James Expounds on Faith Volume 23

 Avoid, Abstain, & Abhor the Sin of Partiality Part 6

James 2:11 For He that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. KJV Note:NKJV=New King James Version

The Law of God has complete integrity and wholeness and is morally sound not merely because of what it says, but more importantly because of Who says it, for He (Adonai, Elohim, Jehovah, Jesus Christ) is Pure, Perfect, and Powerful, therefore, it is the Law Giver that makes all of His Law righteous and good, so we now read the Apostle James declaring to us this next verse to solidify his point that though many do not see favortism as an egregious sin, it is so to the Holy Law Giver, "For He that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law." (James 2:11) (KJV). There is complete Oneness with God and His Law. It is the resisiting of the Authority of God that is perpetrated by the man 👨 or woman 👩 of God that sees some parts of His Holy Law and Holy Word negligible while at the same time reverencing or fearing other parts of them. The Law of God nor the Word of God is a buffet line where one can look at and then pick and choose what one wants and walk by what doesn't appeal to one's taste or appetites, for this line of thinking and believing is what the enemy of God offers to the soul of men 🚹 and women 🚺. The Law of God as we have declared in the previous Volume 22 was not given by God to save us, but it was given by God to us to show us how impossible it was and is for any of us to keep it perfectly in all 👉 points, therefore, it was and is humanities (that is, every sinner not yet saved by grace) schoolmaster to lead them to Christ. The Apostle Paul declares this point very directly with these words he wrote to the Galatian believers who had begun to go away from faith and to pursue or revert back the law of Moses, "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.' But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for 'the just shall live by faith.' Yet the law is not of faith, but 'the man who does them shall live by them.' Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree'), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." (Galatians 3:10-14) (NKJV). It is being 'in Christ' having received the promise of the Holy Spirit of God within us that makes us into 'new creatures or creations' ('Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.') (2 Corinthians 5:17) (NKJV) and then only when we yield to Him can we live according to the will of God found in the Law of God and the Word of God. Amen!!

Here is what Matthew Henry said of James 2:11, "One, perhaps, is very severe in the case of adultery, or what tends to such pollutions of the flesh; but less ready to condemn murder, or what tends to ruin the health, break the hearts, and destroy the lives, of others: another has a prodigious dread of murder, but has more easy thoughts of adultery; whereas one who looks at the authority of the Lawgiver more than the matter of the command will see the same reason for condemning the one as the other. Obedience is then acceptable when all is done with an eye to the will of God; and disobedience is to be condemned, in whatever instance it be, as it is a contempt of the Authority of God; and, for that reason, if we offend in one point, we contemn (look down on with disdain) the Authority of Him who gave the whole law, and so far are guilty of all." Here is what Adam Clarke had to say of James 2:11, "That is, the authority that gave one commandment gave also the rest; and he who breaks one resists this Authority; so that the breach of any one commandment may be justly considered a breach of the whole law. It was a maxim also among the Jewish doctors that, if a man kept any one commandment carefully, though he broke all the rest, he might assure himself of the favor of God; for while they taught that 'He who transgresses all the precepts of the law has broken the yoke, dissolved the covenant, and exposed the law to contempt, and so has he done who has broken even one precept,' (Mechilta, fol. 5, Yalcut Simeoni, part 1, fol. 59), they also taught, 'that he who observed any principal command was equal to him who kept the whole law;' (Kiddushin, fol. 39); and they give for example, 'If a man abandon idolatry, it is the same as if he had fulfilled the whole law,' (Ibid., fol. 40.) To correct this false doctrine James lays down that in the 11th verse. Thus they did and undid."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

