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The Sin Of Snobbery

Nut

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James 2:1-13 (NKJV)​

2:1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. 2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” 4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? 7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called? 8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 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 the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
 
James 2:1-13 is a New Testament passage that strictly forbids showing favoritism (or partiality) and commands believers to treat all people with equal love and mercy.

Here are the core themes and teachings of this passage:

1. The Sin of Favoritism

James uses a practical example: if a wealthy person in fine clothes and jewelry enters a church assembly, and a poor person in shabby clothes enters right after, giving the rich person the best seat while telling the poor person to sit on the floor is a sin. It is judging others with "evil thoughts" and superficial motives.

2. God's View of the Poor
James reminds believers that the poor in this world are chosen by God to be rich in faith and heirs of His kingdom. Showing partiality to the rich dishonors the poor, especially since the rich are often the ones exploiting people and dragging them to court.

3. The "Royal Law"
The passage highlights the "royal law" found in Scripture: "Love your neighbor as yourself." If a person keeps the whole law but stumbles in one point—like showing favoritism—they are guilty of breaking all of it.

4. Mercy and Judgment
Believers are instructed to act and speak as those who will be judged by the "law that gives freedom." James warns that judgment will be without mercy for those who have not shown mercy, concluding with the powerful truth: "Mercy triumphs over judgment."
 
James reeks of sour grapes. Maybe that's why he only ended up with one book in the Bible. :biggrin::confused:

How do you expect to attract more followers by glorifying poverty?

Every HDB resident hopes to move into private property one day. Likewise, many believers see material prosperity as a sign of God's blessing and believe that achieving financial success brings glory to God. :rolleyes::biggrin:

The idealization of poverty sits uneasily alongside Jesus' invitation: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you." If the Christian life is fundamentally oriented toward the abundance of God's grace and the confident expectation that those who seek will receive, then elevating material deprivation as an ideal appears to invert the logic of the Gospel.

I have little doubt that James is materially poor, and that his poverty may be read by some, even within Christian circles, as a sign of insufficient faith. In that sense, material condition risks becoming not merely economic reality but a moralized verdict on belief itself.

James apparently needs to establish credibility first - perhaps by driving a luxury car.:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
 
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James reeks of sour grapes. Maybe that's why he only ended up with one book in the Bible.


"And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."
- Matthew 19:24​
 
Showing partiality to the rich dishonors the poor, especially since the rich are often the ones exploiting people and dragging them to court.
Hey, that’s not fair. The wealthy tend to contribute more in tithes, which not only sustains the church but also supports the livelihood and lifestyle of its pastors.

On the other hand, the poor rely on CDC vouchers and various government handouts to get by, do you really expect them to provide financial support for pastors?

If pastors are not adequately compensated, it may be challenging for them to pursue marriage. In the end, they might succumb to women and sex more easily, especially if lewd photos were shared among fellow members in the name of appreciating God's creation. :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:
 
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Hey, that’s not fair. The wealthy tend to contribute more in tithes, which not only sustains the church but also supports the livelihood and lifestyle of its pastors.​
TB says sour grapes :tongue:
 
Hey, that’s not fair. The wealthy tend to contribute more in tithes, which not only sustains the church but also supports the livelihood and lifestyle of its pastors.

On the other hand, the poor rely on CDC vouchers and various government handouts to get by, do you really expect them to provide financial support for pastors?​
Being “snobby” is not a characteristic of true christianity. When a true Christian is born again by the Holy Spirit, the evidence is that that person is changed into one having a new nature bearing the fruit of the Spirit, which Galations chapter 5 lists as love, kindness, patience, longsuffering to name a few. Being snobby may be evidence that this person does not have the Holy Spirit at all and is not a true christian. As Christians, as we grow nearer to God we realize our depravity and our need for God . We are greatly humbled, not conceited. We know we are nothing without God. We become dependent upon His righteosness. There are a great many scriptures against being “puffed up”. :tongue:
 
Being “snobby” is not a characteristic of true christianity. When a true Christian is born again by the Holy Spirit, the evidence is that that person is changed into one having a new nature bearing the fruit of the Spirit, which Galations chapter 5 lists as love, kindness, patience, longsuffering to name a few. Being snobby may be evidence that this person does not have the Holy Spirit at all and is not a true christian. As Christians, as we grow nearer to God we realize our depravity and our need for God . We are greatly humbled, not conceited. We know we are nothing without God. We become dependent upon His righteosness. There are a great many scriptures against being “puffed up”. :tongue:
I just added another paragraph.
 
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If pastors are not adequately compensated, it may be challenging for them to pursue marriage. In the end, they might succumb to women and sex more easily, especially if lewd photos were shared among fellow members in the name of appreciating God's creation. :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:
Sounds exactly like PAP people. :laugh:
 
Being “snobby” is not a characteristic of true christianity. When a true Christian is born again by the Holy Spirit, the evidence is that that person is changed into one having a new nature bearing the fruit of the Spirit, which Galations chapter 5 lists as love, kindness, patience, longsuffering to name a few. Being snobby may be evidence that this person does not have the Holy Spirit at all and is not a true christian. As Christians, as we grow nearer to God we realize our depravity and our need for God . We are greatly humbled, not conceited. We know we are nothing without God. We become dependent upon His righteosness. There are a great many scriptures against being “puffed up”. :tongue:
Crying ‘snobbery’ is often the weapon of those driven by sour grapes. :rolleyes:
 
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James 2:1-13 (NKJV)​

2:1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. 2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” 4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? 7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called? 8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 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 the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Are you trying to invite comments by True Believer by starting this thread?
 
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"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."
~Matthew 6:24
 
"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."
~Matthew 6:24
So Prosperity Christianity that City Harvest and New Creation are preaching is no different from fraud. Correct?
 
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