A Study In James (2:1-14)

Q: What does the Bible say about favoritism in the church?

The Bible, particularly in James 2:1-14, teaches that favoritism based on outward appearances or material wealth is a sin. In James 2:1-14, the Apostle James addresses the sin of favoritism within the church. He rebukes those who show respect to wealthy or influential individuals while disregarding the poor or less fortunate. The text emphasizes that in the body of Christ, all believers are equal and that God's choice of His people is based on grace, not on external circumstances or advantages. By judging based on outward appearance, one not only dishonors other believers but also shows contempt for God's wisdom in choosing the poor, rich in faith, as His heirs.

Q: Why is it wrong to judge others by their appearance?

Judging others by appearance is wrong because it goes against God's teaching that He values the heart, not outward appearances (1 Samuel 16:7). The error of judging others by their appearance is addressed in James 2, which highlights that such judgments lead to partiality and self-righteousness. It is a form of pride that evaluates people based on societal standards like wealth or status, instead of recognizing the inherent value that every believer has in Christ. The Bible teaches us in 1 Samuel 16:7 that God does not look at outward appearances, but rather at the heart. By favoring the rich or influential, we diminish the worth of those whom God has chosen, the poor who are rich in faith. This shows a lack of understanding of true spiritual value and the nature of Christ's kingdom, where the last shall be first and the first shall be last.

Q: What is the royal law mentioned in James?

The royal law in James refers to loving one another as Christ loved us, which summarizes the ethical expectations of believers. The royal law, as mentioned in James 2:8, is to love your neighbor as yourself, a principle that Jesus highlighted as essential in the New Covenant. This command not only encompasses love for fellow believers but extends to all individuals. This law is considered 'royal' because it originates from Christ, the King, and reflects His character. When believers act with love, they embody the grace they have received from God. Moreover, the royal law stands in contrast to the tendency to show favoritism, reminding us to treat all people with respect and compassion, irrespective of their material standing or societal influence.

Q: How does showing partiality relate to sin according to James?

Showing partiality is a sin because it violates God's command to love others equally and reveals our distrust in God's grace. James 2 highlights that showing partiality is not merely unwise; it is a sin against the royal law of love. When we show favoritism, we fail the very command of Christ to love our neighbors as ourselves. This behavior can lead to contempt for God's wisdom, as we effectively suggest that God made a poor choice in electing those who may appear insignificant by worldly standards. Furthermore, according to James 2:9, if we respect persons based on outward appearance or material wealth, we become transgressors of God's law. This attitude reflects an inflated sense of self-importance and a lack of faith in God's provision, which is essential for true Christian living.

Q: What does it mean to be rich in faith?

To be rich in faith means to possess a deep trust and reliance on God, often in contrast to material wealth. Being rich in faith denotes a strong, unwavering trust in God's promises and a reliance on His grace rather than on material possessions or worldly achievements. James 2:5 states that God has chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, to be heirs of His kingdom. This perspective encourages believers to focus on spiritual wealth rather than earthly riches. The poor who trust in God's provision often exhibit genuine faith, contrasting sharply with the wealthy who may rely on their resources. In God's kingdom, the true measure of richness is a heart devoted to Christ and His purposes, illustrating that spiritual inheritance is of greater value than any temporal advantage.