James Expounds on Faith Volume 22

 Avoid, Abstain, & Abhor the Sin of Partiality Part 5

James 2:9-10 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

To some the idea and the actuality of showing favortism to one person over another is not a big deal, but to God it is a big deal because it is sin in His sight and all sin against Him is a big deal. Therefore, the Apostle James reminded those early Hebrew converts to Christ and likewise he reminds those of us today and those of every era and generation of the requirements of God as it pertains to His Holy Law and that is continuous, constant, and complete keeping of the law in every point, as it is written for us here by the Apostle James, "But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." (James 2:9-10) (KJV). God does not have a sliding scale or is He like human teachers who grade on a curve ⤵, but He is the Holy and Perfect God who requires perfection from the human race, therefore, if someone plans to meet God in eternity, he or she better have not ever commited any sin in their entire life in word, thought, or deed. If someone is reading this and says to themselves that this is impossible, then you would be absolutely correct. So then, what was and is the 'law of God' given to humanity for?, well the answer to this question is found in these words written by the Apostle Paul in his letter ✉ to the brethren and sisteren @Galatia, "What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor." (Galatians 3:19-25) (NKJV). You see someone in the Body of Christ who favors one individual over another is reproved, reprimanded, and rebuked by the law of God as a violator of it. What many in the Church ⛪ of God regard as a trifling fault, that is, something that is not worth considering, is in fact very serious and offensive in the eyes 👀 of Almighty God.

Here is what the Expositors'  Bible Commentary declares of James 2:9-10, "The law is the expression of one and the same principle-love; and of one and the same will-the will of God. Therefore he who deliberately offends against any one of its enactments, however diligently he may keep all the rest, is guilty of offending against the whole. His guiding principle is not love, but selfishness-not God's will, but his own. He keeps nine tenths of the law because he likes to do so, and he breaks one tenth because he likes to do so. The fact of his willful disobedience proves that his obedience is not the fruit of love or loyalty, but of self-seeking. If we ask what his character is, the answer must be, 'He is a lawbreaker.' These respecters of persons claimed to be observers of the law, because they treated their rich neighbors as they would have liked to be treated themselves. St. James shows them that, on the contrary, they are transgressors of the law, because they pick and choose as to what neighbors shall be treated thus kindly. They keep the law when it is convenient to keep it, and break it when it is inconvenient to keep it. Such keeping of the law is in its essence, not obedience, but disobedience. He who follows honesty only because honesty is the best policy is not an honest man, and he who obeys the law only because obedience suits him is not an obedient man. There is no serving God with reservations. However small the reservation may be, it vitiates (corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality) all the rest. In order to 'fulfill the law' (a rare expression, found only here and in Romans 2:27), we must keep it all round, independently of our own likes and dislikes. St. James is not here countenancing the severity of Draco, that small crimes deserve death, and that there is no worse punishment for great crimes; nor yet the paradox of the Stoics, that the theft of a penny is as bad as parricide (someone who kills his or her parent), because in either case the path of virtue is left, and one is drowned as surely in seven feet of water as in seventy fathoms. He is not contending that all sins are equal and that to break one of God's commands is as bad as to break them all. What he maintains is that no one can claim to be a fulfiller of the law in virtue of his extensive obedience so long as there is any portion of the law which he willfully disobeys. Why does he disobey in this? Because it pleases him to do so. Then he would disobey in the rest if it pleased him to do so. The motive of his conduct is not submission, but self-will. He is in character 'a transgressor of the law.' Both defects are common enough still, and are likely to remain so. Paying respect to persons, dignities, and positions is a frequent form of meanness, especially in the manner here condemned, of courting the rich and slighting the poor. It is a Christian duty to respect the rank or the office of those whom God has placed in a position superior to ourselves, and it is also a Christian duty to reverence those who by God's grace are leading lives of virtue and holiness; but it is un-Christian partiality to honor a man merely for his wealth, or to dishonor him merely for his poverty. And, secondly, we are all of us prone to plead, both before the world and our own consciences, the particulars in which we do not offend as a set-off against those in which we do. To detect ourselves thus balancing a transgression here, against many observances there, ought at once to startle us into the conviction that the whole principle of our lives must be faulty. Our aim is, not to love God, or to obey Him, but to get to heaven, or at least to escape hell, on the cheapest terms."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

