1. James 2:5 (ESV)
  2. Application

Feeling weak is an advantage

James 2:5 (ESV)

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?

If you are an unbeliever, you might think God saves people based on how good they are. You might think that to be a Christian means being a good person, keeping God's commands, going to church, giving when you come to church, not swearing, not getting drunk. But the gospel teaches us that God saves sinners—those who are poor, those who are weak. Jesus said, I did not come to call the righteous but the sinners to repentance. So why is it that more of the poor are saved? It is because they recognize their need of a Saviour; they feel their weakness. Is it a curse to feel your weakness? Is that a disadvantage? No, it is an advantage. It is an advantage to feel weak. It is a blessing. The rich often feel no need for help because they are successful, so they do not cry out for salvation. They do not acknowledge their sin.1

Thomas Schreiner