James is rebuking those who show
favor or partiality to people because of outward appearance
and outward circumstances and material advantage. They show
favor and partiality to people who are important or intellectual
or wealthy or people with power. And he says in the body of Christ
there are no unimportant people. God's people are not judged by
their importance or their unimportance. In the body of Christ there's
no great and small, but they're all brethren, all sisters. If you turn to Galatians 3, the
Apostle Paul emphasizes this in Galatians 3 verse 28, He's talking about believers
here. Verse 26, let's begin there. You're all the children of God
by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been
baptized by the Spirit of God into Christ, the body of Christ,
you've put on Christ. And in that body there's neither
Jew nor Greek. He's a Jew. He's a Gentile. No, in Christ
there's neither Jew nor Gentile, neither bond nor free, slave
or master. There's neither male nor female.
Well, she's not important, she's a female. He's more important,
he's a male. No, you're all one in Christ.
And if you be Christ, then are you Abraham's seed and heirs
according to promise. And we shall know partiality.
or favoritism, or preference because of physical advantage,
or mental advantage, or material advantage, or difference. The
Church is a body, it's a family. In our families, mother and father,
and children, brothers and sisters, and uncles and aunts, grandfather,
grandmother, we don't look with partiality upon one because he
has more material advantage or importance. We're all brethren. We're all family. And that's
the way the family of God is. We have all things common. And
to show partiality because of any circumstances or advantage
or characteristic or material advantage is not true faith. Let's look at Ephesians 4. Ephesians
chapter 4, beginning with verse 5. Ephesians
chapter 4, verse 4. Let's look at verse 4. There's
one body and one spirit, even as you're called in one hope
of your calling. One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of all. He's above all. and through all
and in you all, but unto every one of us is given grace according
to the measure of the gift of Christ. So, my brethren, back
to our text, chapter 2 of James, verse 1, don't have the faith
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect to
persons because of any circumstances or material advantage or importance
or influence or whatever. And then he gives us an illustration
of this, verse 2, 3, and 4. Let's read those three verses,
and then I'll paraphrase it. He says, for if there come into
your church, your assembly, a man with a gold ring and goodly apparel,
a man who's important, influential, rich, well-known, and there come
in also a poor man in vile raiment, and you have respect to him that
weareth the expensive clothing, and you say unto him, welcome,
sit thou here in a good place. And then you say to the poor
man, stand over there, or find your own seat, or sit under my
footstool. Are you not then partial in yourselves? And you become judges of evil
thoughts. Now here is what he is saying
in my on words. Suppose two men come into your
assembly and one, judging by appearance, by the gold rings
and the fine clothing, he's a wealthy, influential man. And the other
man comes in and judging by his outward appearance, his plain
clothes, he says over here, a vile arrangement, but shabby clothes,
he's a poor man, he's an unknown man. He's a man with no authority,
no power, no influence, judging from outward appearance. Now,
if we're impressed with that man in the expensive clothes,
and we're awed by the presence of this prominent man, and we
say to him, welcome, we're glad to have you, here's a choice
seat, We'll introduce you all around. We're glad to have you.
It'd be good for you to join up with us. We can use people
like you. And then at the same time we
treat the other man because we see his outward appearance. He's
not someone special or important or great or rich. By his outward
appearance we treat him with indifference. We ignore him. We say just Sit where you want
to, because you're not really important to us. We're judging, and we're making
distinction between these two men, not based on faith, not
based on godliness, because we can't see their hearts. We're
judging from outward appearance. Not based on spiritual relationship
with Christ, this wealthy man, may not know Christ. The poor
man may know Christ. But we are basing our judgment
on material advantage. He says here, our thoughts are
evil and our motive is evil. The church of the Lord Jesus
Christ does not enlist the aid or support or the influence of
the wealthy or the famous or important people. Turn to Psalm
118. And listen to the psalmist. Psalm
118, verse 6-9. Psalm 118, verse 6. The Lord
is on my side. If the Lord is on my side, I'll
not fear. What can man do unto me? The
Lord taketh my part with them that help me, therefore shall
I see my desires upon them that hate me. It's better to trust
