No Favorites With God
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Transcript
We’re going to continue our study in the book of James this morning. I hope you remember where we left off last week. We started this series in James 1 with the idea that true faith is tested by trials so we will know that it’s real and we will grow to become more like Jesus. James taught us that trials in life develop a mature faith. Last week, we studied James 1:19-27 and learned that we should receive the Word of God and then put it into action. We wrapped up that passage with verse 27:
27 Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
We learned that true religion is to look after orphans and widows. God commands us to take care of those who need our help the most. It’s easy to look down on those who aren’t like us, especially if we think we’re better than them. But today, we’re going to look at James 2:1-13 to see that God doesn’t play favorites with people and we should treat everyone the same. A mature Christian will reflect the nature of God and treat all people equally.
We see echoes of this idea in the Declaration of Independence:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Our country was founded on the idea that we’ve all been created equal, but it’s in human nature to treat some people better than others. We tend to treat people who have money a lot better than those without it. We’ve all seen the way rich and famous people are treated, but James teaches that favoring the rich over the poor is wrong, especially in the church. Let’s read through James 2:1-13 to see what we can learn about favoritism.
1 My brothers and sisters, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. 2 For if someone comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor person dressed in filthy clothes also comes in, 3 if you look with favor on the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here in a good place,” and yet you say to the poor person, “Stand over there,” or “Sit here on the floor by my footstool,” 4 haven’t you made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 Yet you have dishonored the poor. Don’t the rich oppress you and drag you into court? 7 Don’t they blaspheme the good name that was invoked over you? 8 Indeed, if you fulfill the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. 9 If, however, you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the entire law, and yet stumbles at one point, is guilty of breaking it all. 11 For he who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. So if you do not commit adultery, but you murder, you are a lawbreaker. 12 Speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has not shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
The first thing we learn is that showing favoritism doesn’t line up with true faith.
Showing favoritism does not line up with true faith (2:1-4).
Showing favoritism does not line up with true faith (2:1-4).
1 My brothers and sisters, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
James starts by addressing his audience as “my brothers and sisters.” He uses this phrase throughout this book and it shows us that he is talking to believers. Even thought this was a problem in their time and is still a problem today, James is talking to Christians who were part of a church. So before we dismiss this as something that we don’t have to deal with, we need to stop and examine our own lives and the way people are treated here at our church.
It’s sad for anyone to treat anyone with favoritism and the other side of that coin which is to treat some poorly, but it’s especially heartbreaking to see it in the church. I grew up in a small town and went to one of the biggest churches on the town square. I remember one of the deacons turning away a poor, black man who came to visit because he didn’t fit in our all white church. There was an attitude of favoritism toward people that met the standards of the church.
The word translated "favoritism" comes from the Greek word that means to lift someone's face up. This means we might decide to like someone or treat them better just because of their appearance. The word for favoritism can only be found in Christian writings of that time. It isn’t mentioned at all in secular books. It’s probably because favoritism was such an accepted part of life that it wasn’t worth mentioning.
But Christians are called to a higher standard that comes from our faith. James reminds us in verse 1 of that faith in Jesus Christ. Every believer should want to be more like Jesus who didn't care if the person he was talking to or helping was rich or poor, a leader or someone everyone looked down upon. Jesus treated everyone the same.
Jesus is the perfect example of a common theme that runs throughout Scripture. God doesn’t play favorites. God accepts everyone who places their trust in Him. He isn’t like humans who judge people based on the way they look, the way they talk, where they’re from, what kind of car they drive, or house they live in.
16 So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are truthful and teach truthfully the way of God. You don’t care what anyone thinks nor do you show partiality.
17 For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God, showing no partiality and taking no bribe.
11 For there is no favoritism with God.
Jesus died to save the whole world and there will be a rich tapestry of people in heaven.
9 After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!
James says being prejudiced and showing favoritism is in total conflict with our faith and with what Scripture teaches us. He uses an example to show how someone might be treated differently depending on how they look:
2 For if someone comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor person dressed in filthy clothes also comes in, 3 if you look with favor on the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here in a good place,” and yet you say to the poor person, “Stand over there,” or “Sit here on the floor by my footstool,” 4 haven’t you made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
James uses the Greek word for “synagogue” that’s translated as meeting or assembly depending on your translation. We know he was writing to Jews who would be familiar with the synagogue as the place to gather and worship. In most synagogues there were only a few benches and the scribes and Pharisees loved to sit there to feel important.