James Expounds on Faith Volume 21

 Avoid, Abstain, & Abhor the Sin of Partiality Part 4

James 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The Apostle James reminds them and us that our Father in Heaven (although He is Just as well as Holy and will always punish the obstinate sinner and the transgressions of His children) is love 😍 and wants His sons and daughters to love one another just as He 😍 loves us, therefore, we read these words from James, "If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:" (James 2:8) (KJV). Loving one another does not mean spying on one another or vandalism or sabotage against one's property or coveting your neighbors wife or maid servant nor 🐂 oxen nor donkey nor anything that is your neighbors (Exodus 20:17), but instead you shall treat your neighbor with the same respect that you desire to be appropriated to yourself, no matter whether he or she is rich or poor. The Apostle calls this law the 'royal' law meaning that it is the preeminent law of God reigning surpreme over all others. I believe that in regeneration, redemption, and resurrection from spiritual death to life that is imparted to every born again son and daughter of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ loves his brother or sister who are truly 'in Christ' as he is 'in Christ' more than he loves his flesh and blood family 👪. The Apostle John said this of us passing from death to life, "In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous. Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." (1 John 3:10-15) (NKJV). There we have it once again that Scripture authenticates Scripture, because the Word of God is not of man made origin, but instead it is the eternal, epic, and everlasting Word of Almighty God ✍ written by Him through the hand, hearts, and heads of over 40 different men concluding in one uniform message.

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of James 2:8, "Lest any should think James had been pleading for the poor so as to throw contempt on the rich, he now lets them know that he did not design to encourage improper conduct towards any; they must not hate nor be rude to the rich, any more than despise the poor; but as the scripture teaches us to love all our neighbours, be they rich or poor, as ourselves, so, in our having a steady regard to this rule, we shall do well. Observe hence, 1. The rule for Christians to walk by is settled in the Scriptures: If according to the Scriptures, etc. It is not great men, nor worldly wealth, nor corrupt practices among professors themselves, that must guide us, but the Scriptures of Truth. 2. The Scripture gives us this as a law, to love our neighbour as ourselves; it is what still remains in full force, and is rather carried higher and further by Christ than made less important to us. 3. This law is a royal law, it comes from the King of kings. Its own worth and dignity deserve it should be thus honoured; and the state in which all Christians now are, as it is a state of liberty, and not of bondage or oppression, makes this law, by which they are to regulate all their actions to one another, a royal law. 4. A pretence of observing this royal law, when it is interpreted with partiality, will not excuse men in any unjust proceedings. It is implied here that some were ready to flatter rich men, and be partial to them, because, if they were in the like circumstances, they should expect such regards to themselves; or they might plead that to show a distinguished respect to those whom God in His providence had distinguished by their rank and degree in the world was but doing right; therefore the Apostle allows that, so far as they were concerned to observe the duties of the second table, they did well in giving honour to whom honour was due; but this fair pretence would not cover their sin in that undue respect of persons which they stood chargeable with." Here also is what Adam Clarke had to say of James 2:8, "This epithet, of all the New Testament writers, is peculiar to James; but it is frequent among the Greek writers in the sense in which it appears St. James uses it. Βασιλικος, royal, is used to signify any thing that is of general concern, is suitable to all, and necessary for all, as brotherly love is. This commandment; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, is a royal law, not only because it is ordained of God, and proceeds from His kingly authority over men, but because it is so useful, suitable, and necessary to the present state of man; and as it was given us particularly by Christ Himself, John 13:34; John 15:12, who is our King, as well as Prophet and Priest, it should ever put us in mind of His authority over us, and our subjection to Him. As the regal state is the most excellent for secular dignity and civil utility that exists among men, hence we give the epithet royal to whatever is excellent, noble, grand, or useful."