in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It's better to trust
in the Lord than to put confidence in princes, men who are powerful
and influential. So we highly love and regard
and value all believers, not because of their position or
their power, but because of their relationship with the Lord Jesus
Christ. Turn to Acts 10. Acts 10 verse
34 and 35. Let's see what this says. Acts
10 verse 34. When Peter went down to God sent
him down to visit with Cornelius. You know his attitude about going
to the home of this Gentile. But he came to this conclusion. Peter opened his mouth, Acts
10 verse 34, and said of a truth, I perceive God is no respecter
of persons. God doesn't respect a man's person
because he's a Jew, because he's intelligent because he's talented,
because he's wealthy, because he's important. God is no respecter
of persons, but in every nation he that feareth God and worketh
righteousness, he's accepted of him. So if we show this partiality
based upon appearance, then we become judges and our thoughts
are evil and partial. Now look at verse 5. Hearken,
my beloved brethren, listen to this. Hath not God chosen the
poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which
he hath promised to them that love him? The Lord's choice of
his people is not based on these things. It's not based on merit,
or morals, or materialism, or intelligence. He's no respecter
of those things. But his choice of his people
is based on his grace and his mercy. Let's read about our own
calling. 1 Corinthians 1. It's talking about you and me. In 1 Corinthians 1 verse 26. You see your calling brethren.
You see your calling. This is my calling and yours. Have it not many wise men after
the flesh? Not many mighty, not many noble
are called. He doesn't say not any, but he
says not many. But God hath chosen the foolish
things of the world to confound the wise. God hath chosen the
weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.
Base things of the world, things which are despised hath God chosen. yea, and things which are not,
to bring to naught the things that are, that no flesh should
glory in his presence. But of God are you in Christ
Jesus, who of God he has made unto us true wisdom, true righteousness,
holiness, sanctification, and redemption. And according as
it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. Look back at verse 5 again. Verse 5 of James 2. How come
my beloved brethren hath not God chosen the poor of this world? He doesn't say they're poor. He said they're poor in this
world. That's different, isn't it? The poor of this world. They're not poor people. They're
rich. Look at it. He says they're rich
in faith. They're heirs of the kingdom.
They're joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ. They're not
poor. Go down to Mexico and see those
folks meeting together in those little buildings, you know, If you were to take up every
dime they had to their name, you wouldn't take up in that
whole congregation over ten dollars. Everything they wear they made,
even the men, the wives have made their shirts. Not a man in there has on a pair
of shoes. Every one of them have on sandals
made out of old tires that they cut the old tires along the tread
and put a loop over it and sewed it on and that's what they wear.
But they're rich. They know Christ. They love his
word. They're heirs of God. They have
an inheritance, incorruptible, under pile, laid up in heaven.
I'll tell you who's poor. It's the rich man who doesn't
know Christ. That's the man that's poor. It's
not the poor of this world who know Christ. They're not poor.
It's the rich man who's only rich in this world, if that's
all he has. He's bankrupt. He's poverty-stricken. He's poor. So God has chosen the poor of
this world, rich in faith, heirs of the kingdom which he has promised
to them that love him. But now, if we show partiality,
and we show respect towards people based on appearance, and based
on material advantage, and based upon maybe what they can do for
us, or what we think they could do for the church, which they
can't do, we're guilty of two things. Let's read verse 6 and
7. You have despised the poor. Do
not rich men oppress you, draw you before the judgment seats.
Do not these worldly, wealthy, powerful people blaspheme that
worthy name by which you are called. And when you cater to
these worldly people because of advantage or because of what
you possibly think they can do for you. They're doing two things. We're guilty of two things. First
of all, we humiliate and dishonor and show contempt for God's simple
children. That's the first thing we're
doing. We're showing contempt for the poor of this world who
are rich in faith. We're preferring power and influence
and material advantage over them. So we're showing, we're preferring
this man, we're showing partiality, so we're showing contempt for
this man. Contempt for him. And the Lord warns us about that
over here in Matthew 18. In Matthew 18, verse 6 and 7,
