James 2:5. Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith . . . ?
Let us consider the conditions of the poor who are made rich in faith, and how their faith makes them rich.
The condition of those made rich in faith.
Generally they are poor as regards the things of this life.
Their having faith did not make them rich as to these things.
There was spiritual poverty in their natural state.
They were poor as debtors to the justice and law of God.
These debts could not be paid by them but by eternal suffering.
No man can be rich till his debts are paid.
He cannot be rich till the sentence of death is removed.
Sin reigns in them, and its wages is death.
In each sin there is an infinite evil.
To meet the law’s claims for perfect love, he has only enmity.
He is so poor that he has no right or claim to grace or glory.
What would it avail him though he had all the wealth of this world?
Their being made rich in faith.
They are made rich in faith by God through Christ.
Precious faith has been wrought in them by the Holy Spirit.
In the exercise of that faith they received the Christ of God.
In Him they found what made them rich toward God.
They became the righteousness of God.
They obtained a right to all the riches of His merit.
In Christ they met all their debts, and secured a right to God’s favour.
They obtained an interest in the fulness of covenant grace.
This meets the whole poverty of their state.
They obtained an interest in God Himself.
All this wealth came through the poverty of Christ.
Their wealth is abiding; they cannot become bankrupt.
Application.
How poor are all who do have not these riches (Rev 3:17).
How independent of the world believers should be.
1Preached in Dingwall on 22 October 1882.