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Deconstruction Zone
As the body of believers, as the church, may we be a place that does not construct walls, barriers with people, but deconstructs them by not being partial.
For there is no partiality with Christ (Rom1:14)
There was a problem in the first century church, just as there is one today, it may not see very prevalent to us here at Westside, but we need to be careful to watch out for it.
Paul knew his obligation to all people not just certain people.
There is no race or social status with Christ (Gal3:27-28)
Being in Christ removes all social, racial barriers.
In Christ all are in all (Col3:11)
In christ, who is all, and in all, and that all is in us when we are in Christ.
being impartial is found in Old Testament too (Deu1:17)
The Lord knows the inside even that much more than the outside, so don’t be partial (Mt23:25-26)
(insert illustration: Homeless man in sanctuary)
True value in the kingdom has nothing to do with bank accounts or social status, gold rings or fine clothing, it has to do with heart.
So know where you store up your treasures, don’t be partial (ref to Mt6:19-34)
Our passage today seems to have some Old Testament roots, look at (Deu10:16-19)
Partiality, maybe we need a reminder not to be partial (Act10:34-35)
How do we certainly understand like Peter came to?
By looking at God’s Word!
Sin of Partiality
Partiality, is defined as (noun) unfair bias in favor of one thing or person compared with another; favoritism.
Can you see why this can be damaging to the church, the body of believers?
May we look at the passage and see what we can learn so we do not fall into the sin of partiality.
I will address (v.1) in a few minutes, but needed to keep things in context here.
Jewish Christians often showed partiality to Gentile Christians
Problem addressed in our passage is between the rich and the poor (vv.2-4;
Mt5:3; Psm51:17)
Partiality is contrary to God’s plan and also poor can be more than just poor financially can’t it?
Or how about this one
Partiality and discrimination was done away with already as mentioned (Rom1:14; Gal3:27-28)
Do you ever feel discriminated against, or partiality held against you?
That again is contrary to God’s plan, so we need to learn to be impartial.
Partiality was a big deal then, and it is a big deal today, partiality brings division not unity and we are to be one!
How we can be partial today
Preferential treatment of people (attention, hospitality)
Partiality due to race or perceived social status
Partiality between friends and stranger (visitors)
As much as we want to say there is equality today, there is much division that can happen by being partial.
It is just as relevant today as it was in the days this epistle was penned.
Why we can’t show partiality
Partiality is contrary to Gods plan as mentioned, how we treat people can honor God or bring dishonor to God.
Our faith is in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
He is the object of our faith, and is our hope (Jam2:1; 1Tim1:1)
We are to be imitators of Christ, so we cannot show partiality (Eph5:1; Lk6:40)
If we are not careful in what we say, what we do, the glory due to the Lord can be tainted by partiality.
We can be judges with evil thoughts (Jam2:4); so be careful not to be partial (Mt7:1; Jn7:24; Ps109:31)
we know that God judges the unjust judges so don’t be unjust by being partial
Jesus teaching is pretty point blank there isn’t it, but maybe better keep in context
now look at this
righteous judgment is not partial but in accordance to God’s Word; so be careful not to be partial outside of God’s Word
The Lord will be by those who are needy from those who judge, so don’t judge and be partial outside of the Word
Don’t be partial by despising those the Lord has honored (Jam2:5)
The gospel has been preached to the poor (Lk7:22)
Most who are receptive are the poor (1Cor1:26-29)
The poor who know they are broken (Mt5:3) both physically and broken spiritually (Ps51:17) are oftentimes more apt to receive the message and respond to the message, so don’t be partial against the poor
Don’t be partial for God has chosen to honor all men (Act10:34-35)
God welcomes the man who is not partial!
So don’t be partial
Easy to give way to the affluent and push aside the needy; so be careful and don’t be partial (Jm2:6-7; Jam5:4)
According the Mt5:3 the poor in spirit are rich in faith and theirs is the kingdom of God, so don’t get puffed up, be humble and impartial
How the church then was dishonoring God was by oppressing the poor (v.6) and look at what James says later in the Epistle
They were withholding wages from the poor who needed them the most, know that God hears the cries, so don’t be partial.
Overcoming partiality - living God’s Royal Law
We have looked at partiality, we have looked at why we cannot be partial, now it is time to look at how we can overcome partiality.
We do it by fulfilling God’s Royal law (Jm2:8; Jm1:25; Mt22:36-40; Rom13:8-10)
The law of liberty, God’s royal law is defined in (Jm2:8) - loving our neighbor (expand on this issue, defining who is your neighbor
Do it by loving our neighbor as proclaimed by Christ (Mt22:36-40)
Do it as taught by Paul (Rom13:8-10)
We do it by treating everyone equal, since we have all things in common (Act2:44-45)
We do it knowing that are all the same (Gal3:28)
That is just in case you forgot it from earlier.
We do it in knowledge of coming judgment (Jm2:12-13)
One day we will be judged by the law of liberty, the law of Christ, the gospel.
The law of liberty has set us free (Jn8:31-36; Col2:20-22)
the law of liberty, the royal law as given in the written word of God sets us free.
and we are shown mercy so we can show mercy
We do it showing mercy so be shown mercy (Mt6:14-15)
We do it by loving as Christ loved (Jn13:34-35)
We do it knowing only Christ can give us the love we need so we can then live and not show partiality to others by our love, for God is love (1Jn4:7-8)
We can do it because God’s love lives in us (1Jn4:12-13)
and we can be partial to be impartial by loving in word and deed (1Jn3:18)
(Encouragement slide 1)
we can be partial to being impartial by fulling God’s law of liberty
we do it realizing we have broken God’s moral law
When we know, discover, believe and receive God’s love through faith
When we apply God’s love through faith we can be impartial to others because God is not partial to us, so be partial to impartiality.
(Encouragement slide 2) prayer (exit slide)
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