A Faith That Works Does Not Show Favoritism

Last week I ended in 1:26

James 1:26 (NIV) — 26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

It may have seemed odd that I ended there because there was just one verse left in the chapter.

Note – these divisions were added later on and some are debated. This is one of them. I prefer to connect 1:27 with what James teaches in the beginning of chapter 2:

James 1:27 (NIV) — 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

If your idea of being a religious person does not move your heart a special care for the orphans and widows – those who are helpless – then you have what he calls a worthless religion. This is at the heart of James message – our Faith Works. It does something. It changes us. Our faith makes us different people.

Jesus tells a compelling story in Matthew 25 about this.

Matthew 25:34–36 (NIV) — 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Matthew 25:40 (NIV) — 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Faith creates within us a deep concern for the poor that expresses itself in action.

James adds that additional phrase:

James 1:27 (NIV) — 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

There is certainly a moral component to that but in this context he may have in mind something more.

One pollutant of the world is to look at people as a means to an end.

This is how the world operates – what can you do for me? We see this expressed in situations where someone may ask you to introduce them to someone you know. Usually that is to get some personal advantage. This is delicate because I don’ think that the Bible teaches against what we call networking. But I do think James is wanting us that we can live our lives like that on all occasions – treating people kindly only because they can give us some advantage. And the inverse, ignoring or abusing people who cannot provide some advantage.

This leads us into his next teaching in chapter 2:

James 2:1–13 (NIV) — 1 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.

Believers – the faithful

Must – an imperative

The word favoritism in the original language of the NT literally means to “receive according to the face,” or in other words, to make judgments about people based on external appearance (Moo, James, 102).

James says not to think like this. Don’t respond to one another according to the face, according to the outer appearance.

Platt, D. (2014). Exalting Jesus in James (p. 34). Holman Reference.

Then a scenario

2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Seems like he’s talking about a meeting of the church. Did this really happen or is it hypothetical? Maybe not something as extreme as this but there may be this sentiment that is working in the church – rich people are being treated better than poor people.

Why would anyone do that? We are polluted by the world. Our worldly inclination is to favor those who have the potential to do something for us!

In the world’s system you honor, respect, and treat well the person who can benefit you the most.

Platt, D. (2014). Exalting Jesus in James (p. 30). Holman Reference.

In his typically practical manner, James in this paragraph gives voice to an important Christian value: the equal worth of all people in the sight of God. Worldly culture is marked by distinctions: between one ethnic group and another, men and women, rich and poor, and so on. These distinctions are not erased in the church, but they are relativized in light of the revelation of God’s radical grace to all humans in Christ. ‘There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus’ (Gal. 3:28). What is particularly striking is that James extends this principle to include all human beings (whoever might enter the Christian assembly).

Moo, D. J. (2015). James: An Introduction and Commentary (E. J. Schnabel, Ed.; Second edition, Vol. 16, p. 132). Inter-Varsity Press.

He then goes on to elaborate that not only does this violate the value of every human being, it doesn’t make sense.

5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

He asks four questions, each of which assumes an affirmative answer:

1. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?

Poor people seem to have a greater sensitivity to their need for God. I see that in the ministry of Jesus. People who realized they were broken sought out Jesus. That is not to say that rich people cannot be saved, but it is an impediment – a hurdle that has to be cleared. NOTE: In the same way we should not ignore wealthy people but the situation here seems to be addressing the dismissal of the poor. The message could have been different to another group of people. It is thought that the majority of the recipients were from the lower economic classes. If you are rich, recognize your need and remember what Jesus said – Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

2. Is it not the rich who oppress you?

Here you are pandering to the rich and they are the very ones oppressing you.

3. Is it not they who drag you into court?

More details – they are the ones accusing you of wrongdoing and taking you to court.

4. Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?

And they are the ones who ridicule you. This may not be true in every case in every place, but here that is the reality!

McKnight, S. (2011). The Letter of James (p. 191). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

James is not done:

8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

This favoritism is in direct conflict with the heart of the teachings of both the OT and the NT.

Leviticus 19:15 (NIV) — 15 “ ‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.

Leviticus 19:18 (NIV) — 18 “ ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

Matthew 22:34–40 (NIV) — 34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Acts 10:34–35 (NIV) — 34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.

Showing favoritism is just not right!

But we may ask, “Is it really that big a deal?”

10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. 12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

We cannot pick and choose what commands to keep.

Our goal is not for a passing score – we want to be mature, perfect. We want our faith to grow and this is one area, favoritism, that James’ original audience was failing in. Could it be that we are too? I suspect so.

The world has a pecking order, doesn’t it? Wealthy, attractive, strong, powerful, eloquent, athletic, smart, entertaining – these are the people that sometimes get special treatment.

Add to that the pressure we all face of judging people by their skin color, their ethnicity, by stereotypes associated appearance. It is an ongoing challenge to all of us – is it not?

James 2:1 (NIV) — 1 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.

A Faith that Works does not Show Favoritism.

Let me suggest two important truths that may help us in this struggle.

1. Jesus came for all of us.

The call of the Gospel is for every human being, no matter what they look like, no matter how much money they have, no matter what language they speak, no matter what.

Revelation 5:9 (NIV) — 9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

Jesus loves you. He died for you. But Jesus loves the person who doesn’t look like you. He died for the person who doesn’t measure up to our standards of importance because everyone is important to him! And if everyone is important to they ought to be important to us.

2. Humbly recognize your own need for Jesus.

Jesus doesn’t love you because you’re cute or rich or talented. In fact, your sin has made you ugly to the holy eyes of God but Jesus has made us all beautiful and worthy.

Second Corinthians 8:9 says it like this: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: Though He was rich, for your sake He became poor, so that by His poverty you might become rich.”

You can’t show favoritism when you know this Christ, when you are captivated by the Lord of glory who gave His everything so that you might be rich in Him. You don’t attribute too much to the wealthy, and the last thing you do is look down on the poor because this is exactly who Christ came for—you in all your poverty.

Platt, D. (2014). Exalting Jesus in James (p. 31). Holman Reference.

A Faith that Works Does Not Show Favoritism