AFFLICTED, PERPLEXED, PERSECUTED

“Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.”       (2 Corinthians 4:1–10 NASB)

This period of confinement because of the Coronavirus threat has caused frustration and bewilderment for many. Regardless of the political implications, there are spiritual lessons which we can derive from this time of confinement and the mandatory use of personal protection equipment as well as the implied need for social distancing.

The passage above, 2 Corinthians 4:1-10, is applicable to this time in our history. Paul’s teachings are invaluable in helping us to gain perspective of who we are, our mission and the power God supplies to sustain us during this time.

First: With churches closed or open with limited attendances allowed, we should not neglect the value of Bible study. Reading the Bible is good, but it is a substitute for the actual teaching of God’s Word. Many churches have recorded messages for their congregation to access on their internet websites. This is an excellent way of reviewing some of your pastor’s teachings or picking up on the ones you may have missed. Someone rightly said once: “You can never get too much of God’s Word.”

Second: The world around us is constantly rejecting the certainty of the God of the Bible. If this does not cause us to have Godly pity towards this dying culture, then it is time to remind ourselves that our mission is to be a light to this world:

“For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light” (Ephesians 5:8 NASB)

We are to reflect the character of Christ and ensure that our lives – in words and actions – are an effective and dynamic witness of the gospel of salvation. We must rise above the pettiness and injustices of this culture, not merely to attain a personal ‘higher ground’, but to allow the enabling Holy Spirit to take control so that we are able to fulfill the objective that God has given us.

Third: We must not despair. At every roadblock and obstacle placed in our pathways, we must not despair but rely upon the strength that God has provided for us just for these occasions. To emphasize what Paul stated:

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;” (2 Corinthians 4:7–9 NASB)

Paul uses the most fitting of words. He says ‘we are afflicted.’ The original idea is that of being pressed in a crowd, and so it comes to mean being oppressed by evil. But Paul states that even though being oppressed by evil, we are not crushed or restricted from freely going about our work for God.

He further states that we are perplexed, “not knowing how to proceed, determine, speak or act.”^[1] But in the midst of our perplexity we are not to be despairing, for the word implies to “be utterly destitute of measures or resources.”^[2] For we have an immeasurable amount of resources [i.e. the power of the Holy Spirit] and promises which God has placed at our disposal.

Paul goes on to say that while we are persecuted we are not forsaken. God has not left us out in the cold alone without a lifeline. For this is a promise that He made to Israel (Deuteronomy 31:6, 8; Joshua 1:5) and He has assured His people today of the same:

“Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”” (Hebrews 13:5 NASB)

And finally, even though we are stuck down we are not going to be destroyed. The word ‘destroyed’ could mean death, but one expositor stated that in this case “the idea is not extinction but ruin, loss, not of being, but of wellbeing.”^[3] Here Paul may be recounting the event of Acts 14:19 in Lystra when he was stoned (struck down) and dragged out of the city and where they assumed that he was dead – and yet he was able to get up and carry on with his ministry (v.20).

Just to put this into the context of the events of the day: the televised news events of violence and people being struck down and killed has been widely aired. Considering the growing disdain for Christianity in our culture, it is not beyond reason to believe that God’s people could find themselves at the blunt end of this type of violence.

Lastly: These verses provide hope for all who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ for eternal life to comprehend how God has provided for us in times of perplexing and anxious times.

We should remind ourselves that if we are still breathing, God still has a plan for our lives. A life that is eternally valuable and designed to glorify Him. A life that is characterized by His ultimate purpose: “that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body’ – even in the midst of the chaos and violence, we can be assured that “the power will be of God and not from ourselves.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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^[1] Zodhiates, S. (2000). The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, G639

^[2] Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.

^[3] Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Nashville, TN: T. Nelson, 2.164

 

ATTITUDE OF PERSONAL FAVORITISM: JAMES 2:1-4

Verses 1-4: My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. 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, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?   

Despite the chapter division, James continues his thoughts of the importance of maintaining an undefiled and pure demonstration of our faith. He commands that our faith—our belief system—should not be characterized by personal favoritism. This command in the Greek demands that the action is in progress and should be stopped.1 The verbal idea of ‘to hold’ is to possess. Here it implies to possess and embrace a particular belief system. The word ‘faith’ is not only interpreted in Scripture as merely a belief or faith in something or someone, but more importantly it refers to that which is believed,2 the “body of faith or belief, doctrine.”3

We need to be very clear on this issue of what our belief system should encompass. It is imperative that what we believe is supported by the authority of Scripture. For only when this is true are we able to faithfully reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ to the world.

The phrase ‘personal favoritism’ is one word in the Greek, meaning partiality. Even though it is at the end of the verse in the English, it is near the beginning in the original Greek, for the purpose of greater emphasis. When it comes to making salvation available to all men, Scripture states: “For there is no partiality with God” (Romans 2:11). Hence, we should show no partiality in our personal relationships with other believers.

This partiality, showing personal favoritism, has to do with treating people differently based on their social standards. In the last verse of chapter one, we are advised to indulge those of low societal position (orphans and widows) with a demonstration of love by the giving of our time and energies visiting them.

