The book of James - Chapter 2

Verse 1, my brothers, do not hold the belief of our Master Yahusha Messiah, the Master of esteem, with partiality. 

Partiality – bias, prejudice, favouritism or unfairness. There is only one belief, meaning do not have a different believe system between certain people. There is only one way in believing in Messiah not different ways and this belief is expressed to other people in the same way. 

Verse 2 – 4, for if there should come into your meeting a man with gold rings, in a splendid robe, and there should also come in a poor one dressed in rags, and you pay attention to the one wearing the splendid robe and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor one, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves, and become judges with wicked thoughts? 

Ya’aqob or Yaakov (James) is straight forward! This happened in his time and still happens today. Nothing is new under the sun! We all are guilty of doing this at one or more times. It is not wrong to be with someone that shares the same belief or culture as you do but what Ya’aqob is saying is not to give a rich or well-dressed person that shares the same belief as you a better place to sit then a poor or unwell-dressed person that shares the same belief, to sit at the back of the room on the floor. Do not look at the outwardly side of a person but treat everyone equally in belief. This verse is not about the unbeliever vs. the believer or poor vs. the rich or ugly looking vs. the good looking. It is about the poor believer vs. the rich believer or the ugly looking believer vs. the good looking believer or the one believer that gives little vs. the one believer that gives many. Not treating the one better than the other. 

Verse 5, listen, my beloved brothers: Has Elohim not chosen the poor of this world, rich in belief and heirs of the reign which He promised to those who love Him? 

Elohim choses those who truly believe in Him! To Messiah it does not matter how that person looks like, it is his/her heart that Messiah sees, not if he is rich or poor, neatly dressed or in rags, pretty or ugly, fat or thin, educated or uneducated! If you believe in Messiah and accepted Him, He has chosen you no matter whom or how you are. Do not confuse this with living in sin, example, murdering, homosexuality, lying, stealing, and adultery and so on! That is what rich in belief means; doing what Messiah asks you to do, like not committing adultery for example. 

Verse 6-7, but you have shown disrespect towards the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme that good Name by which you are called? 

The believer who is poor should be treated in the same way as the rich believer! Most of the rich only wants status and most will stop at nothing achieving this. The rich wants to be richer and they will drag anyone to the courts that come against them. Most of the self-seeking ones do not need Yahusha Messiah and will disregard a believer in Messiah and call him/her many ugly names. 

Verse 8-9, if you truly accomplish the sovereign law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” you do well, but if you show partiality, you commit sin, being found guilty by the Torah as transgressors. 

If you truly love Messiah, obey Him and keep His commands, you will treat all believers equally and love them. But if you show unfairness to your fellow believer, you are committing sin and are guilty of breaking the commandments. 

Verse 10, for whoever shall guard all the Torah, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 

This verse warns us once again to keep all Ten Words (commandments). If you struggle to do one command, you are guilty of breaking all. 

Verse 11, for He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of Torah. 

Messiah also said if you look at a woman and lust after her, you have committed adultery in your heart. Anyone that keeps the Torah but supports abortion or homosexuality is a transgressor of the Torah. 

Verse 12 – 13, so speak and so do as those who are to be judged by a Torah of freedom. For the judgment is without compassion to the one who has shown no compassion. And compassion boasts over judgment. 

The Torah of freedom is placed in your heart and you continue in it, not becoming a hearer that forgets, but a doerer that remembers. Blessing is for you doing the Torah. The one that does not show compassion to anyone during his/her life must not expect compassion on judgement day. Show compassion rather than judging. Does not mean you may not judge but remember to be compassion while helping someone in the right direction. 

Verse 14, my brothers, what use is it for anyone to say he has belief but does not have works? This belief is unable to save him. 

Talk the talk or worship by lips only, will not get anyone into Yahusha’s kingdom. Your belief must come from the heart not only from talking. Do you love Elohim, if you do, do what He asks you to do. You cannot only be a hearer and not do what you hear! Deeds are the evidence of your faith as Yahuah's spirit is not barren and if there is no deed to back up your faith, then you don't have any faith.

 

Verse 15 – 17, and if a brother or sister is naked and in need of daily food, but one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” but you do not give them the bodily needs, what use is it? So also belief, if it does not have works, is in itself dead. 

Good example of believe without works. If your brother needs food and you tell him you are sorry to hear that he/she has no food and say to him/her that you will pray for him to receive food but you do not give him/her something to eat, is the same as belief without works. 

Verse 18, but someone might say, “You have belief, and I have works.” Show me your belief without your works, and I shall show you my belief by my works. 

What fruit do you bear? Believe must bear fruit! Being a good person is not bearing fruit of belief! Doing Father’s will, doing as Messiah does is bearing fruit of faith. 

Verse 19, you believe that Elohim is one. You do well. The demons also believe – and shudder! 

Can you see the difference in belief! Demons believe too but do they show the works of belief? No they do not! 

Verse 20, but do you wish to know, O foolish man, that the belief without the works is dead? 

O you stupid fool, if you do not have works of believe, you are dead. Many are taught only to say they believe in Messiah and do nothing else. You can continue to live in sin and still say you believe in Messiah and that is okay. Remember verse 19, the demons also believe!

Verse 21 – 22, was not Abraham our father declared right by works when he offered Yitssaq (Isaac) his son on the altar? Do you see that the belief was working with his works, and by the works the belief was perfected? 

Abraham was a good example who believed Father Yahuah by doing what Father asked him to do with regards to his son Isaac. Abraham was prepared to offer up his son because he trusted Father and believed Him. And because Abraham believed and obeyed, he was blessed. Abraham’s belief was perfect belief. 

Verse 23, and the Scripture was filled which says, “Abraham believed Elohim, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness.” And he was called, “Elohim’s friend.” 

Abraham was blessed with many promises because he did what Yahuah asked him to do. Abraham had a very close relationship with Elohim. Genesis 15:6, and he believed in Yahuah, and He reckoned it to him for righteousness. This is how Abram’s (Abraham’s) walk with Elohim began, followed by what we read in 17:1, and it came to be when Abram was ninety-nine years old, that Yahuah appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Âl Shaddai – walk before Me and be perfect (Messiah gives the same command in Matthew. 5:48). Then we read in 26:5 how Yahuah bears witness of Abraham; because Abraham obeyed My voice and guarded My Charge: My commands, My laws, and My Torot (Torah).” Isaiah 41.8, “But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the descendants of Abraham My friend… 

Verse 24, you see, then, that a man is declared right by works, and not by belief alone. 

Belief alone is not good enough, need works of belief! People and Elohim need to see the fruits of your believe not just lip talking. Actions speak louder than words! 

Verse 25, in the same way, was not Rahab the whore also declared right by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 

Remember her in Joshua 2 (Yahusha) when she put her life on the line to guard the Israelite spies that came to Jericho. She did not only believe in Almighty, she took action to protect the people that where from the Almighty.  

Verse 26, for as the body without the spirit is dead, so also the belief is dead without the works. 

You are dead when you no longer have the spirit, so too are you dead when your belief is without doing!

Praise Yah