Neville Goddard on James 2:2-4 - Mystical Bible Interpretation

Read James 2 in context

Scripture Focus

2For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

3And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:

4Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

James 2:2-4

Biblical Context

James 2:2-4 condemns favoritism in the assembly, showing that judging people by outward wealth and appearances reflects an inner bias rather than true discernment.

Neville's Inner Vision

In truth the assembly of James is the inner council of my own mind. The man with a gold ring and the poor man in vile raiment are not two people outside me but two states of consciousness I shelter within. When I place a glossy image of success on a throne and ask the poor image to stand or crouch, I am aligning with a belief in separation, a mind that judges value by appearance. Such partiality is not merely unkind; it is a subtle eviction of portions of my own life-force, a listening to evil thoughts born of fear and lack. The cure is not to condemn the rich or the poor but to awaken to the one presence that owns both: the I AM that I am, the inexhaustible life behind every form. I revise my feeling toward both as equal, whole, and cherished; I imagine that the entire assembly is already seated in a circle of universal purpose, and I feel that love flow through all. In this revision I discover that true provision arises when I recognize every appearance as an expression of the same infinite consciousness.

Practice This Now

Practice: when you catch yourself judging by outward appearance, revise by assuming the state of universal equality and feel the I AM blessing all; see the circle of souls as one.