If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

James Expounds on Faith Volume 20

Avoid, Abstain, & Abhor the Sin of Partiality Part 3

James 2:6-7 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? KJV

The warning rendered by the Apostle James in the previous verse was a general one to all of those scattered Jewish believers back then and all of us today and of every era and generation. However, the Apostle James has received a 'word of knowledge' from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that some of those believers back then (and today and in all ⌚ times) have literally been doing the very thing that he is now warning all believers to not do by what he declares here with these very next words, "But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?" (James 2:6) (KJV). The English word 'despised' used here by the Apostle James is translated by the Greek word atimazō and it means exactly what our English definition of despised means which is to render infamous, that is, (by implication) contemn or maltreat: - despise, dishonour, suffer shame, entreat shamefully. In other words, to treat a brother or sister 'in Christ' shamefully or with dishonor simply because he or she is poor in erathly things is seen by our Father in heaven as reprehensible, repugnant, and repulsive. This is why the Apostle James is writing these words wanting to remind them and us that it is the rich unbelieving world (back then and in all times) who treat those of us who are followers of our Lord Jesus Christ with hatred and contempt calling us bigots and unloving simply because of our trust in the Lord Jesus and our belief that He alone is God and He alone is the only way to heaven for any sinner (John 14:6) and that His Word is the Only truth for humanity, remember what the Lord Jesus said about those who trust in earthly riches from Volume 19 (Mark 10:23-27). It is in large part the unbelieving rich of the world who have in the past and are in the present and will continue in the future to do all they can to silence true believers by violence and by making laws that declare the Bible to be taken out of schools (already done) and in every other way they can to stop the truth of the Word of God being spoken, 📝 written, or taught anywhere, even in the ⛪ Church and private homes or businesses. The rich are the primary oppressors of Christians because they hate and mock the true God of the Bible and their goal is to silence those who declare His truth, therefore, according to the Apostle James it is stupid, sick, and sorry for any individual or group of believers to show favoritism to any who are rich over the poor (even if the rich man 👨 or woman 👩 has become a believer). The English word 'oppress' used by the Apostle James in verse 6 is translated by the Greek word katadunasteuō meaning to exercise dominion against, that is, oppress. The Apostle James wanted to remind those believers back then and warn we believers today that those who are rich and have influence over local, state, and federal government have made it their prority to silence true believers, so the Apostle James asked this question to them and now to us, "Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?" (James 2:7) (KJV). The English word 'blaspheme' is translated by the Greek word blasphēmeō meaning to vilify; specifically to speak impiously: - (speak) blasphememously, defame, rail on, revile, speak evil. The rich unbeliever because he or she has not faith in the True God (Jesus Christ) mock Him as being nothing to them or to the world and they have made His beautiful and holy and precious Name into a curse word that flows out of their mouths with the ease of a knife 🗡 slicing through butter and they think 🤔 nothing of it and see their defaming and railing and reviling Christ Name as a joke, for they see Him now as of no consequence to them on earth 🌎 or even after their death (how wrong they will find themselves to have been).

