But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
To despise the poor is to show partiality by honoring the rich with the best place while putting the poor in a low place with coldness, contempt and neglect, becoming judges with evil thoughts against the law of love to neighbor. The verse exposes this favoritism as folly, since it is the rich who oppress believers and drag them before courts and judgment seats while dishonoring the worthy name by which they are called. God has chosen the poor to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom promised to those who love Him, so those who are slighted by men are not less regarded by Him. He recognizes no distinction of rank, wealth, color, learning or worldly honor, but values men by character, motive and oneness with Christ, judging impartially so that riches neither excuse injustice nor alter the final reckoning. Therefore honoring the rich while slighting the poor is a crime in His sight, for the poor are dear and precious to Christ, and to neglect them is to neglect Christ in His people, while faith without practical care for the needy is dead and cannot save.
Rebuke of Partiality
To despise the poor is to show partiality by giving the rich or favored a good place while putting the poor in a low place or hard place with coldness, contempt and neglect. It is to become judges with evil thoughts and to break the command to love one's neighbor as oneself. Such partiality to the rich while dishonoring the poor is sin that calls for repentance.
The verse states that rich men oppress believers and draw them before judgment seats and courts. It exposes the injustice of favoring the rich who may oppress and bring others before the courts, which applies to excluding the despised from worship and fellowship. That oppression is connected with blaspheming the worthy royal name by which believers are called. That name is Christian, the royal name given to those who join themselves to Christ.
God has chosen the poor to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom promised to those who love Him, so those who are neglected are not less regarded by Him. Every worker is bought by Christ's blood, so forming a confederacy to give favors to a select few while neglecting and wounding others with hard burdens and a grieved spirit is the sin the verse condemns, and the guilt for the temptations that come upon those treated unjustly is charged to those who dealt partially with them. Profession of faith without practical care for people in need cannot save and is dead. Holding tightly to worldly goods and eagerly grasping after them while neglecting the poor and hungry reveals selfishness, fails to live out the truth professed, and contradicts that profession.
God's Impartial Standard
God recognizes no caste or color, no rank or wealth, no learning or worldly honor, and a rich man is counted of no more value for his riches, position, talent, or education. He estimates men as men, with character deciding worth, valuing them by character and motives and by oneness with Christ rather than by rank, wealth, or intellect. He judges impartially, and at the final judgment all are judged by purity, nobility, and love for Christ, so that wealth and position neither excuse injustice nor alter the judgment, and despising the poor for lack of wealth, learning, or worldly honor brings rebuke. Living in the atmosphere in which Christ lives teaches this estimate, requiring recognition of the Spirit of Christ in whomever it is revealed, whether white or black, with no shame in speaking with an honest black man in any place or in shaking him by the hand even though it is black.
Human worth is measured in light of Christ's sacrifice, for every worker is bought by His blood, and God gives blessings to rich and poor alike. Therefore treating wealth as a reason for fear, deference, or favoritism, despising the humble, refusing their companionship for low status, and judging harshly and unkindly is contrary to the gospel, which gives no place to caste or unkind judgment toward those for whom Christ died. Riches, position, talent, education, and gifts weigh nothing in the scale with God unless all are brought as tribute to lay at His feet with the whole being surrendered to cooperate with the divine agencies to become a vessel unto honor. His design is that men regard themselves as part of the great web of humanity and help one another, pitying and sympathizing with and loving one another, with that impartial generosity guiding how they treat one another.
The sincere and humble poor are precious to God and dear to Christ, whose lives may be marked by struggle and need sympathy and loving attention. Honoring the rich while slighting and neglecting the poor with coldness or contempt, showing favor by social rank, is a crime in His sight. Neglecting and slighting them may mean neglecting and slighting Christ in His people, for slighting a brother for poverty or for color is slighting Christ.
Impartial Love in Practice
The poor are not to be oppressed or neglected in favor of the wealthy, relatives, or friends, but are to receive as much care, attention, courtesy, sympathy, love, and compassion as the rich. Neglecting them in this way can mean neglecting Christ in His people, for they are dear to Him and slighting them is a slight to Him. A poor person who belongs to God is blessed of the Lord and an heir of the immortal inheritance, so poverty is no reason for less care or respect, especially in the presence of the wealthy. Means are to be used to relieve their poverty rather than leaving them slighted or neglected.
Despising people because they are poor is wrong, and the same principle condemns distinctions of color and social rank as well as wealth. Despising Black people because of black skin, holding their minds in a kind of slavery, depressing and trampling them down, and treating them with contempt despises God's workmanship and reproaches God, since they are not responsible for their color and cannot change it. The religion of the Bible recognizes no caste or color and ignores rank, wealth, and worldly honor, for God estimates men as men with character deciding worth. Christians are to recognize the Spirit of Christ in whomever it is revealed without shame, whether white or black, even to speak with an honest black man in any place and shake him by the hand though it is black, living in the atmosphere in which Christ lives. White and black are one free and equal brotherhood, and slighting a brother because of his color is slighting Christ.
