Tear Down the Walls; James

May the mumbling commence!

Alas!  We live in a much stratified world.  There are artificial walls built up in between all different kinds of people – walls that demark nationality, race, religion, socioeconomic status.

Our God is not in the business of erecting walls.  The Lord is in the business of tearing them down.  The persistent call of God is come together and worship me.

Surely, these artificial walls are not in the Body of Christ.  Alas!  The church seems in many ways to be no different.  It is not right!  Read from James chapter two (NJB):

My brothers, do not let class distinction enter into your faith in Jesus Christ, our glorified Lord.  Now suppose a man comes into your synagogue, well-dressed and with a gold ring on, and at the same time a poor man comes in, in shabby clothes, and you take notice of the well-dressed man, and say, 'Come this way to the best seats'; then you tell the poor man, 'Stand over there' or 'You can sit on the floor by my foot-rest.' 

In making this distinction among yourselves have you not used a corrupt standard?  Listen, my dear brothers: it was those who were poor according to the world that God chose, to be rich in faith and to be the heirs to the kingdom which he promised to those who love him. 

You, on the other hand, have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who lord it over you?  Are not they the ones who drag you into court, who insult the honorable name which has been pronounced over you? 

Well, the right thing to do is to keep the supreme Law of scripture: you will love your neighbor as yourself; but as soon as you make class distinctions, you are committing sin and under condemnation for breaking the Law.  You see, anyone who keeps the whole of the Law but trips up on a single point, is still guilty of breaking it all. 

He who said, 'You must not commit adultery' said also, 'You must not kill.' Now if you commit murder, you need not commit adultery as well to become a breaker of the Law.  Talk and behave like people who are going to be judged by the law of freedom.  Whoever acts without mercy will be judged without mercy but mercy can afford to laugh at judgment. (Verses 1-13)  

Love of neighbor does not allow for any artificial walls to be erected.  We cannot exclude or treat as second-class citizens anyone based on their income.  Such exclusion breaks the essence of the Law of God.  It is wrong.  It is sin.

It is sad but true.  Lord, have mercy on us!  O Holy Spirit, help us to live like people under the law of freedom.  Help us to extend mercy so that we might receive it as well.

Mercy laughs at judgment.  Now, that’s Good News.  It is a message we all need desperately to hear.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out