Africa Study Bible Sampler - Flipbook - Page 77
J A M E S 1 : 2 6
26 If
you claim to be religious but don’t
control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27 Pure
and genuine religion in the sight of God the
Father means looking after orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the
world corrupt you.
A Warning against Prejudice
My dear brothers and sisters,* how can
you claim to have faith in our glorious
Lord Jesus Christ if you favour some people
over others?
2 For example, suppose someone comes
into your meeting* dressed in fancy clothes
and expensive jewellery, and another
comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty
clothes. 3 If you give special attention and
a good seat to the rich person, but you say
to the poor one, “You can stand over there,
2
76
1:26
Ps 34:13
1:27
Deut 14:29
Jas 4:4
1 Jn 2:15-17
2:1
Prov 24:23
Acts 10:34
1 Cor 2:8
2:4
John 7:23-24
2:5
Luke 6:20; 21:1-4
1 Cor 1:26-28
African Touch Points
God Chooses the Weak
Augustine (ad 354–430), a well-known leader of the
early church whose writings are often still read today,
was born in what is today Algeria. He wrote:
I find it strange, Lord, that in many of your churches
the rich are more highly regarded than the poor and
that the noble are better thought of than the less
well born. But you have chosen the powerless in this
world to put to shame those who are powerful and
you have chosen things the world considers foolish,
despised, and as nothing at all to shame those who
think they are wise and bring to nothing what the
world considers important.
or else sit on the floor”—well, 4 doesn’t this
discrimination show that your judgements
are guided by evil motives?
5 Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters.
2:1 Greek brothers; also in 2:5, 14. 2:2 Greek your synagogue.
P r o verbs & S t or i es
Who Am I?
Of course, trying to assure himself that he was not the one
The Hausa people of northern Nigeria have a story about
a cattle dealer who went down south to sell some cattle. was a form of denial due to his distress at his great loss of
He made a lot of money. On his way home, however, he money. James tells us that the one who hears the Word of God
got into the company of some robbers who tricked him and does not do it is like the person who looks into a mirror but
into drinking a drugged beverage when they stopped for forgets who he is as soon as he turns away (James 1:23-24).
The Bible—God’s mirror—reveals our true person, our
lunch. He fell asleep, and the robbers took all his money,
shaved his head clean, and left. When the dealer woke origin, our past, our present, and our future. When we look into
up, he was all alone. His mind went immediately to his the Word, we must not go away without allowing the Word to
money, so he touched his pockets to see if the money change us. There is nothing that is as powerful to transform
was there. When he realised his pockets were empty, he our lives as the Bible. We must put into practice the principles
put his hands on his head, preparing to cry out in distress. of God’s Word. Merely repeating the Bible or even memorizing
He discovered that there was no hair on his head, so he it gets us only halfway there. Obeying God’s Word brings true
paused, nodded, and said, “Aha! I certainly know I am not change. When you read a passage, ask what God would have
you do in response.
the one who was robbed!”
Applica tio n
Caring for Others • James 1:27
Many activities and practices we perform in the name of reliMany widows and orphans are often innocent victims of
gion are not acceptable to God. The Bible, being the manual war in Africa. Your church, fellowship group, and family should
for living, provides us with a guide on what is acceptable or constantly be on the lookout for ways to help them. In addition
not. James declared that any form of religion that fails to to living a holy life, without which no one shall see the Lord
provide for orphans and widows in their affliction is not pure (Hebrews 12:14), we must practise the Word of God. We do
and not acceptable to God. You must also keep yourself away this by caring for the less privileged in our communities. Jesus
from those thoughts and actions that can defile you or drag did it. The early church did it. You, too, must do it if you desire
you in the dirt.
your worship to be acceptable.
No Prejudice in the Church • James 2:1-9
In the Roman world, a small elite controlled most of the wealth.
In some churches, we seat people according to rank. The
Most free persons were peasants working on the estates of rich church often favours those with wealth. All of us are the same
landlords. The urban poor lived in cramped apartments owned before God, and Christians need to treat one another accordingly.
by the wealthy. Synagogues honoured wealthy donors with Sometimes even church members or leaders have oppressed
special titles and seats, while most people apparently sat on the poor in the name of tradition; for example, displacing widows
mats on the floor. In most of the empire, members of the wealthy in order to take their homes. At other times, however, churches
elite could drag those of lower status into court. However, a stand for justice. Churches should challenge customs that abuse
poor person taking a wealthy person to court was rare because others. For example, some people who promise to provide edujudges themselves belonged to the elite and favoured people cation for an orphan or a child from a poor village family simply
like themselves. James denounces such prejudice in the church. use them as servants. Instead, we should defend the needy.