the Lord warns us about offending His little children. Offending
His little ones. Those who believe on Him. He said in verse 5 of Matthew
18, Whosoever sees one such little child. Now He's not talking about
infants. He's talking about little children
who are believers. Believers who are little children.
Talking about every saved person. We're all children of God. Little
children. His little children. He told
Peter, except you be converted and become as a little child,
you won't enter the kingdom of heaven. So whoever receives one
of these little children, these little ones who believe on me,
don't care if he's 70 years old, he's still a little child. He
still belongs to them. He's one of God's little children.
And you receive one, you're receiving him. But listen, whosoever shall
offend one of them, show indifference to him and ignore him, put him
down and humiliate him by catering to the person of advantage. Why, he said, it'd be better
for you that a millstone were hanged around your neck and you
were cast into the depths of the sea. So that's the first
thing when we show partiality because of advantage or for advantage. And we ignore and show indifference
to the poor of God's kingdom. We're despising Him. And here's
the second thing that people do who do that. They're showing
contempt for the wisdom of God. They're showing contempt for
the wisdom of God. They're intimating that when
God chose this poor man, He made the wrong choice. He should have
chosen this man. Is that what we're doing? If
someone comes in who is important, famous singer, sports star, personality,
president, wealthy, and we roll out the red carpet and welcome
them and show partiality and we ignore the poor, believers,
children of God, simple, faithful, God honoring ordinary folks. We're showing contempt for them.
And secondly, we're saying, God, you should have chosen this fellow
here, not that one. Isn't that right? Yes, that's
right. We're intimating that God made
the wrong choice. We choose according to appearance. He chooses according to heart. Turn down everyone Samuel made
this mistake, didn't he? God sent him down to the house
of Jesse to anoint a king. And he did his best to anoint
the biggest, the strongest, the wisest, the wealthiest, the most
impressive one there. He did his best. God had let
him alone. That's who he'd have chosen.
But the Lord said, none of these are mine. They brought David
in. He said, this is my man. He said,
you see Samuel, I don't look on the outward appearance. I
look on the heart. That's grace. That's God. That's greatness. That's mercy. That's faith. And we need to
learn that now. I know you're not guilty of this
sort of thing, but we need to learn not to be guilty of it,
even in our thoughts, let alone in our outward action. And then he says, verse 8, now
watch this. Let me point out this. Is it
not the rich and powerful who are filled with pride and contempt? God's people aren't proud and
contemptible, they're loving and humble. But these people
are proud and full of contempt for God and His Word. Is it not
the rich and powerful who blaspheme the name of Christ? Who laugh
at free grace? Who laugh at sovereign mercy?
Who will not bow to His indisputable Word? Is it not the rich and the powerful
who oppose and ridicule the gospel of the cross? Why would we be impressed by
them? Because a man is a fool that
says there's no God. It doesn't matter how many degrees
he has, he's a fool who says there is no God. A man's a fool
that makes a mark of sin, it doesn't matter how rich he is.
A man's a fool that boasts in tomorrow and does not take into
account the will of God, even if it's the president. He's a
fool. And a simple believer is a wise
man. He has God's wisdom. So verse
8, on the other hand, if you fulfill the royal law, the royal
law, if you're concerned with fulfilling the royal law, what's
the royal law? That's the law of the king. That's
the law of the king. The Lord Jesus Christ, the King
of kings. He said, You love one another. He said, a new commandment I
give you, that you love one another as I love you. That's the royal
law, isn't it? The king's law. Now, if you want
to fulfill the king's law, according to the scriptures, you love your
neighbors yourself. And if you do that, you do well. If you're concerned with fulfilling
the law of our king, the royal law, You love your neighbor. You love your brother in the
church. Christ said, as he loved us. That's the royal law. You love the people in the church
like he loved you. And then you love your fleshly
brother. You love your fleshly brother
with pity and compassion, loving. And you love your neighbor. The
man next door as an object of kindness and compassion. Show
compassion and kindness toward all men. Let me read you that
Galatians 6. Turn over Galatians 6 a moment.
This love is not limited to brothers only in Christ. This compassion and pity and
kindness in regard is extended to all men. Our neighbor. Who
is my neighbor? Galatians 6 verse 2. Listen. Bear ye one another's burdens,