James says that treating the person with money with more respect than the one without money is the sin here. To give the good seat to the rich person while telling the poor person to sit by the footstool and not even on it would be very disrespectful.
john 7:24
The bottom line here is that it’s wrong to treat someone differently just because of what they own, how much money they have, the color of their skin, the language they speak, or how important they seem. Jesus taught that we shouldn’t judge others by the way they look.
24 Stop judging according to outward appearances; rather judge according to righteous judgment.”
Verse 4 says that when we do that, we are judging with evil thoughts. Of the three words James could use for evil, the one he chose is the strongest. The word means that when treat people this way, you're not just making a small mistake; you're doing something that really hurts people on purpose and can cause a lot of damage
I struggled with members of the church I planted when the poor and homeless people we had served in the community started coming to our worship services. It was just too hard for them to sit next to someone who didn’t dress nicely or take a shower very often.
I’ve been thankful to see this church accept a homeless man that visited and even buy him a nice pair of shoes because he walked so much. That’s the kind of attitude we should have towards people. We shouldn’t treat them differently because they don’t have anything or because they aren’t like us.
I hope we will continue to have that same attitude as God leads us to reach our community with the Gospel. I pray we will be loving and kind to everyone that walks through that front door no matter if they are rich or poor.
The next few verses show us God’s love for those in need. Let’s continue with verse 5:
5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 Yet you have dishonored the poor. Don’t the rich oppress you and drag you into court? 7 Don’t they blaspheme the good name that was invoked over you?
James is teaching us in these verses that showing favoritism goes against God’s love for the needy.
Showing favoritism goes against God’s love for the needy (2:5-7).
Showing favoritism goes against God’s love for the needy (2:5-7).
Jesus was born into humble circumstances. He never catered to the rich and powerful. He makes the poor rich in faith and heirs to His kingdom for those that believe in Him. God expects us to reflect His attitude toward those in need. We can go back to the Old Testament to see how God told the Jews to treat the poor living among them.
7 “If there is a poor person among you, one of your brothers within any of your city gates in the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. 8 Instead, you are to open your hand to him and freely loan him enough for whatever need he has. 9 Be careful that there isn’t this wicked thought in your heart, ‘The seventh year, the year of canceling debts, is near,’ and you are stingy toward your poor brother and give him nothing. He will cry out to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty. 10 Give to him, and don’t have a stingy heart when you give, and because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you do. 11 For there will never cease to be poor people in the land; that is why I am commanding you, ‘Open your hand willingly to your poor and needy brother in your land.’
I did some research from the last census and found that there are over 1,600 people in our zip code that live in poverty. That’s why it’s so important to partner with the Pleasant Grove Baptist Association’s ministry center by donating food, clothes, and money.
Showing favoritism to the rich and powerful doesn’t reflect God’s character. It dishonors the poor who are made in God’s image and honors the rich who James says oppress you, drag you into court, and mock your faith.
James doesn’t mean that all rich people are bad, but they are less likely to trust God. Jesus said it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. He’s pointing out the foolishness of putting rich people on a pedestal when they are the most likely to treat you poorly.
Let’s take a look at what else James has to say about favoritism in verse 8.
8 Indeed, if you fulfill the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. 9 If, however, you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the entire law, and yet stumbles at one point, is guilty of breaking it all. 11 For he who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. So if you do not commit adultery, but you murder, you are a lawbreaker.
We see that showing favoritism breaks God’s law to love our neighbor.
Showing favoritism breaks God’s law to love our neighbor (2:8-11).
Showing favoritism breaks God’s law to love our neighbor (2:8-11).
Showing favoritism does not reflect the character of God that we should follow, it isn’t in line with the Christian faith, and it goes against God’s love for the poor. On top of that, it breaks the “royal” law that commands us to love our neighbor. The royal law is the summary of God’s Word – love God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself.
37 He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and most important command. 39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.
