This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
James 2:5
5 Hearken [akouo], my [mou] beloved [agapetos] brethren [adelphos], Hath [eklegomai] not [ou] God [theos] chosen [eklegomai] the poor [ptochos] of this [toutou] world [kosmos] rich [plousios] in [en] faith [pistis], and [kai] heirs [kleronomos] of the kingdom [basileia] which [hos] he hath promised [epaggello] to them that love [agapao] him [autos]? KJV-Interlinear
5 Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? NASB
Every person who is born into this world has the potential of being saved. Anyone can believe in Christ and anyone can grow up spiritually.
However, those who have few worldly resources to depend on, can potentially have more interest and thus rely more on God and faith, than those who have wealth.
The difference between the two, rich and poor, has to do with where they place their trust, or to whom they look for help, in time of need.
The wealthy have money, assets, and financial resources. The wealthy can purchase insurance, pay for legal council, and they can afford to buy new, or buy their way out of a fix if the need arises. So, there is the ever present tendency to rely on ones possessions.
The poor, on the other hand, lack these things. They cannot defend themselves in court. They cannot afford insurance. They cannot pay their monthly bills, or get things fixed when they break. The poor usually have poor credit, which limits their ability to finance purchases. When difficulties come along, they are without resources and thus face greater hardships in life.
The poor nearly always find themselves between the proverbial rock and hard place. And by the way, the poor generally includes nearly everyone from the upper middle class, downward. And why the upper middle class? Well, they generally are strapped with mortgages and debts, and live beyond their means, which gives them some form of pressure in life. And though they have greater resources than the working stiff's of the world, they are not the wealthy class of whom James has been speaking.
James contrasted those who have nothing, with those who are mega wealthy. The multi-millionaire vs. the destitute. And when both of these folks go to a church service, then what is likely to be found in the heart of each?
The wealthy is likely to be there for show, while the poor is there out of need.
And of course folks will slobber all over the rich guy, while ignoring the poor man.
Spiritual growth follows spiritual desire, and the underlying assumption here, in this illustration, is that the rich man sees no need for God, faith, or a spiritual life, while the poor man has only those things to turn to as he has no earthly resources to help him in time of need. And, his needs are daily and constant.
There is another view of the phrase, 'poor of the world,' and that has to do with the content of ones soul. If you reject the world, that is, you reject sin, arrogance, evil, and such pursuits, then you are poor in the world. Worldly views are not your focus.
And on the other hand, if your pursuit is in the spiritual realm, then with spiritual growth, you will be rich. Therefore, though poor in worldly soul content, you can be rich in spiritual content within your soul. And this principle can apply to anyone, billionaire or pauper, of course.
Being poor, or middle class, and thus subject to the pressures of life, such that there will be times when you have no resources with which to deal with your problems, is a good thing. This pressure helps you look to God, Christ, doctrine, and your spiritual life.
Being wealthy has the potential of leading you astray from a need for God, by giving you something else to rely on in life.
But then, God is not without adequate tests for both rich and poor. We all will face our eventual death from this life, and if you are wealthy, then the best thing that could possibly happen to you, is to get some terminal illness, which will force you to look to God. This assumes of course that you have generally ignored Him during your life.
You may have enough to pay for all the medical care in the world, but there will always be a point when nothing exists that can help you, and you will have to face the music of reality, so to speak.
As or the rest of us, the monthly bills and daily living pressures are enough to drive us to intense prayer, because that is all we have.
