Subscription Lists

Common sense is not always a good guide, but most of the time it is. However when one has to go against common sense, against the reality of the present, and against God, his chances of being successful are less than slim to none! Yet, that was what the believers to whom James was writing were doing. Their actions in favoring the rich while denigrating the poor made no sense at all!

To preface our study, try to recall a time when one of your parents, or someone else in authority prefaced their mini-sermon with the words, “Listen to me!” Usually when a speech begins with listen, the results of not listening will be grave. James began that way; he observed fellow-believers being partial to the rich and slighting the poor; here is what he had to say: “Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?” (James 2.5-7).

Note carefully that James said that by merely offering a lesser place to the poor in their assemblies, that believers “... dishonored the poor man.” That action, the action of dishonoring the poor, was not to be taken lightly. Read with me every other passage in the New Testament that uses this language, the language of dishonoring another; note the gravity attached to each of the usages of this word (I have made the word or phrase bold so you can spot it easily). Here are the passages one right after the other that use this word: “Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed.” (Luke 20.11). “Jesus answered, 'I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.'” (John 8.49). “So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.” (Acts 5.41). “Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves.” (Romans 1.24). You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? (Romans 2:23).

I lightly refer to these passages as man's Hall of Shame. In this Hall of Shame are found the following classes of people: Those who scheme and beat others in order to satisfy their lust for power and greed, those who accuse Jesus of wrong and deny His righteous character, those who accuse God's messengers of lies and threaten them in order to try to shut them up, those who give their bodies over to vile sexual abuses and distortions, and those who bring disgrace upon the cause of God through their hypocritical actions and lifestyle. James would also induct into the ranks of this infamous group those believers who simply offer in the assembly an inferior seat to a man because of his social status! Study this group of thugs and robbers and sexual deviants; would you want to be identified with them? Yet, by merely slighting another, we unwittingly joining this disgusting company in their eternal Hall of Shame!

I hope that by now you are beginning to get the drift of these articles and of James' entire argument, the argument that led him to say, “ For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2.10), and “Judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2.13). In these articles I plan to press this point such that no reader of accountable status can miss God's point in these scriptures. James says, “Listen!” God says, “Listen!” We would do well to stop what we are doing, look at our lives, and listen to God by making amends where needed!

Questions:

1. How many total passages use the language of James, the language regarding dishonoring another?

2. How significant is it that each of these passages (except James 2) refers to deeds that are revolting and disgusting to our sense of right and moral conscience? What about offering a lesser seat to a poor man; are we equally disgusted by that action?

3. How does one get inducted into the Hall of Shame? How does one remove himself for that place?

4. How important is it to listen to God and stop listening to our own misguided consciences? THINK!

"The Way" from Kevin Pauley

A World of One