When Mr. Goldfinger Comes To Church

Kent Hughes tells the story of a poor woman, someone who “lived across the tracks,” as we used to say, who wanted to join a well-to-do church. She had attended a number of times, and the people seemed friendly enough. She also liked the preaching. 

So, one day, she made an appointment with the pastor to discuss membership. He told her that joining a church was an important decision and that she should take the week to really consider it. She returned the next week and said she definitely wanted to join. “Well, now, let’s don’t rush things,” the pastor told her. Why don’t you go home and dive into your Bible to see if the Lord really wants you to join our church?” 

She wasn’t happy about being put off, but she agreed. Returning the next week, she assured the pastor she believed his church was where the Lord wanted her. “I have one more suggestion,” the pastor said. “Pray every day this week and ask God specifically if He wants you to join our fellowship.” 

The pastor didn’t see her for the next six months, but he ran into her one day on the street. He asked her what she had decided. She said, “I did exactly what you instructed. I went home and prayed every day about joining your church. Well, one day, while I was praying, the Lord said to me, ‘Don’t worry about not getting into that church. I’ve been trying to get into it for the last 20 years.’”

Here’s a truth you should write down that is applicable to churches corporately and Christians individually: How you treat others who are different from you is a test of whether or not you are really saved. If someone could follow you around for a week or two, unseen and unknown, what would they witness as you interact with the janitorial staff at your office? 

Or how about the wait staff at the restaurants you visit? What would those relationships, brief as they may be, tell me about your spiritual maturity and what you believe about God? 

It’s easy for churches and Christians to adopt the attitude of the holy huddle—us four and no more, which makes John’s admonition sting all the more: 

The theological word we could write in the margins next to John’s comment is hypocrisy, which, in the words of Ambrose Bierce, is “One who, professing virtues that he does not respect, secures the advantage of seeming to be what he despises.”

I’ve titled our series in James “How To Know If You’re Really Saved.” Throughout this series, we’ve seen that genuine faith produces spiritual fruit that is visible to everyone. Where there is no fruit, there is no faith.

James describes a wide array of spiritual fruits. Our faith should result in perseverance when assaulted by trials, victory when challenged by temptation, and obedience when convicted by the Word of God.   

Let’s see how faith manifests itself in our treatment of others different than ourselves. This is a message about prejudice—that is, prejudging others based on external circumstances—judging people by the color of their skin, or by education, their political preferences, or, as in this instance, by the size of their bank account. James says that one evidence of genuine faith is our refusal to prejudge people by external circumstances.

1. The Exhortation (James 2:1)

James begins this section with the phrase “my brethren.” “Brethren” is a translation of the Greek Word “Aldelphoi”—literally “From the same womb.” Regardless of their differences, all Christians come from the same womb, so to speak. We are connected because we have been born again through Jesus Christ.

This phrase is more than just a transition; it is a reminder of the sacred bond that exists between all believers. It is fitting that the apostle would remind his readers of this bond of commonality before addressing the subject of partiality in the church.

2. The Illustration (James 2:2-3)

• The Situation

The phrase “if a man comes into your assembly” is a third-class condition in Greek, indicating a hypothetical situation–unbelievers did not normally come to church. But sometimes they did.  1 Corinthians 14:23 indicates that the early church should be prepared for the visit of an unbeliever: “If therefore the church should assemble together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad?”

While this is a hypothetical situation that James creates, there is enough detail in it to indicate that his readers have probably witnessed this occurrence before.

• The First Visitor (James 2:2a)

The first man to enter the church in this example is—literally—a “gold-fingered” man. He does not have just one fine ring but a ring on every finger of the left hand. In Roman society, the rings were a sign of great wealth. There were shops where one could even rent rings for special occasions as a pretense of wealth.

The phrase “fine clothes” comes from the Greek word “lampra” which means “shining” or “bright.” The picture that James is painting is of a man who comes into the church dressed in such a way as to draw attention to himself.  

• The Second Visitor (James 2:2b)

Notice that at the same time, there enters a man, also a visitor, who probably only owns one garment that is badly soiled—and the word indicates smelly—because of its constant use.

• The Two Responses (James 2:3)

What is the response of the congregation? To look with favor or “envy” upon the one who is wearing fine clothes. The repeated reference to the flashy apparel of the rich man indicates how much their judgment of this man is based upon external appearance. 

So impressed is the congregation with this man that they forget the reason they have assembled together—to worship God—and begin throwing themselves at this man, trying to win his approval. They offer him the choice seat in the house!

But notice that the second visitor, the one in the soiled clothing, is quickly dealt with. “Stand over there, or sit down by my footstool.” He not only does not rate a pew, he doesn’t even rate a seat on the speaker’s footstool! To the congregation, this visitor represents an unnecessary inconvenience that needs to be quickly dealt with and dismissed.

3. The Explanation (James 2:4-8)

James asserts that this is a perfect example of being a respecter of persons. “Have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil motives?” 

The phrase “judges with evil motives” represents a constant theme through this letter—that of being double-minded—saying one thing but acting another way. James describes a person who professes one belief system but acts according to another.  

For these believers to favor the rich over the poor is just further evidence that they are double-minded and do not have a walk with Christ that is consistent with their profession of faith. Why?

• To Favor the Rich Subjugates the Plan of God (James 2:5)
• To Favor the Rich Violates Logic (James 2:6b-7)
• To Favor the Rich Demonstrates a Lack of Faith (James 2:8)

4. The Application (James 2:9-13)

To draw a conclusion, favoring one person over another based on the appearance of wealth is wrong.  And that can go both ways. To assume that someone who is wealthy can’t be a dedicated Christian or must have compromised ethics to gain his wealth is wrong.

Why is so much space given to this subject? Why is it so wrong to show a preference for the rich in the church?

• To Show Partiality Is Contrary to the Nature of God
• To Show Preference Toward the Rich Prioritizes the Material Over the Spiritual
• To Show Preference to the Rich Prioritizes the Temporal Over the Eternal

Full Passage: James 2:1-13