James 2:15-20, "If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?"
When interpreting any particular passage of Scripture, the worst thing we can do is lift the text our of context to create a new pretext. That is, teaching something that the Bible does not teach. This is what some in the New IFB have done with Romans 10:13, basing their heresy that you cannot be saved without praying to be saved. They lifted this one verse out of context, while ignoring the entire Gospel of John. In John we find the word "believe" mentioned 85 times, without any requirement to "pray" to be saved. Faith is enough. We are saved by receiving Christ, not by praying (John 1:12-13).
My humble opinion of James 2:19 is this. First, let me quote the passage. James 2:15-20, "If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?"
The Apostle James says that if you have food and housing, and a brother in Christ comes to you asking for food or a place to stay, but you don't help him, you have a poor testimony as a child of God. When I attended Campus Church on July 4th, 2021 at the church picnic and told Pastor Jeff Redlin that I was homeless, sleeping in Walmart's parking lot, he couldn't have cared less. Pastor Redlin could have easily helped me, with all their resources at PCC. There were several hundred church members present that day at their 4th of July picnic. He could have made a simple phone call for someone to put me up for the night.
I didn't ask nor expect his help, but in hindsight he should and could have helped me. I saw the startled look on his face when I kindly told him that I was homeless, so I know that he heard me. PCC has thousands of empty dorm rooms during the summer. Pastor Redlin cruelly walked away, because he didn't care, which is exactly what James is talking about here. When you have the ability and opportunity to help a hurting Christian brother, but you don't, you don't have God's love or compassion, and you have a horrible Christian testimony!
Anyway, the Apostle James goes on to say that your testimony is only as good as your works as a saint. The issue here is NOT salvation. In the Epistle of Romans, the Apostle Paul speaks of being justified in the eyes of God BY FAITH (Romans 4:1-7). However, the Apostle James in speaking about being justified in the eyes of men, BY WORKS.
So James says that if you see a brother in need, and you refuse to help him (like Pastor Redlin refused to help me in 2021 and still today), your testimony is tarnished because of your lack of good deeds (works). Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." When we don't do the right thing as believers, we become toxic to those around us (Hebrews 12:14-15).
So James uses the fallen angels as an example of having a poor testimony. They also believe in God, but tremble in fear knowing that the time of their judgment is coming. Again, the issue here is NOT salvation, it is how we choose to live as believers. James says, "Look, even the devils profess faith in God, but look at how evil they are, phonies. And likewise when you fail to love and help your Christian brother in need, you are no better than the demons. You are a phony too!"
To properly interpret this passage, you need to understand that everything James is saying is premised upon a Christian brother who refuses to help another Christian brother in need. Read the passage again and you will see. This passage of Scripture has Pastor Jeff Redlin's name written all over it. When I asked and needed his help, he just walked away. And now that I have been pleading just to attend Campus Church, he still cruelly refuses. The guy won't even communicate with me, because he is a rich man full of sinful pride and arrogance. What does that say about him? It plainly says that he is no better than the demons, who believe in God but do evil, trembling in fear in their rebellion.
I humbly think this passage in James chapter 2 is all about being justified in the sight of men, not God. What saith the Scripture? 1st Samuel 16:7, "But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." Do you see? The Lord seeth not as man seeth. The Bible says man looks on THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, but the Lord looks upon THE HEART. It is because men cannot see our heart that they judge us by our WORKS.
Clear evidence of this is James' own words in James 2:18, "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." Notice that James says "𝘚𝘩𝘦𝘸 𝘮𝘦" and I will "𝘚𝘩𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘦." James is speaking about being justified by works in men's sight, not God's.
Genesis 4:9, “And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?” Yes, Cain, you are your brother's keeper. The 1960's singing group, The Hollies, had it right in their popular song: “He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother”...
