James: Faith That Works Part 8
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My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.
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,
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,”
have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
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?
But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court?
Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.
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.
So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.
For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
James 2:1
Favoritism has no place in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Favoritism has no place in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.
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,
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,”
have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
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?
But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court?
Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.
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,
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,”
have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.
It contorts the gospel.
It contorts the gospel.
My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.
Sam Allberry
Allberry, Sam. James For You: Showing you how real faith looks in real life (God's Word For You) (p. 4). The Good Book Company. Kindle Edition.
Favoritism is profoundly un-Christian.
You Can’t Be Partical and hold to the Gospel.
The world teaches us to values people by their net worth.
The world teaches us to values people by their net worth.
The Gospel teaches us to value people by Christ’s work.
The Gospel teaches us to value people by Christ’s work.
that someone who is worth more to the world is worth more to the church
Remember what James has just said?
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.
The gospel turns hearts towards the needy not away from them.
The gospel turns hearts towards the needy not away from them.
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.
Not only does favoritism contort the gospel but it:
It contradicts the Scriptures.
It contradicts the Scriptures.
James pics up the theme of the entire bible and shows us God’s revealed will.
If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.
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.
So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.
For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Love is Scriptural.
Love is Scriptural.
When James says the royal law he is speaking kingly language. This is what the king says. The king mandates royal decrees. This is the law of the Kingdom.
Remember the question posed to Jesus by a lawyer. Which is the great commandment? James picks up on the kings clarification.
Royal Law - Love God - Love Others.
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark,
and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left.
Favoritism is sinful.
Favoritism is sinful.
But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
Failure to love is sin.
Racism is not a skin issue it is a sin issue.
Racism is not a skin issue it is a sin issue.
Everyone is accountable.
Everyone is accountable.
James’ point is a simple one: favoritism is profoundly un-Christian. It says, in effect, that someone who is worth more to the world is worth more to the church, and, correspondingly, that someone who is worth less to the world is worth less to the church.
Allberry, Sam. James For You: Showing you how real faith looks in real life (God's Word For You) (p. 59). The Good Book Company. Kindle Edition.