What the Bible makes absolutely clear is that wealth does not in and of itself deserve honor. But where it does and when it does the presence of God will eventually depart. Unfortunately, just as in centuries past, money still does the talking far too loudly in some Christian circles. Those whose finances were not sufficient were consigned to finding a spot in the open seating, floor or just simply to stand.Īnd over the centuries, this favoritism has even spilled into the appointment of leadership in churches. An individual may be assigned a position of leadership not on account of the size of their heart or commitment to God, but rather on account of the size of their wallet. These pews even came with their own door and with their own key so as to prevent anyone from sitting in the paying member's pew!Īfter all, the rich who had secured earthly wealth were entitled, so it was thought, to that kind of preferential treatment. There have been actual parishes of the past that allowed their members to pay an annual rent so as to secure a well-placed seat in the church.
Surely we won’t run into anything like that here in our Christian gatherings today. But we don’t have to go too far back to find Christian congregations that imposed fees for preferential seating. We may think we are a long way from the time in which James wrote these words. “You are convicted by the law as transgressors” (James 2:9). James next says something very important: if you give partiality to the rich visitor and disregard the poor man, then you have sinned. He is in shabby clothes and for him, there is no special treatment or seat offered. The other stranger, of course, is a poor man. He is someone who perhaps will be able to make a financial contribution to the assembly. The strangers come in and the good seat is given to the one of perceived substance. He is dirty and his clothes are in disrepair. Simultaneously, another man shows up and he is obviously at the other end of the spectrum. He is clad in fine raiment and adorned in gold. Imagine, he says, that someone comes into your assembly and he has the outward appearances of wealth. Two strangers enter into the gathering of God’s people: one rich, one poor. In short, he warns of the danger of favoritism based on their financial standing.Ī helpful illustration is then provided for the believers to whom he writes. James holds an individual’s assertion of faith up to their treatment of the poor. In verses 1-9 of his letter we are warned about the danger of treating people in different ways according to their outward appearance. James, brother of Jesus, writes, “My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality” (James 2:1, emphasis added). We may display mercy and kindness, but is it within an exclusive framework? God works to wean us away from bias and prejudice, toward His standard of the treatment of others. Therefore, when a church gets it wrong and affords peculiar benefits, blessings, affections and opportunities to someone on the basis of the designer of their shoes, or on the particular emblem on their car, then that church needs a healthy serving of chapter 2 from the book of James. He did not move among the intelligentsia or the rich and famous of His day. During Jesus' life, He moved among the masses. Faith in Jesus Christ owes nothing to finance, education, social standing, or racial profile.
0 kommentar(er)
