Make No Distinctions

Recap

Authentic Faith is at the focus of the book of James. At the end of Chapter 1 of James, the author implores us to be doers of the word, not just hearers. James is saying that we should be no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. This doing is yet another proving of an authentic faith.

In James 2 James shifts gears a little bit but still ties into the last few words of Chapter 1. Yet another way that the authenticity of our faith will be tested to be authentic. This time in the area of favoritism.

James 1:27 ESV

27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Pulling No Punches

James closes out chapter 1 by challenging the Jewish believers to “keep oneself unstained from the world” and he starts out chapter 2 by describing what will cause someone to be stained by the world. We know that sin by itself will stain us, but here James focuses on the sin of Partiality.

James 2:1 ESV

1 My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.

What James is saying in the very first few words of chapter 2 is that there is no place for favoritism in the heart of a follower of Christ! He uses the phrase “As you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory!” But what does that have to do with showing favoritism?

Bottom line is, we, in our flesh, tend to give favor or show favoritism to the people in this world that can bring us or get us what we want most. We gravitate toward the rich, famous, the beautiful or handsome, the influential, the well connected, the ones that have good hunting or fishing connections even! In our flesh we seek to get what we want and we will do whatever it takes to get what we want. Including power. If we are going to seek glory in anything, our God through James is saying in essence, “you can’t serve two masters, your flesh or ME, because you will only be able to glory in one or the other and I am the Lord of GLORY! The only one worthy to be held up in Glory! So, don’t raise up others in order to get what you want by playing favorites.”

“The Christian religion [is here called] more explicitly belief in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the divine Glory — a striking term for Christ as the full manifestation of the divine presence and majesty. The Jews called this the shekinah, the divine Glory.” ( David Guzik)

This really takes us back to James 1:27. That religion that is pure and undefiled is visiting the lowly. Kids that have no parents and women that have no husbands. Those that can literally offer NOTHING to you! Offer us nothing and yet the Lord is saying that making sure they are taken care of is pure and undefiled or unstained. There can be no wrong or sin in loving the lowly.

If, for a second, we think we don’t ever do that, we do, whether we want to admit it or not. Our flesh is influenced by the saddest things. Look at verse 2.

James 2:2–4 ESV

2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, 3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” 4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

We are so driven by physical appearances. Especially if they cause us to think more highly of someone who dresses nice or has a fancy car or a big house. We perceive that they have it all together. We think this and then we are tempted to treat them differently because of it. We do the same in our flesh for the one who is at the opposite end of the spectrum. I mean, what do you think and feel when you drive by the POV center and see the people outside? IS it different than what you think and feel when you drive past someone in a Porsche or see someone pulling up to their massive Log Mansion?

This temptation is common in all of us. Scripture says so. The culture that James is writing too was steeped in it! He was writing in a very partial age, filled with prejudice and hatred based on class, ethnicity, nationality, and religious background. Part of this was due to the Jews misunderstanding their status of being God’s chosen people. They saw it in a light of “we are better and superior” at times. Not to mention all the other temptations.

When God calls us a “Royal Priesthood, A Holy Nation” it’s not because we are all that special and privileged because of who we are in and of ourselves, it’s because we are found in HIM! We are to be holy in the sense that we are set apart and different from the rest of the world, which would suggest that He does not want us to act like the rest of the world. This takes a surrendering of the flesh and a denial of its prejudgements to show favoritism. Look at the Strong’s definition of the greek word in verse 4 for “made distinctions”.

διακρίνω diakrínō, dee-ak-ree'-no; from G1223 and G2919; to separate thoroughly, i.e. (literally and reflexively) to withdraw from, or (by implication) oppose; figuratively, to discriminate (by implication, decide), or (reflexively) hesitate:—contend, make (to) differ(-ence), discern, doubt, judge, be partial, stagger, waver.

This word implies that in our wicked hearts we discriminate against others because of their appearance of status or worth. We hesitate, but hesitate from doing what? I believe its our fleshly distinctions that cause us to move away from or withdraw from the likeness and heart of Jesus. We are literally denying the model that Jesus sets up for us.

Remember, Jesus turned the world on it’s head when He came on the scene. God’s economy works the exact opposite as the world and the wisdom found in it. Look at what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1.

1 Corinthians 1:26–29 ESV

26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

“There is nothing that men dread more than poverty. They will break every commandment in the Decalogue rather than be poor. But it is God’s chosen lot. He had one opportunity only of living our life, and He chose to be born of parents too poor to present more than two doves at his presentation in the temple.” (F.B. Meyer)

This falls right into line with where James 2 goes next.

James 2:5–7 ESV

5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?

