James 2:1-13 - The test of impartial Love

Outline

Introduction

Read the Passage

Context

Be doers of the word

Doing what is worthwhile

Who you do it to!

Illustration

We are in the end times

Israel as a nation being the proof of just that

End times people will be lovers of self, nation against nation

Some Stats to proof the point

The world as we know it now (Racism, favoritism etc)

The Command against Partiality (v1)

The Address

My Brothers

do not hold your faith

The Attitude

An attitude of personal favoritism

The Illustration of Partiality (v2-3)

The context (Understanding wisdom literature and the need for illustrations)

The comparison

Rich Man

Honored

Uplifted

Poor Man

Stand over there

Sit at my footstool

Mostly outward focused

Later builds more to show an inward judge

I don’t like the personality.....

The Evil of Partiality (v4)

We’ve seen how a body with one member (the dirtiest of the members) cause pain and ultimate death to the full body.

You have made distingtions

You have made yourself to be ‘superior’

How could you have an attitude of making yourself more superior to Christ (v7 - blaspheme)

Become Judges with EVIL THOUGHTS

Application

A Body United ‘DOES-the will of God (God’s will is written in the Bible, its everything we do to glorify Him)

Examine Yourself

Corporate responsibility

Do you love everyone in this church EQUALLY

or is there favoratism? (I’m not talking about getting along with)

Action in the church

How to you greet / welcome

Is there love among you (are you happy and excited to see the people here) Do you avoid some?

Conclusion

There are approximately 59 ‘One Another’ imperatives (commands)

To love one another is the greatest of those

Do you truely love one another as Christ loved you?

Or are there forms of favoritism among you? or in your heart?

Introduction

Read Passage

Legacy Standard Bible (CHAPTER 2)

1 My brothers, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.

2 For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in bright clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes,

3 and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the bright clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,”

4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

5 Listen, my beloved brothers: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and they themselves drag you into court?

7 Do they not blaspheme the good name by which you have been called?

8 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you are doing well.

9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.

10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.

11 For He who said, “DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,” also said, “DO NOT MURDER.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom.

13 For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

The Context

Be doers - How, and now to whom

> Doing what is worthwhile

> Doing TO ALL that which is worthwhile (who should we do to)

Illustrations

We are living in the end times. And if this olympics showed us one thing, its we are living in EVIL times.

The most evident proof is israel is a nation:

Even Charles Spurgeon, long before Israel became a nation, simply through the study of the Bible knew that God will restore that physical nation. And 76 years later the sovereign nation is on the brink of war with defenses in the past that can only be explained as God’s grace.

But with the evidence of our current timeline, comes some serious warnings. One of which is that we will see nation (ethnos) rise against ethnos. Just switch on any news and racism is the buzz. As if outward skin color is something to judge a person by! Yet that is rampant! The question is how should we react?

To put the cherry on the cake. 2 Timothy 3:2 tells us that people will be Lovers of themselves!

It’s not a new things. It’s just worse now than it’s ever been before!

The Command (verse 1)

The Address

My brothers (and sisters)

James is about to start a new topic / test and he starts this ‘Chapter’ with the words ‘My brothers / and sisters’

James: Verse by Verse Thesis: The Sin of Discrimination (2:1)

Once more (see 1:2, 16, 19) James addresses his readers as “my brothers and sisters” so they will know that his admonition is an expression of love for members of his Christian family. He does not want to see them indicted by his and their heavenly Father.

It is important to note his introduction here. James is known as a very direct, practical letter. Even if you were to look at his life and death (the little history we have) you’ll see he was a very direct practical man. He wasn’t as provocative as Paul although James was known for his piety and strict adherence to the law, earning him the title "James the Just." His reputation as a righteous man gave his words and teachings significant weight within the Jewish-Christian community.

Historical accounts outside the New Testament, particularly from the Jewish historian Josephus and early Christian writings, indicate that James was martyred around 62 AD. He was allegedly thrown from the pinnacle of the Temple in Jerusalem and then beaten to death with clubs. His execution was ordered by the High Priest Ananus ben Ananus, likely due to James's prominent role in the early Christian community and his challenges to the Jewish religious authorities.

With that in mind you’ll understand why he starts with this address. Indicating that he is speaking out of love and as a fellow believer and brother in Christ.

The same address is for this morning. Unless you are saved and understand who we are as a church, a body of sinners saved by Grace, called into unity through Christ. What followes will stir up anger.

Do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ

James starts now to give us the imperative

Your faith in our Glorious Lord

The basic principle is this: indicating that having genuine faith in the gospel of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ while holding an attitude of personal favoritism is contradictory and incompatible

James: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Principle

The phrase our glorious Lord Jesus Christ is, more literally, “our Lord Jesus Christ of the glory,” perhaps referring to God’s Shechinah glory (see Ex. 40:34; 1 Kings 8:11), the history of which James’s Jewish readers would have been very familiar. The idea is that we cannot hold the faith of Jesus Christ, who is the very presence and glory of God, and be partial. Jesus Himself was impartial (Matt. 22:16), as indicated by His humble birth, family, and upbringing in Nazareth, and His willingness to minister in Samaria and Galilee, regions held in contempt by the Jewish leaders.