and so fulfill the royal law, the law of Christ. Verse 10. As we have therefore opportunity,
let's do good unto all men. All men, do good to all men.
Show pity, compassion and kindness to all, especially your brothers
in Christ. You know what that says? Especially
those of the household of faith. But in regard to this business
of pity and compassion and kindness, the believer, his love is to
extend to all men. And verse 9, But if you have
respect to persons because of advantage, because of appearance,
if you show partiality to that sort of person and you treat
with indifference the simple poor in this world believer,
you commit sin. You commit sin. You commit sin. You know, if we show partiality,
favoritism, honor to one person above another because of material
advantage, because of what we can get out of them, or because
we think that they're more important than this other person, it's
a sin. It's not just unwise, it's not
just foolish, it's a sin. You see what he's saying? We're
putting this on a different plane now. It's a sin. That's serious. And you know,
a lot of people, a lot of church people, and I'm sure real believers,
they flee outward sins and more obvious forms of sin, and sins
that are forbidden openly, Sure we do. We want to avoid those.
But listen, if we have a bad attitude and spirit, and we are
possessed with covetousness, we are committing sin just like
anybody else out there in the gutter. It's a sin. Isn't that
what he said? If you have respect to persons
because of advantage or other reason, that's a sin. You're
convinced of the law as a transgressor of which law? Of that royal law. See, that's what we're judged
by. We're talking to believers. If I, as a believer, show partiality
because of a spirit of whatever, and I treat with indifference
the simple of the faith, I've sinned. I've sinned just as much
as if I'd have committed one of these open, obvious sins that
people are careful to avoid. That's right. That's exactly
right. We're found because we're convinced
of this royal law. You know, believers are not under
the Ten Commandments as a rule of life. Let me be careful here
and talk to you a minute. The Ten Commandments are just
as real as they've always been. And just as straight and plain
as they've always been. And we have great love for them
and regard for them and we certainly don't want to violate a one of
them. And the people of this world are under that law. Subjects
of the Kingdom of God are under the laws of God. And they're
judged by those laws. But the believer is under the
law of Christ. The law of liberty. The law of
the spirit of Christ. The law of love. What he does,
he does to please Christ. And he's judged by the law of
Christ. You see what I'm saying? And when I show partiality in
this way, I'm doubting the care of my Heavenly Father. I am soliciting
the arm of the flesh. I am judging others, not by heart
and life, but by appearance, and I am sinning according to
the law of my Lord. That's right. Verse 10, For whosoever
shall keep the whole And offend in one point, he's guilty of
all. Like the Pharisee said, he said, I thank you Lord that
I'm not like other men. I'm not an extortioner. I'm not
an adulterer. I'm not unjust. Yes, but he was offending in
this point of spirit. He said in the next line, I'm
not like that publican. He was looking down upon that
publican. He was lifting himself above that publican. He was judging
that publican. And to offend in that point of
the law is to be guilty of the whole law. Now look at verse
11. For he that said, Do not commit
adultery, also said, Do not kill. And those Pharisees found the
woman in adultery, and they brought her to the Lord and demanded
that she be stolen. And it's true that our Lord's
love Our Lord's law condemns adultery. But it's also true
that our Lord's law condemns killing. Indeed, they were intent
on destroying her, exposing the heart. So, to offend in one point
of the law is to be guilty of the whole law. For He that said,
Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not kill. Now, if you
don't commit adultery, but if you kill and hate, put people
down, you become a transgressor of the law. Now verse 12, So
speak ye, and so do ye, as they that shall be judged, not by
the law, the ten commandments, but by the law of Christ. So
speak ye in your words, and so do ye in your actions, as one
who shall be held accountable, not before ten commandments,
but before the law of Christ, the law of love, the law of liberty.
Christ is our Lord. What would He do? What would
He do under this situation? Well, He told us when the Pharisees
stood and bragged about His righteousness, and the publican cried, Lord,
be merciful to me, a sinner. He chose the sinner. When the thief on the cross prayed
for His mercy, He showed him mercy. That's what our Lord would
do. Christ is our life. How would
He treat this person? So speak ye and do ye as they
that shall be held accountable by the law of Christ, by the
