Don’t judge a book by its cover

An Exposition on the Book of James Part 6

If you haven’t yet, please check out part 1 of this series, The ideas of James are all centered around the idea of a perfectly forged faith that makes us perfect.

I am sure you have heard the adage, don’t judge a book by its cover. While we actually have to judge a book by its cover, because that is how we decide to read it or not, the idea of the saying is not to judge people by the way we perceive them. When God employed Samuel to anoint a new king for Israel Samuel was sure God would pick Davids older brother because he looked the part. However, Samuel was told “…Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” God has the ability to look way beyond the cover of a person and see straight to their character.

In the first part of James Chapter 2, He starts off by saying something similar. He says not to have the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons. James defines what he means by respecting a person in the next 8 verse. He basically says not to give preferential treatment based on a person’s status or wealth – the things we can see with the naked eye. James is saying that the Faith of Jesus is incompatible with respecting person. This holds true if we examine the life of Jesus. Jesus could see much deeper than the surface of people’s status. He was (and is) God in flesh and knew everything about the person he was dealing with, yet Jesus talked to people from all walks of life. The poorest servants, blind beggars, lepers, and the likes; the everyday people of which he came from, the Jewish elites, and even the Roman elites. How he talked to people may have varied slightly on what they needed to hear, but he was never partial to people based on their status. However, he was partial to people based on their response.

Something James is not saying here, is that we have to receive all people for who they are and we can make no judgments on their life whatsoever. This is shown in the Life of Christ as well. He sometimes was harsh and talked unkind to those who were in the wrong. He even called Peter Satan. Clearly Jesus judged people and he has told us to as well. John 7:24 “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” The Bible teaches that some people are worthy of respect more than others. Specifically those who are elders in the church that have labored well in word and doctrine. We are to judge people, not by their appearance or status, but by their faith, and how can we see their faith? it is through the works they have done in the name of that faith. James moves to this point later in this chapter and I hope to there.

It is pretty clear that James is saying not to treat people different based on what the type of close a person has on, because clothes are symbols of the wealth that they possess. This is not a statement about modesty, or people that are wearing close that expose the sin that they are in. In Jame’s day. I don’t believe they had t-shirts that one could print any kind of filth on. Also, he is still talking to a predominately Jewish audience in a church setting. It is okay to have standers of dress in the assembly; however, these standards should be biblical. No where in the Bible does it say that a man hast to where a suit and tie in the assembly of the firstborn. I do believe that One should dress appropriately and well to go to church, but there seems to be more emphasis that a person dress well than that a person live well in some assemblies. This is not James point. He is not addressing how to dress for church. He is saying don’t give preferential treatment to those who you think are rich.

In this text, we have another idea that James touched on in chapter 1. He says that God has “chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?” this seems to echo the beatitudes found in Mathew chapter 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” As I have already stated in another place, the poor are rich in faith because they are forced to trust in God instead of their own works or money. This doesn’t mean that all people that are poor are filled with faith, but poverty can be a gift of God just as can be riches. It is easier for a poor man to trust God, because he doesn’t have many other options. A rich man can usually make friends with his money and therefore it is harder for him to rely on God. This does not mean all rich people are faithless nor that all poor people are faithful. James is merely saying, don’t give preference to one or the other.

James goes as far as saying that having respect of persons (based on wealth or status) is actually sin. Why is this sin, because it goes against faith. The Word of God demands that we Love our neighbour as ourself – it is the royal law as James puts it. Jesus tells it to a man in this fashion: Matthew 22:37-40 “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Why is it important to love our neighbour as ourself, because he is made in the image or God and is just as valuable to God as we are. We should not steal because it is against the law of God. but why is it against the law of God, because it says we love ourself more than God and more than others. James says that even giving people preferential treatment based on how we perceive their status is breaking this principle. If a millionaire comes into the church, we see that he has more to offer than does the beggar. He can use his bucks or influence to help us build bigger building, get and get more bodies. Or even worse, he will help increase my salary or allow me to hire a new under pastor so I can live more comfortably or lavishly. James points out that it is often backwards to how we see it. The rich will make our life more miserable. It is often the rich that are blaspheming God’s name. So why is it a sin? Because we are treating someone better to get gain, and we are viewing with destain that which God made. The faith of Jesus was that all souls are precious and made in the image of God. That is why he came to save the whole world.  John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

James 2:1-9 KJV

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?

Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

S.T.
Acts 20:24
"But none of these things move me..."