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of James 2:6-7, "Respecting persons, in the sense of this place, on account of their riches or outward figure, is shown to be a very great sin, because of the mischiefs which are owing to worldly wealth and greatness, and the folly which there is in Christians' paying undue regards to those who had so little regard either to their God or them: Consider how commonly riches are the incentives of vice and mischief, of blasphemy and persecution: consider how many calamities you yourselves sustain, and how great reproaches are thrown upon your religion and your God by men of wealth, and power, and worldly greatness; and this will make your sin appear exceedingly sinful and foolish, in setting up that which tends to pull you down, and to destroy all that you are building up, and to dishonour that worthy name by which you are called. The name of Christ is a worthy name; it reflects honour, and gives worth to those who wear it." Here is what Adam Clarke had to say of James 2:6-7, "The administration of justice was at this time in a miserable state of corruption among the Jews; but a Christian was one who was to expect no justice any where but from his God. The words καταδυναστευουσιν, exceedingly oppress, and ἑλκουσιν εις κριτηρια, drag you to courts of justice, show how grievously oppressed and maltreated the Christians were by their countrymen the Jews, who made law a pretext to afflict their bodies, and spoil them of their property. They took every occasion to asperse the Christian name and the Christian faith, and have been, from the beginning to the present day, famous for their blasphemies against Christ and His religion. It is evident that these were Jews of whom St. James speaks; no Christians in these early times could have acted the part here mentioned." Here is what Dr. John Gill had to say of James 2:6-7, "Or dishonoured, and reproached them, by showing respect of persons, in preferring the rich to them, and in distinguishing them in such a manner as was to their contempt and injury; which is a reproaching not only of them, but their Maker; and is in effect saying, that God has done either a weak or a wrong thing, in choosing them to be rich in faith, and heirs of a kingdom, it being directly contrary to His conduct: Which may be understood either of rich men that were unbelievers; and these either the Heathen magistrates, who ruled over them in a tyrannical way, and with rigour, and often summoned them before them, and persecuted them with violence; or their own countrymen, the Jews, who stirred up the chief men of the Gentiles against them, and drew them to their judgment seats, as they drew Paul to the judgment seat of Gallio, Acts 13:50 or else of rich professors of religion, who assumed a despotic power over the poor brethren of the Church, and loved to have the pre-eminence over them, as Diotrephes did, and set up tribunals in the Churches, and tried and condemned them in an arbitrary way; or else upon civil accounts had them before heathen magistrates, and went to law with them in their courts, before unbelievers, which is a practice condemned in 1 Corinthians 6:1, and seeing now rich men used them so ill, the Apostle mentions this as an argument to dissuade them from respect of persons; seeing they had but little reason to show so much regard unto them, who had treated them in so evil a manner: this is not to be understood of all rich men; nor is the Apostle's design to destroy that natural and civil order there is among men, by reason of their different stations, offices, and circumstances; it being highly proper that honour should be given to whom honour is due, but not to the dishonour of another."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…





 

James Expounds on Faith Volume 19

 Avoid, Abstain, & Abhor the Sin of Partiality Part 2

James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which He hath promised to them that love Him? KJV Note:NKJV=New King James Version

The Apostle James wanted those scattered Jewish believers (and those of us today and in every era and generation) of our Lord Jesus Christ to closely listen to his instruction concerning this matter of showing favoritism to the rich over the poor by reminding them and us of the true and genuine impartiality to all sinners our Lord Jesus Christ has shown and continues to show with His willingness to receive anyone who will come to Him in repentance and faith despite their earthly status or position in this temporal world 🗺, as it is written for us by the Apostle James with these words, "Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which He hath promised to them that love Him?" (James 2:5) (KJV). Our Lord Jesus Christ does not make any distinctions between a rich sinner and a poor sinner (the people of this world 🗺 do), but instead, He (Jesus) makes all who come to Him 'rich in faith' meaning that as a true believer in our Lord Jesus Christ any poor man 👨 or woman 👩 is now 'rich in faith' because of their/our access to, association with, and affiliation to Christ Jesus our Lord, as it is written of Him by the Apostle Paul with these words, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich." (2 Corinthians 8:9) (NKJV). Faith + Grace makes us rich more than having all the riches on the earth 🌎, for let us remember these words from our Lord Jesus Christ speaking of some of those who are rich in earthly things, "Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful." (Matthew 13:22) (NKJV) and also these very penetrating, piercing, and powerful words, "Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, 'How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!' And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, 'Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.' And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, 'Who then can be saved?' But Jesus looked at them and said, 'With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.' (Mark 10:23-27) (NKJV). Let us also not forget what our Lord Jesus Christ wrote through the Apostle Paul making this same point so very clear, "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence." (1 Corinthians 1:26-29) (NKJV).

