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NASB | James 2:5 Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | James 2:5 Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters: has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and [as believers to be] heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? |
Subject: Is the name Christian being ridiculed? |
Bible Note: Hi Wild Olive Shoot, Here is the passage for referrence: James 2:5 Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? 7 Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called? "They" that blaspheme would refer back to "the rich", which these early believers were showing favoritism to. "For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes," These are described as ones who simply come in. They may be professing Christianity or not, James doesn't say. "They" are addressed in the 3rd person, so we must see who James is addressing to see if they could be part of the church. If James is specifically addressing these comments to the leadership of the church, then it could be regarding members of the assembly. If James is addressing his comments to the general assembly, then it would seem to me to be concerning visitors. He writes to "the 12 tribes", "my brethren", later he will direct us to the elders, so I understand him to be writing to the general assembly, and so I would count these rich to be outside that assembly, and not Christians. Not that you asked for them, but these are my thoughts. Love in Christ, Mark |