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James 2:1-7
James 2:1-7
Suppose you move to a new community and you’ve got to find a church to attend and there are several possible churches that you can attend. How can you find out what a local church really believes and really holds to as far as doctrine is concerned? Well you say, “I’ll go see the Pastor and get a copy of the doctrinal statement.” Well you can’t be too sure their always practicing that. “Well I’ll go to the church and listen to the preacher and take notes.” Well sometimes the preacher preaches things the church doesn’t believe. This may astound you, but according to James 2:1-7, if you want to know what a church really believes watch the ushers. That’s right, he says, watch the ushers.
He says if a man comes into your assembly who’s wearing a gold ring, rich apparel and then a poor man comes in right behind him, watch what the usher does. If the usher takes that rich man and says, “Here sit in a good place!” and says to the poor man, “Look down here on the floor; just sit under my foot stool.” Then says James you know what that church really believes. “My brethren, [says James 2:1] have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.” Verse 4, “Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges with evil thoughts, evil motives” (paraphrase).
He’s saying to us watch the ushers and find out how they treat people. You see this usher denied God’s glory. Verse 1, “Have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.” You and I as Christians have God’s glory living within. The poor man who’s saved has God’s glory living within. The rich man who’s unsaved may be glorious on the outside but he doesn’t have the glory on the inside. You can deny God’s glory by mistreating people. You can deny God’s grace! Verse 5, “Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith.” God in His grace saves the poor, but the rich have a way of resisting the grace of God.
More than that, when we’re partial we blaspheme the name of Jesus Christ, verse 7. That’s right the way we treat others lets other people know what we really believe about the grace of God.
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By Back to the BibleJames 2:1-7
Suppose you move to a new community and you’ve got to find a church to attend and there are several possible churches that you can attend. How can you find out what a local church really believes and really holds to as far as doctrine is concerned? Well you say, “I’ll go see the Pastor and get a copy of the doctrinal statement.” Well you can’t be too sure their always practicing that. “Well I’ll go to the church and listen to the preacher and take notes.” Well sometimes the preacher preaches things the church doesn’t believe. This may astound you, but according to James 2:1-7, if you want to know what a church really believes watch the ushers. That’s right, he says, watch the ushers.
He says if a man comes into your assembly who’s wearing a gold ring, rich apparel and then a poor man comes in right behind him, watch what the usher does. If the usher takes that rich man and says, “Here sit in a good place!” and says to the poor man, “Look down here on the floor; just sit under my foot stool.” Then says James you know what that church really believes. “My brethren, [says James 2:1] have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.” Verse 4, “Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges with evil thoughts, evil motives” (paraphrase).
He’s saying to us watch the ushers and find out how they treat people. You see this usher denied God’s glory. Verse 1, “Have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.” You and I as Christians have God’s glory living within. The poor man who’s saved has God’s glory living within. The rich man who’s unsaved may be glorious on the outside but he doesn’t have the glory on the inside. You can deny God’s glory by mistreating people. You can deny God’s grace! Verse 5, “Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith.” God in His grace saves the poor, but the rich have a way of resisting the grace of God.
More than that, when we’re partial we blaspheme the name of Jesus Christ, verse 7. That’s right the way we treat others lets other people know what we really believe about the grace of God.