Love is the key to living like Christ. It’s the very essence of God and a person who doesn’t love God and others can’t be a true follower of Jesus Christ.
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
We’ve been focusing on favoring the rich over the poor, but I wonder if we treat some people better than others because of other reasons. We’re told to love our neighbor as ourselves, but I think we struggle to love everyone equally. Maybe we discard people in our church because they don’t look like us. Or maybe it’s because we think we’re smarter than them. Maybe their personality doesn’t mix well with ours so we don’t pay any attention to them. Maybe it’s because they speak a different language and we don’t understand them well. Maybe it’s because we think we’re better than them because we haven’t made the same bad decisions in our life. Whatever the reason, favoritism is wrong.
Verse 9 says that showing favoritism is a sin and God treats all sin equally. We tend to think some sin is worse than others. Surely, showing favoritism isn’t as bad as a lot of other sins we think of. But, James reminds us that showing favoritism is as bad as adultery or murder.
James uses the sins of adultery and murder to show how serious the sin of favoritism is. The Jews tended to see the law as a system of pluses and minuses. If you kept a law you got a credit. If you broke a law, you had a debt. So if a person added up the ones he kept and subtracted the ones he broke he could come up with a credit in his account.
It’s the same belief that any religion based on works has that your acceptance by God is based on doing more good than bad. Many people who claim to be Christians believe that too. The BIble teaches that belief is wrong. Breaking any of God’s laws is sin and that makes us guilty of breaking them all.
A children’s minister brought a delicious batch of brownies to church and showed the kids the treat he’d made. He told them he tried a new recipe that included a little more than usual in it. He told them he thought it would be good to sprinkle a little bit of dog food in the mix because his dog loved it so much. The kids’ look of excitement turned to disgust when they thought of even a little bit of dog food in the delicious brownies! It didn’t matter that most of the recipe was delicious ingredients. A little bit of bad ruined the whole thing.
It’s the same way with breaking God’s law. God is holy and without sin. He is also just. He can’t tolerate sin in His presence. He’s also just which means that He is completely fair. It wouldn’t be fair to let sin go unpunished. So just like the little bit of dog food in the brownies, God can’t allow even a little bit of sin into His presence. That means that no one who is a sinner can live in heaven with Him when they die. The good news is that God made a way for us to be forgiven of our sin by sending Jesus, God’s son, to live a perfect life without sin as a human on earth. After living a perfect life, Jesus died on the cross in our place. He’s the only one worthy of paying the price for all of our sins.
8 But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
The Bible says we’ve all sinned. It doesn’t matter if it’s telling a lie, being prideful, wanting what someone else has, committing adultery, lusting after someone, or showing favoritism. We all need God’s forgiveness and grace. God says we have the chance to be forgiven before we die, but after that it’s too late.
We need to understand that we have sinned and rebelled against God. The penalty for that sin is death and eternal separation from God in hell. We need to turn away from our sin by asking God to forgive us. We need to believe that Jesus is God and He came to earth to die for our sins, rose from the dead, and is alive today.
9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
James wraps up this section in verses 12 and 13.
12 Speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has not shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Because favoritism is such a serious sin, James closes this section with a challenge to speak and act as those judged by the law of freedom. The law of freedom is the Gospel that frees us from the bondage of sin so we can live for God. James says we should act like a true believer saved by God’s grace who will be judged on the righteousness we receive from Christ and not because of anything we’ve done.
The Gospel frees us from the judgment of our sin, but we will still give an account for the things we have done.
10 But you, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God. 12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Those who don’t show mercy to others will be judged without mercy. It’s obvious that James is talking about unbelievers here because you can’t be truly saved if you don’t have mercy for others. A person without mercy proves they have never experienced God’s mercy for their own sins.
James challenges us to let the coming judgement influence how we treat others now. We’ve been shown mercy through God’s grace in sending Jesus to die in our place. We should show mercy to all people whether they are rich or poor.
As we wrap up this section, I hope you’ll think about whether you have a problem with favoritism. What can you do this week to make sure you treat everyone the same? Are you willing to help the needy even if they aren’t like you? How is God leading you to obey the royal law of loving your neighbor as yourself?