McKinley: Out in the world, wealth makes you important...

The church is a society of people who have a greater treasure than anything in this world. Members of the church pool their money together to support the ministry of the congregation, help with the relief of the poor, and spread the gospel around the world. Out in the world, wealth makes you important. Not so in the church.

So James tells his readers that God has a different kind of economy:

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? (James 2:1–5)

McKinley, M. (2011). Am I Really a Christian? (p. 146). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

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