Philip Dampier's Blog

Chapter 2, Verse 10 “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.” Now this, dear friends, is not rocket science. This verse does not require a PhD in Theology to understand. It was true under Moses’ law and it true under…

Animals Many different animals appear in the pages of the Bible. These animals are sometimes used in their literal sense and sometimes they are used in a figurative or symbolic sense. Correct interpretation of many prophecies depends on understanding when they are used in a symbolic sense and why. For…

Chapter 2, Verse 9 “But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” Failure to love others as ourselves (we understand this concept) is a sin. We do well when we love others, and we sin when we don’t. The law of God…

Chapter 2, Verse 8 “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.” James makes an argument for love for all which excludes partiality. What is the royal law? Not the Old Testament Law from Moses. This…

Chapter 2, Verses 6-7 “But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?” In honoring the rich man above others…

Chapter 2, Verse 5 “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 is not implying that God only chose poor people from the…

Chapter 2, Verse 2-4 “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…