As we will see in verse 2, those that James is writing to must have failed to uphold the standard which had been commanded of the Jewish people in the Old Testament of not showing personal favoritism:

You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly. (Leviticus 19:15)

Rich Man—Poor Man

A hypothetical situation is presented, one that may have taken place in a similar manner in a local assembly, otherwise it would have been unnecessary for teaching this principle.

He sets the stage: a well-dressed man sporting a gold ring. Dr. Rogers notes that:

It was common to wear rings in the ancient world either as a signet ring or as a piece of jewelry for adornment. Sometimes more than one ring was worn, and the social status of a person could be noted by the quality of his ring.4

And then enters a noticeably poor man, since he is wearing dirty, filthy clothes.

At the outset, we should note that both are living at different ends of the social ladder. One is well-off and one is living a difficult life. Yet both of these men are creatures of the Creator, made in the image and likeness of God. Both come into the assembly to receive the teaching of God’s Word and to share in Christian fellowship. At this point, they are on equal ground before the Lord and should be considered the same within the fellowship of believers.

In verse 3, there is a reaction within the congregation, as James tells us, “You pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes.” Mark Twain once stated: “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.” This axiom must have been one thought by people even back in the 1^st Century, for here they pay attention to this man in dazzling attire, showing him great regard as if they were mesmerized by this individual. We can only imagine what the reason for the high regard shown this individual. Maybe the ‘awe’ of being in the presence of a celebrity; salivating in hopes that his wealth will be shared with the congregation; or maybe just the idea of being in attendance with him that their social status wouldn’t look so bad.

James does not explain their motivation, but whatever the reason, they endeavor to ensure that this individual is allowed to sit in the choice seating—first-class all the way! While the poor man is commanded to: ‘sit down by my footstool,’ meaning “sit on the floor.” Dr. Wallace notes that the Greek command for both individuals to sit indicates “either an action that regularly occurs or an ongoing state.”5 Therefore, this must have been a regular occurrence.

Distinctions = Evil Motives

James poses the question: “have you not made distinctions?” with the idea of making a preference6 for the rich over the poor. James is concerned that this attitude has caused them to “become judges.” Both of the words distinctions and judges come from the same Greek verb ‘to judge.’ Yet, he’s really not expecting an answer. Instead he wants them to consider objectively their motivations. In other words, he is asking them: Are you making judgments and if so, doesn’t that make you a judge of the character and intents of a man, and doing so simply on the basis of outward appearances? They seem to have failed to understand or had no knowledge of what our Lord had admonished the religious Jews:

“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” (John 7:24)

And based upon what our Lord stated, James is questioning whether their ‘distinctions’ are substantiated by their ‘evil motives.’

We need to have a closer look at this word translated ‘motives.’ The word denotes, primarily, “an inward reasoning, an opinion.”7 There is a thought process taking place in the minds of those who are making distinctions between who should be regarded more desirable or likable than another, thus, doing so with evil motives. But James does not give us the specifics as to what their motives are, yet since he has pointed out their error, we can be confident that their motives are not based on righteous judgements, as our Lord commanded.

How are we to know if we are making righteous judgements? Just ask yourself this question: “Is my judgement supported by Scripture?” It is like everything else in the Christian life: what I think, what I say, or what I do must line up with the Word of God. This is the continuation of James’ progressive theme in Chapter 1. We are to consider that since “He brought us forth by the Word of Truth” (1:18) we must prove ourselves “doers of the Word” (1:22). And in order to be a doer of the Word, we must know His Word. Unfortunately, this takes time and self-discipline (1:25), but it is the only means by which we as believers will acquire the capacity to achieve our spiritual growth potential.

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[1] Dana, H.E. and Mantey Julius R., (1957). A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament. Toronto, Ontario: The Macmillan Company, pp.301-302.

[2] This usage is not uncommon in the New Testament: Jude 3; Romans 1:5, 23; 1 Timothy 4:6, 6:10, 21

[3] Arndt, W., Gingrich, F. W., & Bauer, W. (1957). A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, p. 669.

[4] Rogers Jr., Cleon L. & Rogers III, Cleon L. (1998). The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament. P. 556. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

[5] Wallace, Daniel B. (1999, c1996).  Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics, Garland, TX: Galaxie Software, p. 521

^[6] Zodhiates, S. (2000). The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, G1252.

^[7] Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Nashville, TN: T. Nelson, 2.175.

 

© 2023 David M. Rossi

DECEPTION OF THE RELIGIOUS: JAMES 1:26-27

Verses 26-27: If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

In these last two verses of chapter one, James illustrates three essential qualities of pure religion: a bridled tongue (vs. 26); visiting the orphans and widows and keeping unstained by the world (vs. 27).

First the words ‘religion’ and ‘religious’ need to be explained. This is the only time in the New Testament that the form of these words is used. It is defined as the diligent performer of divinely ascribed duties of outward service to God.1 The key point being made here is that the external practice of service toward God should reflect the internal characteristics of godliness in every aspect of the believer’s life. And this would include, as indicated here, the tongue.

