My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For
if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly
apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And
ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him,
Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there,
or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? 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? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? (James 2:1-6)
Many in the modern western Church think that a Christian who is rich is blessed because of his riches. He thinks that it is because of his godliness that God has given rich Christians their riches, such which are blessings. It is to think that if a Christian is not rich, he is not blessed by God as manifested in his poverty. It is truly a vile belief to think that a rich Christian is blessed because of his riches. It is to claim that material riches are blessings, that which is to be enjoyed for oneself, and merited by that person's godliness. While a rich Christian may be truly godly, it is not his riches that make him blessed. Rather, it is his righteousness that makes him blessed: Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled (Matthew 5:6).
To think a rich Christian is blessed because he is rich is itself to love the rich, showing favour to them in a very subtle way. People who think that almost always, if not always, do not realise that this thinking is itself favouritism . They think that because they think that if a person, whether Christian or not, is rich, it is because he gains it on his own merits, and deserves what he receives. Everything that we have belongs to God, and not to us at all, for all the Earth belongs to God (Psalm 24:1). Therefore, all of what we have is given to us graciously by God, and not merited, even if one works for it. It is all ultimately given by God to that person to use for God's glory, not his own glory or that of any other human (Romans 11:36; Colossians 1:16).
It is absolutely arrogant, vile, proud, abominable, evil and despicable for any human to think that what he has is his, and therefore that what he has is deserved. It is all too natural to the flesh to favour the rich because the flesh thinks that the good things it has is what it deserves, and is entitled to seek such things. Such a person, whether unsaved or saved is under the spirit of mammon who blinds people into thinking that people deserve what they earn.
Favouritism of the rich manifests in thinking that when a person is rich, it is because he deserves it all, such that he can use it for himself in whatever way he chooses. It is not merely to think more highly of the rich for being rich, or merely to think that he is more deserving of what he has. It is to even think that he is deserving of what he has, and therefore blessed for being rich that is itself favouritism towards the rich.
That is exactly what the problem is with the modern western Church. It arrogantly thinks that a Christian who is rich is blessed by God, with such riches being merited by his righteousness. It is to believe in post-conversion works-righteousness. Such thinking is vile, despicable blasphemy, to claim that God favours the rich Christians, by giving them riches.
Many in the modern western Church think that a Christian who is rich is blessed because of his riches. He thinks that it is because of his godliness that God has given rich Christians their riches, such which are blessings. It is to think that if a Christian is not rich, he is not blessed by God as manifested in his poverty. It is truly a vile belief to think that a rich Christian is blessed because of his riches. It is to claim that material riches are blessings, that which is to be enjoyed for oneself, and merited by that person's godliness. While a rich Christian may be truly godly, it is not his riches that make him blessed. Rather, it is his righteousness that makes him blessed: Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled (Matthew 5:6).
To think a rich Christian is blessed because he is rich is itself to love the rich, showing favour to them in a very subtle way. People who think that almost always, if not always, do not realise that this thinking is itself favouritism . They think that because they think that if a person, whether Christian or not, is rich, it is because he gains it on his own merits, and deserves what he receives. Everything that we have belongs to God, and not to us at all, for all the Earth belongs to God (Psalm 24:1). Therefore, all of what we have is given to us graciously by God, and not merited, even if one works for it. It is all ultimately given by God to that person to use for God's glory, not his own glory or that of any other human (Romans 11:36; Colossians 1:16).
It is absolutely arrogant, vile, proud, abominable, evil and despicable for any human to think that what he has is his, and therefore that what he has is deserved. It is all too natural to the flesh to favour the rich because the flesh thinks that the good things it has is what it deserves, and is entitled to seek such things. Such a person, whether unsaved or saved is under the spirit of mammon who blinds people into thinking that people deserve what they earn.
Favouritism of the rich manifests in thinking that when a person is rich, it is because he deserves it all, such that he can use it for himself in whatever way he chooses. It is not merely to think more highly of the rich for being rich, or merely to think that he is more deserving of what he has. It is to even think that he is deserving of what he has, and therefore blessed for being rich that is itself favouritism towards the rich.
That is exactly what the problem is with the modern western Church. It arrogantly thinks that a Christian who is rich is blessed by God, with such riches being merited by his righteousness. It is to believe in post-conversion works-righteousness. Such thinking is vile, despicable blasphemy, to claim that God favours the rich Christians, by giving them riches.
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