move me, and fill me with grace to share. “Love God and serve others.” May that be my mantra today. Amen.
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