The poor that are spoken of here are the poor in spirit not just the financially destitute. It’s the poor that find fewer obstacles when it comes to seeing a need for or finding salvation in Jesus. Just as Jesus pointed out in Matthew 19.

Matthew 19:24 ESV

24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

The rich and influential man of this world sees little need for God that his power, wealth and self-sufficiency can’t fix. Or so he thinks. James is calling out the Jews of the day for showing favor to the rich men that are coming into their assemblies, greek word literally translated as Synagog, into their worship services and treating the poor with dishonor all the while giving preference to the very people who oppress them and drag you into court! The Rich!

This is not a battle of the classes, its a matter of the heart of the believer! God through James is calling out all genuine believers to be discerning between all people, showing not preference due to anything that can be offered.

I’ve had people try and get chummy with me because they wanted positions of power and authority in the church and it often looks like getting showered with gifts. I’m not talking about a birthday gift once or twice, but literally being showered in gifts in an attempt to win me over so they can get something from me. I have to be aware of those kinds of motives and not let them sway me.

It would also be very easy, if I knew who gave what and how much, to show partiality to whoever gives more. That’s why I refuse to know who gives what. I don’t even want you to tell me what you give. I need to be focused on speaking the truth of God’s word and not catering to anyone! The word will stand on it’s own in this church so that the name of Jesus won’t be negatively effected and the power of the word will go out not catering to anyone or allowing it to be altered so as to not step on toes.

We must remain submitted to the will of God and conformed into the image of Jesus more and more in order to pull this off. Otherwise we will end up partnering with and catering to those who blaspheme the name of Yahweh!

Partiality Condemned

James 2:8–9 ESV

8 If you really fulfill 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 and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

These first century believers are being reminded of the royal law which is “Love your neighbor as yourself” which can only be in line if the first and most important commandment is honored, “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength”. Loving your neighbor as yourself is a byproduct of Loving God with everything you have. When we do that His spirit is going to lead us to treat everyone as we would want to be treated.

No one who Loves God with all his heart soul mind and strength would want to be favored in order to be used for gain, or discriminated against because of a lack of status or worldly worth. An authentic believer would be a lover everyone the same, like Jesus.

But this isn’t just a New Testament thing, God’s royal law goes all the way back to the book of Leviticus.

Leviticus 19:18 ESV

18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

No Picking and Choosing

James 2:10–13 ESV

10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Essentially James is confronting the notion or temptation to follow the parts of the law that we like or coincide with our lifestyle and leaving the ones that we fail at consistently. We don’t get to pick and choose, we aren’t God! If we break one law, we break the whole law! We are to speak and act as those “who are to be judged under the law of liberty”

As those who will be judged by the law of liberty, we should always show mercy to others by refraining from partiality. The mercy we show will be extended to us again on the day of judgment, and that mercy triumphs over judgment. (David Guzik)

 “The law of liberty is the law which defines our relationship to God and man as love-mastered. To speak and do under that impulse, is to be free indeed. If that law be disobeyed, if no mercy be shown, then judgment based upon that law will show no mercy.” (G. Campbell Morgan)

This last verse, verse 13, points us all the way back to Jesus sermon on the mount. Matthew 5:7

Matthew 5:7 ESV

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

James 2:13 is saying that there will be no mercy for those who show no mercy and that is becasue the only ones who show mercy are those who have first received mercy. We can’t give what we haven’t first received. Christ is our example in this.

Exalting Jesus In James Clear Separation from the Ways of the World (1:27–2:13)

Just as Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount, (

Matthew 6:14–15 ESV

14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Exalting Jesus In James Clear Separation from the Ways of the World (1:27–2:13)

When you are forgiven of your sins, you are compelled to forgive others. As you have received mercy, you extend mercy. But the converse of this truth is particularly humbling and penetrating:

Exalting Jesus In James The Manifestation of True and Acceptable Religion

This discussion of showing mercy brings us back to the idea we began with, that authentic faith, is to be seen in our actions. If we do not keep a tight rein on our tongue, then our religion is worthless (1:26). If our words and works do not reflect the mercy of God, then we show that we do not have faith in Christ (2:12–13). Religion that God accepts as pure and faultless is to look after orphans and widows and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world (1:27). If we fail to do these things, then we show that we have not really been transformed by the life-giving mercy of Christ, and our religion is not acceptable before God. Christ produces mercy in His people, which changes the way they act and speak in front of others. That’s the point of this text, for faith always expresses itself as authentic

1 Corinthians 1:30–31 ESV

30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Show no partiality….Love your neighbor as yourself and so prove to have authentic faith in Jesus Christ!

Communion