(a) Recount James' advice to Christians on how the poor and the rich should be treated in the church .
(b) State four reasons why people should not discriminate against each other.
Explanation
A. JAMES' ADVICE TO CHRISTIANS ON HOW THE POOR AND THE RICH SHOULD BE TREATED IN THE CHURCH (JAMES 2:1-13)
i. James admonished Christians to show no partiality to anyone (rich or poor) but to accept others as they are equal before God.
ii. They are ambassadors of Christ and hold the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ.
iii. As an example, James pointed out that a man who is well dressed and the poor man in shabby clothes should be treated equally.
iv. If preferential treatment is given to the rich man over the poor man, then one is guilty of partiality.
v. Showing partiality is not only causing division but also, assuming the role of judges with evil intentions or thought.
vi. To this end, no distinction should be made among Christians, for God does not make distinctions.
vii. James further taught that God has chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to become heirs of the kingdom.
viii In showing partiality, the poor man has been dishonoured.
ix. The rich who is honoured and favoured when shown partiality is the one who oppresses the poor and drags him to court.
x, Worst still, the rich blasphemes the honourable name of God..
xi. To this end, it is imperative to fulfill the royal law which states that one should love ones' neighbour as oneself.
xii. When one commits partiality, one commits sin and is convicted by the law.
xiii. He who keeps all but one law fails in all.
xiv. To illustrate this, James said that God ordered Christians not to commit adultery and at the same time not to kill.
xv. However, breaking one of them will make one guilty of violating all aspects of the law. Both the adulterer and the murderer are transgressors.
xvi. Therefore Christians should speak and act like those cognizance of the law.
xvii. For judgment is without mercy to one who shows no mercy.
xviii. However, mercy triumphs over judgment/justice is tempered with mercy.
B. REASONS WHY PEOPLE SHOULD NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST EACH OTHER
i. Discrimination brings about disunity among various groups.
ii. It does not foster sense of belonging.
iii. It encourages sycophancy, eye service and praise singing
iv. It prevents acceptance of the Gospel
v. It promotes distrust and unhealthy rivalry and mistrust/hatred.
vi. It retards progress and co-operation among people.
vii. It stifles peoples imagination/creativity/innovation! initiative
viii. It leads to under development. ix. It does not encourage equal opportunity for all.
x. It creates acrimony/conflicts.
xi. Discrimination breeds tribalism! sectionalism! nepotism.
xii. It encourages greediness and selfishness.
xiii. It retards spiritual development.