James will revisit this issue of the tongue in chapter 3, but on this occasion he is most likely referring to the anger and the filthiness and wickedness as previously mentioned in verses 20-21. James asserts that believers who considers themselves being diligent in serving the Lord and yet commit sins of the tongue are deluding themselves. And as a witness to others, believers and unbelievers alike, it characterizes a dishonest personality, and James has already stated that a double-minded man is “unstable in all his ways” (vs. 8).

The bottom line pertaining to this type of religion: it is worthless, vain, and empty. Spiros Zodhiates characterizes it as “building houses on sand, chasing the wind, shooting at stars, pursuing one’s own shadow.”2 The life of such a believer is counterproductive—they produce no divine good and Jesus Christ is not glorified. 

The external practice of our faith, which James labels our ‘religion,’ is to be ‘pure’ and ‘undefiled.’ Pure in a spiritual sense means to be free from sinfulness, because of the internal thought process that contemplates and disallows sin to characterize the believers’ external actions. Undefiled is a Greek synonym of pure, it lends itself to the idea of “the absence of anything that would constitute guilt before God.”3

But this may go much deeper. What do we base our religion upon? The external practice of our faith must be grounded upon the Word of God. Our understanding of His truth must not be tainted or corrupted by false doctrine. James has already stated that we were brought forth by His Word of truth (1:18); that the Word has been implanted (1:21); that we should be doers of the Word (1:23) and look intently into the Word (1:25). So it stands to reason that in order for us to perform the external practice of our faith that it is essential to have an untainted understanding of His truth.

Also, it is important to note, as James states, that our entire life of faith is never hidden from our God, our Creator. We do not live in a vacuum. All of our endeavors in this life, good or evil, are performed “in the sight of our God and Father.”

Now James provides us with the last two essential qualities of pure religion. He mentioned the first one in vs. 26, a bridled tongue. The next two demonstrate some practical examples of what it would look like to perform the external practice of our faith.

First, to visit orphans and widows. These were probably the most overlooked people in the ancient world. The Lord extended a special protection over them. Since the estate of a man upon his death would be passed down to his son, the wife would be widowed and oftentimes neglected. The Lord stated that they were to be cared for and be allowed to glean the fields, the orchards and the vineyards after the harvest:

The orphan and the widow who are in your town, shall come and eat and be satisfied, in order that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do. (Deuteronomy 14:29b; cf. Deuteronomy 24:19–22)

The treatment of widows by the Jewish religious leaders was condemned by the Lord Jesus:

“Beware of the scribes…who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.” (Luke 20:46-47)

To visit orphans and widows in their time of distress is an act of love, which is only one of the evidences of the external practice of our faith. However, this does not imply that this is the exclusive example of our practice. Paul explains in greater detail these evidences, describing them as the fruit of the Spirit:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

The last essential quality of pure religion is to “keep oneself unstained by the world.” The verb ‘keep’ has the idea of guarding or watching over. The point being is that we are to be constantly on the guard so that we are not stained by this world. R.C.H. Lenski has aptly defined ‘the world’ as:

“…a designation for the ungodly, unbelieving mass of men…The world is vile and foul; to guard oneself unspotted means that none of this uncleanness lodges permanently in our hearts and souls.”4

So, what’s so bad about this world? Scripture tells us that the world about us is a spiritual battlefield, and we are embroiled in this conflict whether we realize it or desire to remain oblivious. For the apostle Paul stated:

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)

This is the reason why the apostle John commands us:

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. (1 John 2:15-16)

The world offers a philosophy of life in contrast to the Biblical meaning of life and the existence of man. The unbelieving world acquires their meaning of this life from the ‘forces of darkness’—Satan and his demons, influencing the lives of mankind. However, believers are supposed to acquire the meaning of their lives from the Word of God.

Lewis Sperry Chafer succinctly sums this up:

The cosmos [world/kósmos] is a vast order or system that Satan has promoted, which conforms to his ideals, aims, and methods. It is civilization now functioning apart from God—a civilization in which none of its promoters really expect God to share, who assign to God no consideration in respect to their projects; nor do they ascribe any causativity to Him. This system embraces its godless governments, conflicts, armaments, jealousies, its education, culture, religions of morality, and pride. It is that sphere in which man lives. It is what he sees, what he employs. To the uncounted multitude it is all they ever know so long as they live on this earth. It is properly styled the satanic system, which phrase is in many instances a justified interpretation of the so-meaningful word, cosmos. It is literally a cosmos diabolicus.5

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[1] Zodhiates, S. (2000). θρῆσκος, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament, Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, G2357.

[2] Zodhiates, G3152

[3] Packer, James I. (1986) ἀμίαντος, In The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (Colin Brown, Ed.), Grand Rapids: Zondervan. 1.448.

[4] Lenski, R.C.H. (2001). Commentary on the New Testament. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc, 10.561.

[5] Chafer, L.S., (1976), Systematic Theology, Dallas, TX: Dallas Seminary Press, 2.77-78.

 

© 2023 David M. Rossi