Colored people who love God are His property and of as much value in His sight as white people however educated and talented. They are Christ's people and are to be treated as fellow members rather than excluded from worship and church membership, and the wrong done to them should be remedied without extremes. Those who have received many favors from God must live in the light of His countenance and treat those less favored from the Bible standpoint rather than the world's standpoint. This requires bringing Christian influence against prevailing customs and practices of partiality, opposing them by precept and example, treating the colored man just as respectfully as the white man, and acting nobly and courageously without cowardice and without regard to gain or loss to elevate the standard of character and win others to this course. Those more highly favored must lift, educate, and restore as far as possible what was lost through years of privation and slavery, educating to clean, pure souls.
Forming a confederacy to give favors to a select few while neglecting and wounding others with hard burdens and a grieved spirit is the condemned partiality, becoming judges with evil thoughts and breaking the command to love one's neighbor as oneself, since every worker is bought by Christ's blood. Having no interest in the hard Southern field at Nashville, working to keep away means that ought to go there, turning means into other channels, circulating adverse reports, and leaguing as critics to increase the discouragements of brethren doing the hard work instead of helping them, is despising the poor and robbery that displeases God. Showing such partiality to the rich while dishonoring the poor when rich men oppress and bring others before courts is sin that calls for repentance and will be judged. God has chosen the poor to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom promised to those who love Him, so the neglected are not less regarded by Him, and guilt for the temptations coming upon those treated unjustly is charged to those who dealt partially. Those doing this must look at themselves in the divine mirror and not forget what manner of men they are, reason from cause to effect, cease hindering, act out the instruction of the Word by helping the work, and reform immediately.
God's people must draw a distinct line separating them from a world characterized by love for earthly things, selfish action, luxury, self-indulgence, selfish aggrandizement, respect of persons, and oppression. They must manifest the self-sacrificing spirit of Christ heartily and not by halves in connection with every branch of the cause, not seeking their own aggrandizement nor showing respect of persons. They cannot live in luxury and self-indulgence while suffering ones are around them, nor by practice sanction any phase of oppression or injustice to the least child of humanity. They must be like Christ, relinquishing all selfish delights, unholy passions, and love of applause, willing to be humble and unknown and to sacrifice even life itself, and by a well-ordered life and godly conversation condemn worldly folly, impenitence, idolatry, and iniquitous practices. Despising and oppressing the poor are unchristian evils threatening human well-being which the church is appointed to overcome.
To despise the poor is to show partiality by honoring the rich with the best place while putting the poor in a low place with coldness, contempt and neglect, becoming judges with evil thoughts against the law of love to neighbor. The verse exposes this favoritism as folly, since it is the rich who oppress believers and drag them before courts and judgment seats while dishonoring the worthy name by which they are called. God has chosen the poor to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom promised to those who love Him, so those who are slighted by men are not less regarded by Him. He recognizes no distinction of rank, wealth, color, learning or worldly honor, but values men by character, motive and oneness with Christ, judging impartially so that riches neither excuse injustice nor alter the final reckoning. Therefore honoring the rich while slighting the poor is a crime in His sight, for the poor are dear and precious to Christ, and to neglect them is to neglect Christ in His people, while faith without practical care for the needy is dead and cannot save.
Rebuke of Partiality
To despise the poor is to show partiality by giving the rich or favored a good place while putting the poor in a low place or hard place with coldness, contempt and neglect. It is to become judges with evil thoughts and to break the command to love one's neighbor as oneself. Such partiality to the rich while dishonoring the poor is sin that calls for repentance.
The verse states that rich men oppress believers and draw them before judgment seats and courts. It exposes the injustice of favoring the rich who may oppress and bring others before the courts, which applies to excluding the despised from worship and fellowship. That oppression is connected with blaspheming the worthy royal name by which believers are called. That name is Christian, the royal name given to those who join themselves to Christ.
God has chosen the poor to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom promised to those who love Him, so those who are neglected are not less regarded by Him. Every worker is bought by Christ's blood, so forming a confederacy to give favors to a select few while neglecting and wounding others with hard burdens and a grieved spirit is the sin the verse condemns, and the guilt for the temptations that come upon those treated unjustly is charged to those who dealt partially with them. Profession of faith without practical care for people in need cannot save and is dead. Holding tightly to worldly goods and eagerly grasping after them while neglecting the poor and hungry reveals selfishness, fails to live out the truth professed, and contradicts that profession.
God's Impartial Standard
God recognizes no caste or color, no rank or wealth, no learning or worldly honor, and a rich man is counted of no more value for his riches, position, talent, or education. He estimates men as men, with character deciding worth, valuing them by character and motives and by oneness with Christ rather than by rank, wealth, or intellect. He judges impartially, and at the final judgment all are judged by purity, nobility, and love for Christ, so that wealth and position neither excuse injustice nor alter the judgment, and despising the poor for lack of wealth, learning, or worldly honor brings rebuke. Living in the atmosphere in which Christ lives teaches this estimate, requiring recognition of the Spirit of Christ in whomever it is revealed, whether white or black, with no shame in speaking with an honest black man in any place or in shaking him by the hand even though it is black.