The Hollies: “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”
(2019 Remaster Video)
It is so sad that the secular world understands the importance of looking out for each other, and carrying one another's burdens when we are down and needy, while many shameful independent Baptist pastors throw hurting people under the bus. Shame on Marty Herron, Joe Hensen, Jared Baldwin, Gary Walton and the Harvest Baptist Church on Guam, for ostracizing and banning me from attending church for 7 long years (2014 to 2021). I finally moved 9,000 miles away from Guam to Pensacola, Florida in 2021.
Revelation 3:15-17, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:”
Pastor Redlin mistreated me as a hurting divorced person, made insensitive remarks in front of his wife one Sunday morning, and made me feel like garbage. When I humbly emailed Pastor Redlin to let him know that he made me “feel like garbage,” his cruel reply was: “That is your reality.” He might as well have said: “You feel like garbage because you are garbage!” Campus Church needs a MUCH better pastor, one who actually walks with God and loves people with God's unconditional love. There is no compassion at PCC. Read what their own alumni are negatively saying about PCC....
“Don't go here if you're a Christian; they don't actually follow the Bible. They just use it as an excuse to treat people like trash.” —Danielle Tate (2016)“This institution did more to harm my personal development than any other. As a 38 year old professional, I still bear the scars of how I was treated by this harsh, unloving, uncaring college.” —Greg S (2015), a former abused PCC student“17 years later and I'm still shaking off the trauma. So many extra-biblical rules it'll make your head spin. Great place for Pharisaical training if your into that. The rule book has more rules than the Bible.” —Jorn Anderson (September 2022), former mistreated PCC student“Pcc is the worst school ever. It was a complete waste of my time and money. They kicked me out for going to the wrong Sunday school class. And that was a year ago. They still will not release my transcripts which has put me behind in my college career. They schools not be called a Christian college if they cannot even live by what the Bible has to say. If I was able to take it all back and not go there I would in a heartbeat. I am warning you if you are thinking about going DONT DO IT!!!!” —Gavin Bufford (2017), abused former PCC student“I'm a 2018 graduate of PCC and I went here for all 4 years. It's really sad that this place calls itself Christian, its legalistic places like pcc that give Christians a bad name. They do have a lot of rules regulating most areas of life. I was treated very poorly and rude by several "Christians" on staff and faculty and I saw many of my friends treated the same way. I've personally seen people who were once people I would hang out with, when given positions of leadership become legalistic monsters taking joy in getting as many students in trouble as possible, and this is done in the name of Christ! As a student you are guilty until proven innocent and can be kicked out just because someone accuses you of something.” —Nick Harrison (2019), a mistreated PCC alumni“It is NOT a friendly environment. All they care about is rules instead of encouraging and building you up in your Christian walk.” —Hannah Elizabeth Kirchhoff (December 2022), mistreated former PCC student“They call themselves Christians, but Christians are supposed to show compassion and patience.” —Angela (January 2023), mistreated former PCC student“In retrospect, I thank God for not having the opportunity to attend here (Pensacola Christian College) and myself for not making the decision to enroll.” —Richard Deuto (January 2023)“Crackpot unaccredited school.” —Meryl Montgomery (November 2022)
SOURCE: Google reviews
This is what the inspired Word of God is condemning in James 2:15-21, throwing your brother under the bus when he needs your compassion and help. Where dwelleth the love of God? It is tragic that the cult system always comes first at PCC, but individual people do not matter. Dear friend, people just want to be loved. When Judas betrayed the dear Savior to be crucified, the first thing Jesus said to him was: “Friend” (Matthew 26:50b). The test of our Christian character is not whether we love Jesus, but do we love Judas Iscariot? Either you love everyone, or else you love no one!
