My God and My Country

 James 2:1,5 - Geneva Bible

1 My brethren, have not the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ in respect of persons.

5 Hearken my beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world, that they should be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him?

Father, help me this day to understand Your words – amen

Brethren:

The Creator is not a respecter of persons as far as the wealthy are concerned. Herein James sayest that men will reveal the evilness in their hearts by preferring the wealthy over the poor. This is not in line with what Christ hath said. God by contrast will take the opposite view that it is the poor and neglected of this world that will be heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven. This is not to say that the wealthy and those of their kind cannot come to Christ, for all that give themselves over to Him will be saved. What is being said is that ALL men, no matter rank or degree should be honored.  RP Woitowitz

“The apostle proceeds to show that the rich, as such, had no special claim on their favor, and that the poor in fact might be made more entitled to esteem than they were. This is the first argument which the apostle suggests why the poor should not be treated with neglect. It is, that God has had special reference to them in choosing those who should be his children. The meaning is not that he is not as willing to save the rich as the poor, for he has no partiality; but that there are circumstances in the condition of the poor which make it more likely that they will embrace the offers of the gospel than the rich; and that in fact the great mass of believers is taken from those who are in comparatively humble life. Though poor in this world‘s goods, they are rich in a higher and more important sense. They have faith in God their Savior; and in this world of trial and of sin, that is a more valuable possession than piles of hoarded silver or gold. A man who has that is sure that he will have all that is truly needful for him in this world and the next; a man who has it not, though he may have the wealth of Croesus, will be utterly without resources in respect to the great wants of his existence. Faith in God the Saviour will answer more purposes, and accomplish more valuable ends for man, than the wealth of the Indies could: and this the poor may have as well as the rich.” - Albert Barnes