Of course the Christian faith involves following all of God’s commandments. Of course we should not only avoid murder and adultery (2:10-11), but should also actively seek to love one another (2:8). And of course that involves sharing our material blessings with those who are less fortunate, especially those who have no means of supporting themselves (1:27).

But who is truly rich? The first time I went to visit a partner Presbytery in Northeast Brazil, I was expecting to be bringing the riches of the US to a poor region. I found the opposite to be true – they had few financial resources, but were filled with joy and determined to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Where it came to spiritual gifts, God had indeed chosen to bless them (2:5), while leaving so many of us prosperous Americans behind.

In fact, far from material things being essential to the spread of the gospel, Jesus said they are actually a hindrance: “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:23) That’s because it’s just too easy for people to put their faith in the material blessings that they have instead of in the God Who gave them to us. When you think you have it all, you’re unlikely to think you need a Savior.

And yet we still tend to plant churches in the fast-growing, wealthy parts of America, thinking that they’ll be able to become self-sustaining more quickly. And yet we wonder why we are not experiencing the same sort of explosive spiritual growth we see in the Book of Acts, or even in countries like Brazil.

So, it turns out that we should do exactly the opposite of showing the partiality James observes in 2:2-4. Instead, we Christians ought to welcome those without financial resources because they are much more likely to listen to the gospel! And we should ask the Lord to keep us from putting our faith in whatever material resources we have, so that we might truly rely on Jesus, not just for saving our souls, but for making it possible for us to spread the good news to everyone.

James 1:27-2:13 (ESV)

27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.
2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in,
3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,”
4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?
6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court?
7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.
11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.
13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.