James 2:1 (AMP)
MY BRETHREN, pay no servile regard to people [show no prejudice, no partiality]. Do not [attempt to] hold and practice the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ [the Lord] of glory [together with snobbery]!
In the Body of Christ, we must be very careful never to forget where we’ve come from. Too often, salvation is equated to an attitude of entitlement in the church. Yet, God is not a God that recognizes or cares about social class.
It’s sad to note that after all these years of war, civil rights movements, religious reform, global revivals and desegregation, that the church still turns a nose up to those we feel are not “worthy” to be associated with us. I thank God that Jesus didn’t have the same attitude.
God is not pleased with our attempts to turn His house into a social club that admits only those who fit our own criteria. He is not a respecter of persons, and we are to be like Him.
A quick observation… God has gifted me with a heart and ministry for young people. For many of them, discrimination is cited as the number one reason they don’t attend church. Judgment for appearance or the lack of cash deters our young people from seeking Christian fellowship, and that’s a problem. That’s blood on our hands!
We must not forget the state we were in when God accepted us through the blood of His Son, Jesus. We were yet sinners! It is not of ourselves, our accomplishments, our money, our appearance, our works or our status that we are saved, but by faith and grace alone (Ephesians 2:8). Selah.
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