Epistle of James: Chapter 2

James expands on James 1:9-11 here and deals with the sin of
favoritism. 


 Favoritism (prosopolempsia) literally means to “lift up face”
or to “receive face”. It describes the basis of receiving someone
based on external appearance.


  It’s also interesting to note that 2:1 is the last time
we see Jesus mentioned in this epistle.


  The big idea here is that our faith leads us to not treat
certain people better than others. In the rest of this chapter
James will get at faith and actions of love being 2 sides of the
same coin.  


Conclusions- Paul vs. James… 


o It has been argued that James and Paul are talking about 2
different points of faith. Paul is talking about entrance into a
community (who’s in and who’s out) and James is talking about
who’s already in and how to live your faith. Faith results in
action. 


o If this is so Paul is saying trust is what puts you in but once
you are “in” you need to walk the journey by embodying Christ’s
faithfulness (James’ POV). Trust is just the starting line. 


o James and Paul both seem to be against easy-believism. The
analogy of a marriage or a friendship (James 2:23) is fitting… If
I simply believe I am married or someone’s friend and that as far
as it goes, simply affirming that fact- what happens? If I am
married or a friend I will invest in the relationship and live
according to that. 


o “Works” in James are work of love (The Royal Law), “Works” in
Paul are works of Torah that marked someone out as Jewish. 


o James and Paul both affirm actions that flow out of faith
(faithfulness)… true faith results in action. See the end of
Galatian and the fruit of the Spirit, See Romans 12 and the
actions and mindset that come along with being a living
sacrifice, See all that we covered in James today. 


o James and Paul might be talking about different situations but
they agree that you are saved by faith and works that working
together in love. True faith fulfills the Royal Law.