Status -Power-Position
What part does status play in the life of a Christian?
BIBLE READING: Luke 14:7-14
KEY VERSE: Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the godly, God will reward you for inviting those who can’t repay you. (Luke 14:13-14,
Status should always get less honor than service.
Jesus taught two lessons here. First, he spoke to the guests, telling them not to seek places of honor. Service is more important in God’s kingdom than status. Second, he told the host not to be exclusive about whom he invites. God opens his kingdom to everyone.
A Christian leaves matters of status in God’s hands.
Jesus advised people not to rush for the best places at a feast. People today are just as eager to raise their social status, whether by being with the right people, dressing for success, or driving the right car. Whom do you try to impress? Rather than aiming for prestige, look for a place where you can serve. If God wants you to serve on a wider scale, he will invite you to take a higher place.
BIBLE READING: Galatians 2:1-10
KEY VERSE: And the great leaders of the church who were there had nothing to add to what I was preaching. (By the way, their being great leaders made no difference to me, for all are the same to God.) (Galatians 2:6,)
There ought not to be status seeking within the body of Christ.
It’s easy to rate people on the basis of their official status and to be intimidated by powerful people. But Paul was not intimidated by the “great leaders” because all believers are equal in Christ. We should show respect for our spiritual leaders, but our ultimate allegiance must be to Christ. We are to serve him with our whole being. God doesn’t rate us according to our status; he looks at our thoughts and intentions
BIBLE READING: James 2:1-13
KEY VERSE: Yes indeed, it is good when you truly obey our Lord’s command, “You must love and help your neighbors just as much as you love and take care of yourself.” But you are breaking this law of our Lord’s when you favor the rich and fawn over them; it is sin. (James 2:8-9,)
Power based on status is unacceptable among faithful believers.
In this chapter James argues against favoritism and for the necessity of good deeds. He presents three principles of faith: (1) Commitment is an essential part of faith. You cannot be a Christian simply by affirming the right doctrines or agreeing with Biblical facts (2:19). You must commit your mind and heart to Christ. (2) Right actions are the natural by-products of true faith. A genuine Christian will have a changed life (2:18). (3) Faith without good deeds doesn’t do anybody any good—it is useless (2:14-17). James’s teachings are consistent with Paul’s teaching that we receive salvation by faith alone. Paul emphasizes the purpose of faith—to bring salvation. James emphasizes the results of faith—a changed life.
Christian love rejects favoritism based on status.
James condemns acts of favoritism. Often we treat a well-dressed, impressive-looking person better than someone who looks shabby. We do this because we would rather identify with successful people than with apparent failures. The irony, as James reminds us, is that the supposed winners may have gained their impressive life-style at our expense. In addition, the rich find it difficult to identify with the Lord Jesus, who came as a humble servant. Are you easily impressed by status, wealth, or fame? Are you partial to the “haves” while ignoring the “have nots”? This attitude is sinful. God views all people as equals, and if he favors anyone, it is the poor and the powerless. We should follow his example.
Judgment by status is a poor substitute for Christian love.
Why is it wrong to judge a person by his or her economic status? Wealth may indicate intelligence, wise decisions, and hard work. On the other hand, it may mean only that a person had the good fortune of being born into a wealthy family. Or it can even be the sign of greed, dishonesty, and selfishness. By honoring someone just because he or she dresses well, we are making appearance more important than character. Sometimes we do this because
(1) poverty makes us uncomfortable; we don’t want to face our responsibilities to those who have less than we do;
(2) we want to be wealthy too, and we hope to use the rich person as a means to that end; or
(3) we want the rich person to join our church and help support it financially. All these motives are selfish; they view neither the rich nor the poor person as a human being in need of fellowship. If we say that Christ is our Lord, then we must live as he requires, showing no favoritism and loving all people regardless of whether they are rich or poor.
Recognizing status can be the result of poor theology.
We are often partial to the rich because we mistakenly assume that
riches are a sign of God’s blessing and approval. But God does not promise us
earthly rewards or riches; in fact, Christ calls us to be ready to suffer for
him and give up everything in order to hold on to eternal life
(Matthew 6:19-21; 19:28-30; Luke 12:14-34; Romans 8:15-21; 1 Timothy 6:17-19).
We will have untold riches in eternity if we are faithful in our present life
(Luke 6:35; John 12:23-25; Galatians 6:7-10; Titus 3:4)
( The Handbook of Bible Application )
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