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Equality In Faith
1/25/2017

Daily Devotions: by Christina Farris

James 2:1-26 KJV
(1) My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
(2) 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;
(3) 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:
(4) Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
(5) 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?
(6) But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
(7) Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
(8) If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
(9) But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
(10) For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
(11) For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
(12) So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
(13) For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
(14) What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
(15) If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
(16) And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
(17) Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
(18) Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
(19) Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
(20) But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
(21) Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
(22) Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
(23) And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
(24) Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
(25) Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
(26) For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

The equality of God in how he treats people individually is a great mystery to many of us. Lamech killed in Genesis 4, and thought because of Cain punishment was times seven he would be punished seven times seventy for the killing of innocent man. Moses killed and Egyptian and yet God did not punish him, but protected him. Most would agree the equality here is not understood. Yet if I die and I have received Christ as Savior I enter into the kingdom of heaven knowing I am protected by God’s salvation plan. And anyone else that enters without the salvation plan of God, is not going to reap the benefits of knowing Christ, because of their rejection. Does it seem unequal? Some understand not about the ways of God should they be held to the same accountability has another. Yet God has clear of the rejection of Him makes it easy for God to reject that person, it does not mean God will not give a person a second chance to repent. Meaning that God is showing his creation to man so man might believe.

The rich man in the above passage is thought of very highly. The poor man not always thought to be equal to rich. The rich often shunning the poor, or the poor shunning the rich, because of their station in life. There station meaning their income, not necessarily their worthiness in life to be equal to another. It is the classification of the ability to rub elbows with someone doing similar activity and interest that often keep people separated as far as friendship. It is the serving of wine the cheap to the poor and the good stuff to the rich. The satin and silk sheets verses cotton sheets. Yet God says not to treat people differently because of their ability to pay or not to pay. Not to give the chief seat to someone unless he has earned it.

Right now we have hired a president that is saying no to the protection of Dakota Indian land based on the wealth he sees that can be profit by and is not caring if it is Indian land. I wonder if Washington, or Vegas needed a pipeline to go through President Trump’s home, if he be happy about it. Of course he would. The reason he find a way to make a profit. Indians see the profit and see the value of the land. The land of wealth, because of heritage, protection of the environment and their burial grounds. Two different ideas of wealth that do not mesh together. Yet things could be routed so those desiring money could have it. Equality of what is fixing to happen is not going to be according to government. Government about making money and seeing all prosper and is not about land unless one has a person in office that believes in the protection of land for future generation has far as global protection.

Life is not fair. The world around us does not treat people fairly or equal. Yet we called to treat people equality do to faith. Faith meaning we all are on the same playing field of what makes us righteous before God. Moses man of faith before he went into the desert? There is no clue to whether this be so, beyond the fact his real family got to care for him even though he became a prince of the princess of Egypt. Lamech an offspring of Cain already felt rejection of God so the curse was amplified. Yet the value of faith causes the transgression of sin to be annihilate by God with the cross of Jesus. All must come to the cross of Christ and lay ones sins down to be forgiven. The call of God to repent is heard by all people. Without faith that binds all class of people together into one family, the division between believer and unbeliever is felt. Faith having a product of works, but the poor widow of Jesus day that only had a couple of pennies to put in the offering because it was all she had was equal to the biggest bag of money the rich man dumped in the offering box.

It was not the amount but the faith that was behind the money that matter. Devil believes and trembles, but he will not repent. His good works being dead because of evil he does. Our good works because of faith is part of our faith. Yet our mistakes are only a reminder of our humanity to keep us humble before a mighty God that we serve. Without change of our mistakes as far as not repeating them, it only a process of learning obedience.

Dear Heavenly Father help us to value faith over what we can see with our eyes. Let us hear with our hearts the need of those around us to hear the Gospel despite their wealth. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study for Devotion:James 5:1-8 KJV
(1) Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
(2) Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
(3) Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
(4) Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
(5) Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
(6) Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
(7) Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
(8) Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.