James 2:1-13

34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

The culture that James wrote to was just as prone to be partial to some over others as we are today. That is simply the condition of the heart from the fallen nature in the garden of Eden.

In those days there was partiality given to certain people groups based on whether they were slaves or freemen, rich or poor, what religions background they had, where they lived or what nationality they were, all the same issue we have today.

But Jesus came and abolished the need and reasoning behind partiality so that in Christ...

Galatians 3:28 ESV

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3:11 ESV

11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

Now please notice that Jesus Christ is called by James the Lord of glory. Some translations have glorious Lord and that is fine, but not near as strong a statement as Lord of glory. Understand that the idea that James is getting across with the term Lord of glory is to attribute the Shekinah glory of God from the OT with Jesus Christ. That is no small statement to make! It was God alone who had the shekinah (Radiant glory) about Him. Think of the shekinah as a physical manifestation of glory. The imagery of God’s presence in the OT was described in many ways. It was His presence displayed in the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night that led the children of Isreal through the wilderness, the consuming fire on Mount Sinai as God called Moses up to receive the law, and yet we will fully experience the glory of God for all of eternity in heaven...

Revelation 21:23 ESV

23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.

Jesus Christ our Savior is Lord (master) of all things as the One who is The Divine One who is divinely glorious.

Now I want you to consider that the Epistle of James is one of the earliest Christian writings. That means that from the very beginning of the church it was believed and known that Jesus Christ is in fact THE Lord of glory. Just as Thomas exclaimed when he saw Jesus hands and feet after His glorious resurrection...

John 20:26–29 ESV

26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

I bring this up because there is a group of people today who teach and believe that Jesus never claimed to be divine and thus the early church never believed Him to be.

Verses 2-4

James tells us not to show partiality, then he gives us an example of what he is talking about. Clearly he is not saying that partiality is only in regards to rich vs poor in the church. He is simply giving an example of partiality and how it is wrong in the church.

“If I’m nice to the rich guy he might buy me something”...

It has been our privilege (though sometimes a challenging privilege) in this church to minister to some of the poorest, dirtiest, and at times smelliest people in the Estancia Valley. And as a church I believe and hope that we have shown no partiality when the lowest have walked in nor shown partiality when what may have been perceived of the highest of people in regards to status or finances have come in.

I remember one such man Kirk Ramsing who was basically homeless and came with Mike Wilson. He was curious as to why we didn’t treat him like other churches did who frowned at his dirty smelly clothes with holes in them. In truth the man only owned 1-2 pairs of clothes and they were worn out. The man had been told by one church that he needed to get cleaned up and properly dressed to enter their church and it hurt him deeply.

But here he was welcomed by the church with loving kindness and warm fellowship even if he was not always able to bath or wash his clothes. In fact the day of his baptism he almost didn't get baptised because he only had one set of clothes and it was winter so he didn’t want to get them wet. Once we found that out we took him next door to the hotel when ALCO was still in business and bought him shorts and a teeshirt to get baptised in as well as some other items that we discovered he needed.

That man went on to really experience the grace and mercy of God and to be a living example of that to others. He passed away not long after receiving Christ from an infection in his blood that he did not know he had, but not before being reunited with his family who had not seen or spoken to for years prior. Before Kirk passed away he was using his skill as a plumber to help us complete the bathrooms in the annex next door. In fact he is the one who came up with the idea to make those little cement pedestals that the toilets sit on in order to make them ADA (wheelchair) accessible.

His funeral was the biggest party I’ve ever seen as his church family celebrated the man Christ made him and bore witness to his old unsaved friends and family of the grace of God in his life! The altar call was fruitful and some were adding to the kingdom as a result that day!

Verses 5-7

Verses 8-9

Whether a person be rich or poor, have the same or different race, be male or female, live in the same or a different geographic location, or a whole host of other things that can make us partial towards or against others, if or when we show partiality, we are sinning against God and His royal law of love...

Mark 12:28–31 ESV

28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

But this isn’t just from the NT...

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.

Paul taught the Galatians...

Galatians 5:13–15 ESV

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

Verses 10-13

Just in case anyone thought they could justify their actions about partiality, bias, discrimination, or whatever else it might be called and say that they were basically good besides that James brings the heat!

You see it doesn’t matter if you only have one sin in life you are still a sinner, just like if you are just a speeder on the road you are still considered a law breaker. It’s not the number of different laws a person breaks that makes them a lawbreaker, it’s the fact that they broke a law at all.

It is called the law of liberty because on one hand we have true freedom in Christ “He who the son sets free is free indeed”

Galatians 5:1 ESV

1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

But it is also called the law of liberty because we are free to follow the law which as previously stated is the law of love. It is not under a heavy and difficult burden nor are we in bondage to follow the law of liberty. Jesus said...

Matthew 11:28–30 ESV

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

And yet with all that said, we will each be judged under this wonderful law of liberty...

2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Now this is not a judgement regarding heaven or hell, all of that is based upon whether or not a person places their faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin and then lives a life of faith following after Christ. Which is what the next half of the chapter speaks about.

Please note what James goes on to say in verse 13.

Judgement is without mercy to the one who shows no mercy...

Mercy is not getting what we do deserve and it is the precursor to grace which is getting what we do not deserve.

God was merciful to us to forgive us our sin against Him, and is gracious to us to give us heaven in stead of hell.

Mercy is something the Christian is intimately acquainted with and thus should live out towards others. When we are being partial to others based off our preferences of dress code or financial status we are not being merciful but judgmental.

Matthew 7:1–2 ESV

1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.

Judgement is reserved for God.

That is not to say that we shouldn’t hold each other accountable and have a reasonable expectation that our brothers and sister live in such a way that we demonstrate the life changing power of Christ. We will see that in the second half of the chapter.

But please remember that all of what James has told us this morning is because of what he saw His older brother and Lord Jesus Christ model for him.

Communion

Luke 22:14–20 ESV

14 And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. 15 And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

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