The Power of One Illustration

James 2
If it is true that the 1st Century Roman Empire had no middle class, just very rich folks and very poor folks, then the early church to whom James is writing to would not be anything like the very middle class church you and I attend. The folks in the 1st Century pews (ha!) were either dirt poor or filthy rich (notice how we use the terms “dirt” and “filthy” to refer to both classes?).
This new movement called “The Way” was more than likely the first social institution where people from both ends of the economic spectrum socialized together. It was, in a sociological sense, a big experiment. Naturally, James had to offer some advice to the poor and rich folk who were suddenly members of the same social group.

Historically, the church has done very well integrating these two diverse groups. Throughout history, churches have always allowed poor and rich to worship together. O sure, they were separated by different sections of the building (boxed pews up front for the rich, standing room for the poor in the back), but at least they were always under the same roof. In fact, the local church was the only occasion that the rich elite and the poor commoner would ever be found under the same roof.

But it took the church almost 2 millenniums to discover that integration was needed on more than just economic lines. They are needed among racial lines as well. While rich and poor could worship in the same building at the same time, that has not always been the case with people of different racial groups!

Just imagine how different history would have been if James had used the example of a Roman and a Jew worshipping together instead of a gold-bedecked, well-clothed rich man and a shabbily-dressed poor man. Imagine if the church had shed its racism during its infancy.
The world would have developed much differently.

“But if you are treating one person as if he were more important than another, then you are sinning.” James 2.9 (NCV)