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of James 2:5, "Believing Christians are rich in title, and in being heirs of a kingdom, though they may be very poor as to present possessions. What is laid out upon them is but little; what is laid up for them is unspeakably rich and great. Note again, Where any are rich in faith, there will be also divine love; faith working by love will be in all the heirs of glory. Note once more, under this head, Heaven is a kingdom, and a kingdom promised to those that love God." Here is what Adam Clarke had to say of James 2:5, "And the poor have the Gospel preached to them. These believed on the Lord Jesus, and found His salvation; while the rich despised, neglected, and persecuted Him. These had that faith in Christ which put them in possession of the choicest spiritual blessings, and gave them a right to the kingdom of heaven. While, therefore, they were despised of men, they were highly prized of God." Here also is what Albert Barnes had to say of James 2:5, "The Apostle now proceeds to show that the rich, as such, had no special claim on their favor, and that the poor in fact might be made more entitled to esteem than they were. For a view of the arguments by which he does this, compare the analysis of the chapter. Those who are poor so far as this world is concerned, or those who have not wealth. This is the first argument which the Apostle suggests why the poor should not be treated with neglect. It is, that God has had special reference to them in choosing those who should be His children. The meaning is not that He is not as willing to save the rich as the poor, for He has no partiality; but that there are circumstances in the condition of the poor which make it more likely that they will embrace the offers of the Gospel than the rich; and that in fact the great mass of believers is taken from those who are in comparatively humble life. The fact that God has chosen one to be an 'heir of the kingdom' is as good a reason now why he should not be treated with neglect, as it was in the times of the Apostles. Though poor in this world's goods, they are rich in a higher and more important sense. They have faith in God their Saviour; and in this world of trial and of sin, that is a more valuable possession than piles of hoarded silver or gold. A man who has that is sure that he will have all that is truly needful for him in this world and the next; a man who has it not, though he may have the wealth of Croesus (a very wealthy man 👨, the last king of Lydia who died in 546 BC), will be utterly without resources in respect to the great wants of his existence. 'Give what thou wilt, without thee we are poor; And with thee rich, take what thou wilt away.' Faith in God the Saviour will answer more purposes, and accomplish more valuable ends for man, than the wealth of the Indies could: and this the poor may have as well as the rich."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

James Expounds on Faith Volume 16

 Be Doers of the Word of God Part 4

James 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

Next the Apostle John zeros in on our speech as an indicator of our faithfulness or faithlessness to our Lord Jesus Christ. The 😝 tongue of any of 👥 us who are walking with our Lord Jesus Christ should not be filled continously with the venom, viciousness, and volatility that was so common in our daily language when we were absent from and apart from Christ Jesus our Lord. This does not mean that we do not slip into some of our old ways of speaking, especially when we become 😡 angry, however, we must immediately recognize the rising tide within us and pray the Word of God hidden in our inner 👨 man or inner 👩 woman, such as this Word from the Word of God that I often 🙏 pray over me and my 😝 tongue, "Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips." (Psalms 141:3) (NKJV). This for me is of vital necessity because before coming to Christ, my everyday manner of speaking to anyone was to use profanity as my normal language and it was never-ending for me and the way I spoke at all ⌚ times, but when I was saved and born again by my Lord Jesus, I began to desire to eliminate that language from my vocabulary by the grace of God working within me. When I do not keep myself joined and connected to the Word of God as my spiritual lifeline, I find myself slipping back to allowing some of these words to come up from the well of my 'old man' or 'old nature', so we now read these words from the Apostle James to rebuke us who do not guard the words that we speak, as it is written, "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain." (James 1:26) (KJV). The English word 'seem' is translated by the Greek word dokeō which is a prolong form of a primary verb meaning to think; by implication to seem (truthfully or uncertainly): - be accounted, be of reputation, seem (good), suppose, or think. The English word 'religious' used here by the Apostle James is translated by the Greek word thrēskos (used this one time only in the New Testament) meaning ceremonious in worship (as demonstrative), that is, pious: - religious. The English word 'bridleth' is translated by the Greek word chalinagōgeō meaning to be a bit leader, that is, to curb (figuratively): - bridle. In other words, the Apostle James is telling us that we must be responsible for checking, controlling, and conquering our tongue 😝 if we are to be true worshippers of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and not be vain or empty pretenders, for no one can make us say the things we do (not even the devil) because what we say and what we do not say is a product of our closeness or lack there of with Christ and His Word, therefore, we should listen to and heed this wisdom from Proverbs, "In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise. The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; The heart of the wicked is worth little. The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of wisdom." (Proverbs 10:19-21) (NKJV). Let us also take heed and remember what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church @ Ephesus when he said, "Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them." (Ephesians 5:1-7) (NKJV). The Apostle James declares that it is our responsibility to control our 😝 tongue and keep our inner 👨 man or inner woman 👩 true to our Lord Jesus Christ with not only what we do and do not do, but also what we say and do not say, as it is written by the Psalmist here, "Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit."  (Psalms 34:13) (NKJV) Amen!

Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of James 1:26, "Pious, or devout. That is, if he does not restrain his tongue, his other evidences of religion are worthless. A man may undoubtedly have many things in his character which seem to be evidences of the existence of religion in his heart, and yet there may be some one thing that shall show that all those evidences are false. Religion is designed to produce an effect on our whole conduct; and if there is any one thing in reference to which it does not bring us under its control, that one thing may show that all other appearances of piety are worthless. Restrains or curbs it not, as a horse is restrained with a bridle. There may have been some reason why the Apostle referred to this particular sin which is now unknown to us; or he may perhaps have intended to select this as a specimen to illustrate this idea, that if there is any one evil propensity which religion does not control, or if there is any one thing in respect to which its influence is not felt, whatever other evidences of piety there may be, this will demonstrate that all those appearances of religion are vain. For religion is designed to bring the whole man under control, and to subdue every faculty of the body and mind to its demands. If the tongue is not restrained, or if there is any unsubdued propensity to sin whatever, it proves that there is no true religion. Implying that he does deceive his heart by supposing that any evidence can prove that he is under the influence of religion if his tongue is unrestrained. Whatever love, or zeal, or orthodoxy, or gift in preaching or in prayer he may have, this one evil propensity will neutralize it all, and show that there is no true religion at heart. As all religion must be which does not control all the faculties of the body and the mind. The truths, then, which are taught in this verse are: (1) That there may be evidences of piety which seem to be very plausible or clear, but which in themselves do not prove that there is any true religion. There may be much zeal, as in the case of the Pharisees; there may be much apparent love of Christians, or much outward benevolence; there may be an uncommon gift in prayer; there may be much self-denial, as among those who withdraw from the world in monasteries or nunneries; or there may have been deep conviction for sin, and much joy at the time of the supposed conversion, and still there be no true religion. Each and all of these things may exist in the heart where there is no true religion. (2) A single unsubdued sinful propensity neutralizes all these things, and shows that there is no true religion. If the tongue is not subdued; if any sin is indulged, it will show that the seat of the evil has not been reached, and that the soul, as such, has never been brought into subjection to the law of God. For the very essence of all the sin that there was in the soul may have been concentrated on that one propensity. Everything else which may be manifested may be accounted for on the supposition that there is no religion; this cannot be accounted for on the supposition that there is any."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