Do you understand the beauty, the absolute mindblowing truth of your salvation? Where once there was a split between you and God, we were ALL enemies of God. Until Christ the only ‘presence’ and ‘glory’ people could experience with God was in the Temple. Now as God’s children through the amazing sacrifice on the cross, we have the very PRESENCE and Glory of God with us through the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 1:2-4 Reveals to us that Jesus is the Radiance (the brightness, the idea of Sending out light) of God’s Glory

Legacy Standard Bible (CHAPTER 1)

2 in these last days spoke to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds,

3 who is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power; who, having accomplished cleansing for sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.

Please note the following: It is Christ who have been exalted. It is Christ that shines forth the Glory of God. NOT US.

Paul writes in Phil 2

Legacy Standard Bible CHAPTER 2

5 Have this way of thinking in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,

6 who, although existing in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,

7 but aemptied Himself, by taking the form of a slave, by being made in the likeness of men.

8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

9 Therefore, God also highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,

10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and that EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS that Jesus Christ is bLORD, to the glory of God the Father.

12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;

13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Does that makes sense? He is our GLORIOUS Lord Jesus Christ, the presence and glory of the HOLY God. Our faith is in Him. We are nothing, we are but dust! (Psalm 103:14) Who are we to think any more highly of ourselves than mere wreched sinners? We should cry out with Paul in Romans 7: 24 “O Wreched man that I am!” , deserving of HELL!

Jesus is our Glorious Lord!

Do not Hold your faith

Now that we understand our faith is in Jesus, and He is our salvation. James gives us the command: DO NOT HOLD YOUR FAITH WITH AN ATTITUDE OF FAVORITISM

James (1) The Glorious Christ (2:1)

Since the glorious divine Word came embodied as the Messiah, believers do the works he has assigned to them on an equal standing with each other. This mission is one quality of their participation in the saving glory of God.

We hold our faith, we work it out, we DO what Christ commands in His word

James: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary (The Principle)

In the Greek text, the phrase do not … with an attitude of favoritism is in the emphatic position, thereby giving special force to the imperative admonition, which carries the idea of continuation, of not making a practice of favoritism, which has no place in the life of a faithful Christian. A few verses later (2:9), James makes clear that favoritism is not simply discourteous and disrespectful but is a serious sin.

Being partial is in total conflict with our salvation and with what Scripture teaches (cf. Lev. 19:15; Prov. 24:23; 28:21). If we are saved, we are children of God; and if we are His children, we should emulate Him. Paul declares categorically that “there is no partiality with God” (Rom. 2:11; cf. Lev. 19:15; Job 34:19; Prov. 24:23; 28:21; Eph. 6:9; Col. 3:25; 1 Pet. 1:17).

Do not make a habbit of:

and Attitude of Favouritism

James: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Principle

An attitude of personal favoritism translates the single Greek word prosōpolēmpsia, which has the literal meaning of lifting up someone’s face, with the idea of judging by appearance and on that basis giving special favor and respect. It pertains to judging purely on a superficial level, without consideration of a person’s true merits, abilities, or character

Preconceived judgment or opinion, whether positive (favoritism) or negative (discrimination). Also: Bias; Bigotry; Discrimination; Favoritism; Racism; Sexism

It is both interesting and significant that this word are found only in Christian writings. Perhaps that is because favoritism was such an accepted part of most ancient societies that it was assumed and not even identified, as it still is in many cultures today.

James: Verse by Verse Thesis: The Sin of Discrimination (2:1)

This applies to all kinds of prejudice—racial, status, or simply one’s giftedness (the smart kids, the athletic kids, etc.). There is a necessary egalitarian atmosphere in Christ’s communities that must reflect Christ’s attitudes to the rich diversity of people in God’s creation.

We are living in a world that blasts us with all forms of favoritism. Your favourite brand, your favourite color, animal etc. Then we have that level of favouritism casually applied to your favourite singer, your favourite teacher, your favourite pastor, and more distructively we start seeing favourite, genders, skin colors, languages...

During His incarnation, Jesus was the glory and image of God in human form (2 Cor. 3:18; 4:4, 6; Phil. 2:6) and, like His Father, He showed no favoritism, a virtue even His enemies acknowledged. It made no difference to Jesus whether the one to whom He spoke or ministered was a wealthy Jewish leader or a common beggar, a virtuous woman or a prostitute, a high priest or a common worshiper, handsome or ugly, educated or ignorant, religious or irreligious, law-abiding citizen or criminal. His overriding concern was the condition of the soul.

Tragically, many otherwise biblical and faithful churches today do not treat all their members the same.