Human worth is measured in light of Christ's sacrifice, for every worker is bought by His blood, and God gives blessings to rich and poor alike. Therefore treating wealth as a reason for fear, deference, or favoritism, despising the humble, refusing their companionship for low status, and judging harshly and unkindly is contrary to the gospel, which gives no place to caste or unkind judgment toward those for whom Christ died. Riches, position, talent, education, and gifts weigh nothing in the scale with God unless all are brought as tribute to lay at His feet with the whole being surrendered to cooperate with the divine agencies to become a vessel unto honor. His design is that men regard themselves as part of the great web of humanity and help one another, pitying and sympathizing with and loving one another, with that impartial generosity guiding how they treat one another.
The sincere and humble poor are precious to God and dear to Christ, whose lives may be marked by struggle and need sympathy and loving attention. Honoring the rich while slighting and neglecting the poor with coldness or contempt, showing favor by social rank, is a crime in His sight. Neglecting and slighting them may mean neglecting and slighting Christ in His people, for slighting a brother for poverty or for color is slighting Christ.
Impartial Love in Practice
The poor are not to be oppressed or neglected in favor of the wealthy, relatives, or friends, but are to receive as much care, attention, courtesy, sympathy, love, and compassion as the rich. Neglecting them in this way can mean neglecting Christ in His people, for they are dear to Him and slighting them is a slight to Him. A poor person who belongs to God is blessed of the Lord and an heir of the immortal inheritance, so poverty is no reason for less care or respect, especially in the presence of the wealthy. Means are to be used to relieve their poverty rather than leaving them slighted or neglected.
Despising people because they are poor is wrong, and the same principle condemns distinctions of color and social rank as well as wealth. Despising Black people because of black skin, holding their minds in a kind of slavery, depressing and trampling them down, and treating them with contempt despises God's workmanship and reproaches God, since they are not responsible for their color and cannot change it. The religion of the Bible recognizes no caste or color and ignores rank, wealth, and worldly honor, for God estimates men as men with character deciding worth. Christians are to recognize the Spirit of Christ in whomever it is revealed without shame, whether white or black, even to speak with an honest black man in any place and shake him by the hand though it is black, living in the atmosphere in which Christ lives. White and black are one free and equal brotherhood, and slighting a brother because of his color is slighting Christ.
Colored people who love God are His property and of as much value in His sight as white people however educated and talented. They are Christ's people and are to be treated as fellow members rather than excluded from worship and church membership, and the wrong done to them should be remedied without extremes. Those who have received many favors from God must live in the light of His countenance and treat those less favored from the Bible standpoint rather than the world's standpoint. This requires bringing Christian influence against prevailing customs and practices of partiality, opposing them by precept and example, treating the colored man just as respectfully as the white man, and acting nobly and courageously without cowardice and without regard to gain or loss to elevate the standard of character and win others to this course. Those more highly favored must lift, educate, and restore as far as possible what was lost through years of privation and slavery, educating to clean, pure souls.
Forming a confederacy to give favors to a select few while neglecting and wounding others with hard burdens and a grieved spirit is the condemned partiality, becoming judges with evil thoughts and breaking the command to love one's neighbor as oneself, since every worker is bought by Christ's blood. Having no interest in the hard Southern field at Nashville, working to keep away means that ought to go there, turning means into other channels, circulating adverse reports, and leaguing as critics to increase the discouragements of brethren doing the hard work instead of helping them, is despising the poor and robbery that displeases God. Showing such partiality to the rich while dishonoring the poor when rich men oppress and bring others before courts is sin that calls for repentance and will be judged. God has chosen the poor to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom promised to those who love Him, so the neglected are not less regarded by Him, and guilt for the temptations coming upon those treated unjustly is charged to those who dealt partially. Those doing this must look at themselves in the divine mirror and not forget what manner of men they are, reason from cause to effect, cease hindering, act out the instruction of the Word by helping the work, and reform immediately.
God's people must draw a distinct line separating them from a world characterized by love for earthly things, selfish action, luxury, self-indulgence, selfish aggrandizement, respect of persons, and oppression. They must manifest the self-sacrificing spirit of Christ heartily and not by halves in connection with every branch of the cause, not seeking their own aggrandizement nor showing respect of persons. They cannot live in luxury and self-indulgence while suffering ones are around them, nor by practice sanction any phase of oppression or injustice to the least child of humanity. They must be like Christ, relinquishing all selfish delights, unholy passions, and love of applause, willing to be humble and unknown and to sacrifice even life itself, and by a well-ordered life and godly conversation condemn worldly folly, impenitence, idolatry, and iniquitous practices. Despising and oppressing the poor are unchristian evils threatening human well-being which the church is appointed to overcome.