What does James 2:7 mean?

James has been discussing the sin of Christians who were showing favoritism to wealthy people over the poor. Prior verses showed how such discrimination reveals a lack of trust in God. If the Creator gives eternal honor to all who are in Christ, including those who are poor in this life, then there is no reason to treat people differently based on wealth. James also made a very practical point to his first-century readers: It's the rich people who are oppressing you, why would you expect them to treat you well? Apparently, most of James's readers and most Christians of the time were poor people. Their favoritism for the rich may have been about trying to gain favor from wealthy and powerful men instead of trusting Christ to provide for them.

Here, in verse 7, James makes an additional point about the abusive rich people the early Christian church was dealing with. This group of wealthy oppressors also blaspheme the name of Christ. But their actions are more personal than that. These persecutors blaspheme the noble (or honorable or fair) name by which believers are called: "Christian," those who belong to Christ.

Phrased another way, James is asking, "Why seek the favor of the rich who reject your Savior when your Savior is capable to provide all you need both now and forever?"