Have you not become judges?
23025
James 2:4–7 The Context: James wrote to Jesus followers scattered from Jerusalem throughout the whole Roman Empire. Using Proverbs-like phrases James was challenging and encouraging them to not just claim to believe in Jesus but to behave like Him as well. In these verses James called their favoritism in giving preference to rich people “evil.”
God Asks Us: 4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
JNE: I often find myself “making distinctions” between people. I prejudge people on the basis of their appearance or other external factors. I tend to give preference to people who I ignorantly assume have more to offer me or our church, rather than seeking to love people because God loves them. I have often found that it is the people I least expect who love God the most. I need to consciously ask God to help me look at people the way He does: “their heart, not their outward appearance..”
Read "The Gospel?"
James 2:4–7 The Context: James wrote to Jesus followers scattered from Jerusalem throughout the whole Roman Empire. Using Proverbs-like phrases James was challenging and encouraging them to not just claim to believe in Jesus but to behave like Him as well. In these verses James called their favoritism in giving preference to rich people “evil.”
God Asks Us: 4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
JNE: I often find myself “making distinctions” between people. I prejudge people on the basis of their appearance or other external factors. I tend to give preference to people who I ignorantly assume have more to offer me or our church, rather than seeking to love people because God loves them. I have often found that it is the people I least expect who love God the most. I need to consciously ask God to help me look at people the way He does: “their heart, not their outward appearance..”
Read "The Gospel?"