Unifying Factor #1 – We put faith in Jesus (v. 1)
In the last post we considered the initial problem with division and God’s solution in the gospel. Now we turn our focus to verse 1 of James chapter 2. In this verse, James introduces our first unifying factor – placing our faith in Jesus. The imagery of holding onto faith provides a clear illustration that makes this concept easy to grasp.
“My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.” James 2:1
Can’t Have Both
Imagine the struggle of carrying multiple items at once, only for one to slip from your grasp as you try to manage the others. The experience is similar to attempting to load items into a car while also holding up a malfunctioning trunk door – a situation I found myself in many times when I drove a Jeep with broken hydraulics. James connects this experience to faith and favoritism. Trying to hold onto both faith and favoritism is as futile as trying to juggle those boxes and keep the door up. The moment favoritism is picked up, faith slips away.
This might appear overly simplistic, perhaps even falling into the common narrative of “just believe more.” However, it delves deeper into the nature of faith and favoritism. Faith embodies a humble admission of our need for God. It’s an act of surrender and humility. In contrast, favoritism is rooted in a hierarchy of humans, suggesting varying levels of worthiness.
Jesus In James
James’ mention of Jesus at this juncture holds great significance. The name of Jesus appears only twice in this book – in Chapter 1, verse 1, and in our current verse, Chapter 2, verse 1. On both occasions, James directs attention to the same truth. In chapter 1, he acknowledges his role as a servant of Jesus. Here in chapter 2, he emphasizes that there are only two ultimate categories with humanity: Jesus Christ the exalted Lord, and all everybody else. It’s faith in this glorious Lord Jesus Christ that constitutes our primary unifying factor.
As we proceed through the text, James not only addresses the issue of favoritism but also exposes the underlying heart issue. If you find yourself passing judgment on someone and God’s conviction draws your attention to it, delve deeper. Ask yourself, have I been genuinely relying on Jesus for everything lately? Have I reverted to placing confidence in myself rather than in Christ? Have I lost the urgency to pray and ask for Jesus’ assistance? Have I forgotten the wonder of Jesus’ glory and the desperation that marked my initial cry to Him for salvation? These questions unveil the heart behind our favoritism. The kind of faith we possess is directly linked to the practice of favoritism we engage in. Faith stands as a unifying thread that cuts through our societal distinctions. Our shared need for the magnificent Jesus unites us.
The Unifying Power Of Faith
As we delve into James’ text, we discover that faith in Jesus serves as a powerful force to dismantle favoritism and foster unity within the church. Placing our trust in Christ while shedding our inclination towards favoritism reshapes our perspective and interactions. In part one, we highlighted the detrimental nature of judgment and division. Part two provides us with a solution – grounding ourselves in faith and redirecting our focus on the glorious Lord Jesus Christ. Through this unity in faith, we pave the way for a church that truly embodies the Kingdom of God, where Christ is the center of all things. Our plan in part 3 will be to continue excavating James 2:1-13 as we prayerfully open ourselves up to God’s heart for His church.