James Expounds on Faith Volume 15

 Be Doers of the Word of God Part 3

James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The Apostle James summarizes his point with these words on being a doer of the Word of God and not a mere hearer, "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (James 1:25) (KJV). The little English phrase 'whoso looketh' at the very 🔰 beginning of this verse is translated by the Greek word parakuptō which means to bend beside, that is, lean over (so as to peer within): - look (into), stoop down. In other words, it is not a surface, shallow, or superficial inquiry but instead a diligent, diving, and digging into the Word of God with some effort as an athlete does when he or she is training hard to prepare themselves to compete at their very best in their next game or event, Remember when the Apostle Paul compared himself to such athletes, although referring to his preparation as spiritual training exercising self-control, as it is written, "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." (1 Corinthians 9:24-27) (NKJV). The Apostle James is telling us to look into the 'perfect law of liberty' and for us this means our gazing upon our Lord Jesus Christ who is the living Word of God and when we do so with gazing and not glancing we then can walk in His love for us and find ourselves living in freedom from our old nature. The Apostle Paul wrote his entire letter to the ⛪ Churches in Galatia to reprimand them, refute them, and then remind them of the freedom they received when they were saved by grace through faith and walking in the Spirit. Paul wanted to remind them that the law declares men 🚹 and 🚺 women guilty and imprisons them, but faith sets men free to enjoy liberty in Christ, however, liberty does not mean we now have license to sin all we want and as much as we want, but freedom in Christ means freedom to produce the fruits of righteousness through a Spirit-led lifestyle. Here is how the Apostle Paul greeted those brothers and sisters 'in Christ' in Galatia, "Paul, an Apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), and all the brethren who are with me, To the Churches of Galatia: Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."  (Galatians 1:1-5) (NKJV). Christ redeemed us and paid our ransom to deliver us from this present evil age or time or period in human history, not so that we could continue to be the filthy sinners that we were in our first birth, but by our new birth live our lives enjoying and rejoicing in the liberty we have 'in Christ' to say NO to sin and pursue righteouness. Remember when the Apostle Paul wrote these words to the ⛪ Church @ Rome, "Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign(rule) in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?" (Romans 6:11-16) (NKJV).

There we have it, we can present our selves as slaves to Christ leading to righteousness or be a hearer of the Word of God only and not a doer and consequently continue in sin leading to unrighteousness and death (spiritual and physical), remembering these words written by the Apostle John, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him (Jesus Christ), that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death." (1 John 5:14-17) (NKJV). Back in the day everyone who loaded up their vehicles to travel to places far from their homes carried with them a road map 🗺 that showed all of the highways and State roadways so that one could navigate their way to their final destination where ever that might be (the time before cell 📱 phones with talking navigation systems). Back then we had to 📖 read and study the 🗺 map intently so that we would know where we were and where we were going, the Word of God is to we believers in our Lord Jesus Christ our Road Map 🗺 that guides us down the right roads in our sojourn and pilgrimage here on the 🌎 earth into the will of God for us daily till we get home 🏡 in Heaven. Just like someone in a car 🚘 driving to a destination can get lost without reading and studying the road map 🗺, so can we Christians lose the sense or who we are and whose we are (the Lord Jesus Christ) when we put down our Road Map 🗺 the Word of God we will then fall into darkness, despair, and destruction losing the joy of our salvation. Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of James 1:25, "The Gospel is a law of liberty, or, as Mr. Baxter expresses it, of liberation, giving us deliverance from the Jewish law, and from sin and guilt, and wrath and death. The ceremonial law was a yoke of bondage; the gospel of Christ is a law of liberty. [2.] It is a perfect law; nothing can be added to it. [3.] In hearing the word, we look into this perfect law; we consult it for counsel and direction; we look into it, that we may thence take our measures. [4.] Then only do we look into the law of liberty as we should when we continue therein - 'when we dwell in the study of it, till it turn to a spiritual life, engrafted and digested in us' (Baxter) - when we are not forgetful of it, but practice it as our work and business, set it always before our eyes, and make it the constant rule of our conversation and behaviour, and model the temper of our minds by it. [5.] Those who thus do, and continue in the law and word of God, are, and shall be, blessed in their deed; blessed in all their ways, according to the first psalm, to which, some think, James here alludes. He that meditates in the law of God, and walks according to it, the psalmist says, shall prosper in whatsoever he does. And he that is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work which God's word sets him about, James says, shall be blessed. The papists pretend that here we have a clear text to prove we are blessed for our good deeds; but Dr. Manton, in answer to that pretence, puts the reader upon marking the distinctness of scripture-phrase. The apostle does not say, for his deeds, that any man is blessed, but in his deed. This is a way in which we shall certainly find blessedness, but not the cause of it. This blessedness does not lie in knowing, but in doing the will of God. John 13:17, If you know these things, happy are you if you do them. It is not talking, but walking, that will bring us to heaven."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…