Day 113, James 2
Prejudice or Faith in action?
Today Jacob contrasts those who play favorites (accepting one group while rejecting another) with those who live out their faith in loving actions. This contrast was most striking to his readers, who were experiencing persecution at the hands of religious Jews who hated the life of Jesus expressed in signs, wonders and miracles.
Some of his readers must have been drawn by the apparent authority of some of the Jewish leaders, even though those leaders sought to eliminate the Christians. One effect of such favoritism and prejudice was to favor the rich at the expense of the poor. This is never an option for a follower of Jesus. We are given the golden rule: love your neighbor as yourself. It may be that you don’t sin blatantly (as the synagogue leaders did in murdering believers), but favoritism is just as sinful!
By contrast, you can tell if a person has true faith because it shows in their actions. It is phony to separate faith (as an internal process) from action (expressed to others). This shows the fallacy of the current emphasis in our culture that supposedly lets people believe what they want, as long as they act in accordance with societal standards (even when those are patently ungodly). This is an impossible position for a true believer. Our faith must show in our lifestyle and actions, not just in strident words. Abraham lived out his faith, Rahab lived out her faith, we too must live in ways that put belief and faith into action. Show me what you believe!
Have a great day!
Mark