Frequently, those who are of a different ethnic background, race, or financial standing are not fully welcomed into fellowship. That ought not to be. It not only is a transgression of God’s divine law but is a mockery of His divine character.

Philippians 2:3 LSB

doing nothing from selfish ambition or vain glory, but with humility of mind regarding one another as more important than yourselves,

The Illustration (verse 2-3)

James emphasises this idea with an illustration. We need to understand wisdom literature. Just because James is giving us an illustration here, doesn’t mean that it ONLY applies to this situation. We will soon discover how this illustration applies even today.

We have a rich man enter, and we have a poor man enter. Note that the rich man has everything to SHOW that he is rich.

In the illustration we can assume that neither man was known and they are seen for the first time.

The first man: the rich man has some distinguishing features: The word gold ring (literally means ‘gold fingered’ which indicated the person was wearing more than one ring. Paired with his bright clothing. He stood out! they knew he was rich.

It made me think of this video i saw from a dangerous false teacher Kenneth Copeland “Braging” in a sermon about a super expensive WATCH… He does everything to show how ‘rich’ he is. In a way that’s what James is refering to. A man that looks the part and looks right at first contact.

Interestingly, from the context, it seems likely that the imaginary man in Jame’s illustration is a visiting unbeliever. You see after pentecost a few things happened. But one of the most significant was the increase and intensity of persecution towards Christians. In acts we see that the believers sold thier posessions and split it amongst themselves so that NO ONE had need. There was also a famine, which meant that they were hungry and poor. The idea that somone just enters with golden fingers and fine bright clothing would not have likely part of the church.

In contrast, they also knew the other man was a poor man that entered. James highlites the fact that the poor man even has dirty clothing.

Now In most synagogues of that day, there were only a few benches to sit on, perhaps one or two in the front—the “chief seats in the synagogues” that the scribes and Pharisees coveted (Matt. 23:6)—and possibly some others placed around the walls. Most of the people either stood or sat cross-legged on the floor. Occasionally, someone would also have a footstool. To ask another person, especially a visitor or guest, to sit down by my footstool was therefore a double show of disrespect. The person on a bench or in a chair not only would not give that seat to the visitor but would not even allow him to sit on his footstool.

Now very recently we as a church experienced a similar situation.

A poor man entered in. (Story of Thulani)

He didn’t look good.

His overal demenar was hard to just accept.

Although he took how he smelled very serious, you could smell he was poor

And we’ve had ‘not rich’ but other visitors before too.

Looked the part,

smelled the part

Spoke the part

maybe seemed like someone to ‘want to sit next to’

How did you react?

Did you notice he’s gone?

Did you reach out?

We had the birthday tea 3 weeks back. Did you ensure that he was treated EQUALLY to your own family?

The Evil (verse 4)

Making distinctions means you “judge as superior, express disapproval”

James: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Example

In both instances, the sin is partiality, making distinctions among yourselves, by showing special favor to the well-dressed man and showing discourtesy, if not contempt, for the poor man. To do either is a serious sin, and those who are guilty of it become judges with evil motives. In each case, the treatment of the visitor was based on superficial, self-interested, and worldly motives. Among Christians, such discrimination is much more than poor hospitality; it is plainly evil. Of the three words James uses for evil (see 1:21, kakia, “wickedness”; and 3:16, phaulos, “evil”), the one used here and in 4:16 (ponēros) is the strongest, carrying the idea of vicious intentions that have a destructive and injurious effect.

Later James says this kind of behaviour is BLASPHEMY! Your evil thoughts make you think you are better than another.

Do you LOVE One Another with the same Impartial Love Christ shows us?

1 Corinthians 12:12 LSB

For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.

I want to use this as an illustration:

We have all seen now recently with my dad and the cancer journey, how when the body descides to turn against itself. Or think on part is better than another how it destroyes itself. Causes pain to the whole body. and ultimately lead to death.

For those that don’t know, he had Rectal Cancer. Literally the Dirties part in the body. No more valueable no less. But when a part of it descided it’s better, and stole all the body nutrition. And started working against. It caused Pain.

Child of God. You are ALL members of one body. Our Glorious LORD is our saviour. How evil the thought of any of us elevating ourselves higher than we ought to be!

Application

A Body United ‘DOES-the will of God (God’s will is written in the Bible, its everything we do to glorify Him)

Examine Yourself

Corporate responsibility

Do you love everyone in this church EQUALLY

or is there favoratism? (I’m not talking about getting along with)

Action in the church

How to you greet / welcome

Is there love among you (are you happy and excited to see the people here) Do you avoid some?

Conclusion

James tells us: Because of our common faith in our Glorious Lord Jesus Christ. We are all equal. We should not have this favouritism, in any form.

The Bible has approximately 59 ‘One Another’ imperatives / commands the greatest of which is LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

The world is becoming excedingly wicked. Deception is becoming rampant.

Love one another. Don’t just listen to the word. Or do the word. Do what is worthwhile. and do to all that which is worthwhile.