“There are a lot of people tat just need somebody to care. That's all! A warm hand—listen—You'll never know. You'll never know in your life, how hard it is for somebody that's gone into deep sin, to come back to church and get right! You'll never know!” —Pastor Jack Hyles, a precious quote from the great MP3 sermon, "A Smoking Flax Shall He Not Quench" (preached in 1986)
I truly wish that the unloving, cold and uncompassionate pastors and leaders at Pensacola Christian College (PCC) would learn this important truth. They are blinded by their worldly success, having more money and people they they need, which has hardened their hearts at PCC. One of the hardest things for a newcomer to any church is just taking the first step to go there. I was nervous and felt like a fish out of water the first week that I attended Campus Church at PCC in July of 2021.
Sadly, Pastor Redlin scolded me 2 days after I first met him, for kindly mentioning that as a divorced man for 15 years, I finally hoped to move on with my life and find a wife at Campus Church. That is a bad pastor! Mr. Redlin never once told me that he cared about me. He never offered to pray with me, nor did he tell me that he was praying for me. Jeff never told me once over several months that God loves me, or that I am welcomed at Campus Church. He never said he was glad that I came to their church. Redlin never showed any compassion or regard for the stenosis and radiculitis in my spinal cord, which afflicts me with neck and body pain, radiating pain in my arms and legs, causes both arms to feel inflated with air all the time, and incessant burning nerves 24/7. I kindly told Pastor Redlin of my health afflictions, but he didn't care one bit. Jeff Redlin was brash, insensitive and unkind, just like the Devil.
Pastor Redlin didn't care about me as a hurting human being, and shamefully he still doesn't care, even though I have pleaded with him and PCC, for their love and help. All I want is to come to Campus Church! Is that so much to ask? Yes, their brother is too heavy to bear at PCC and Campus Church. What ungodly religious hypocrites!!! The problem goes much deeper than just a coldhearted, carnal and uncompassionate pastor at PCC, it indicts the entire PCC camp because they all sanction this type of unchristian hatred, mistreatment and arrogant pride. I know God will be their Judge, but someone needs to expose the abusive culture at PCC, so others will steer clear of going to their cult. Any so-called "church" that bans people from coming to church is a CULT!
I want to repeat the precious earlier quote again, because it is so true and needful in churches today...
“There are a lot of people that just need somebody to care. That's all! A warm hand—listen—You'll never know. You'll never know in your life, how hard it is for somebody that's gone into deep sin, to come back to church and get right! You'll never know!” —Pastor Jack Hyles
And so, I have elaborated on James chapter 2, relating it to my own life. PCC sees my need, but I am too heavy for them to bear enough to allow me just to attend church services. Yet those stiff-necked hypocrites will sit there and sing religious songs, play church, and never give a second thought about me (their needy brother) that they just flushed down the toilet. Real great testimonies at PCC, huh? This is what the Apostle condemned in James 2:15-21, not loving and having compassion on one another. Did not our blessed Savior make a big deal of loving one another? Yes, Jesus sure did! ...
John 13:34, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”
John 15:12, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”
John 15:17, “These things I command you, that ye love one another.”
Most Bible students read James 2:18-21 without ever paying attention to verses 15 and 16 to get the context of this passage. James is making all these statements to elaborate on helping our Christian brother in need. Please don't miss the great heart of God in this passage. If we fail to have compassion on one another, and don't love each other with the same love wherewith Christ loves us, then we are just like the phony devils, who believe in God but do evil. John 15:12b, “That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”
I'm thinking that you've probably never heard James chapter 2 interpreted this way before, but you can read it for yourself. In verses 15 and 16, James says that if you see your Christian brother in need and you fail to help him, your don't have good works to validate your faith in the sight of your fellow human neighbours. Your faith is dead. It is faith (meaning you are saved), but your faith is lifeless, your Christian testimony is dead and ineffective for God. You are just like the fallen angels, who believe in God but have no works.
James is not relating carnal saints to the damnation of the fallen angels; but rather, to their hypocrisy. This is what I humbly believe James is teaching. How is your testimony dear reader? What do people say about you? Your reputation is what men know about you; your character is what God knows about you. Thank you for reading my blogs. Jesus is precious!!!
Genesis 4:9, “And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?”
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