law of love, and by the law of liberty. The law of God, the
written law, the ten commandments, the tables of stone, condemn
those who do not obey. The law of Christ, the royal
law, the law of the liberty of Christ, condemns us who profess
to obey and don't. That's what he's saying. So speak
ye, so do ye, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. Now watch this. This is strong. For he shall have judgment without
mercy that shows no mercy. The person who shows no mercy
to the poor and the distressed of God's people, but puts them
down and counts them unworthy of his notice and unworthy of
his help, and courts the praise and friendship of this world,
he'll have judgment without mercy. You see down here, mercy, the
man shall have judgment without mercy that shows no mercy. But
the man that shows mercy, now watch this, mercy rejoices against
judgment. Mercy is not afraid of judgment.
The man who shows no mercy to the poor and the weary and the
hungry and the needy, well, he'll receive no mercy. But the man
who, because he loves Christ, treats with kindness and respect
and love all men, and relieves the distressed and the weary
and the hungry and the faint, he's not afraid of judgment.
That's what that's saying. Mercy glories in judgment. Mercy
rejoices and is not afraid of judgment. but rather rejoices
in the view of it, because Christ is my judgment. There is therefore
now no condemnation of them who are in Christ. And men and women
who love Christ and love His people, whomever they are, are
merciful and thought indeed, do not need to fear judgment.
But whoever it is who shows no mercy, he will receive
no mercy. He'll have judgment without mercy
that has shown no mercy. But when mercy is shown, and
truly shown, it's not afraid of judgment. Now here's where
we're going to take up next week, but I just want to look at it
very briefly, just a couple of minutes. What does it profit,
my brethren? Of what use is it? What advantage
is it to say that I believe the gospel when I don't? To say that
I love Christ when I don't. To say that I'm a Christian when
I have no works of faith, no labor of love, no kindness and
mercy of heart, no support of the gospel, no tenderness toward
the poor. What is it? Why would a man claim
that? What advantage is it? What profit
is there in that? Man says he has faith and has
not this fruit, These works of faith, this labor of love, this
kindness of heart. And this is a question. Can that
kind of faith save him? That's what James is asking. Can that kind of faith, faith
without works, can that save? Faith without love, can that
save? Certainly not. Certainly not. True faith is not historical
faith. True faith is not commitment
to a creed. True faith is not knowledge of
a system of theology. True faith is not identification
with a church. True faith is not an effort to
live morally. True faith is to know God and
Jesus Christ whom He has sent. True faith is the life and love
and nature of Christ, for it says, by grace are you saved
through faith, and that not of yourself, it is the gift of God,
not of works, lest any man should boast were his workmanship created
unto good works, that we should walk therein. And true faith
produces fruits of righteousness, Proof of regeneration and genuine
hope in the glory of God. Turn to Ephesians 4 and let me
close with the reading of a few verses here. Ephesians chapter
4. I'm going to begin reading at
verse 23. And this is what we've been talking
about. It's an attitude and a spirit of the mind. This is where James
has been dealing with. Ephesians 4. Be renewed in the
spirit of your mind. Ephesians 4 verse 24, that you
put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness
and true holiness. Wherefore put away lying. Speak
every man truth with his neighbor. Remembers one of another. Be
ye angry and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon
your wrath. Neither give place to the devil.
Let him that stole steal no more. But rather let him labor, working
with his hands the thing which is good that he may have to give
to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication
proceed out of your mouth. but that which is good to the
use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the heroes.
And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you're sealed
unto the day of redemption. And let all bitterness and wrath
and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you
with all malice, grudges, ill feelings, and be kind, one to
another, tenderhearted, Forgiving one another that's God for Christ's
sake that forgiven you and that faith can save That kind of faith
All right. I hope that was a blessing to
you

A Study In James (2:1-14)

What does the Bible say about favoritism in the church?

Why is it wrong to judge others by their appearance?

What is the royal law mentioned in James?

How does showing partiality relate to sin according to James?

What does it mean to be rich in faith?

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A Study In James (2:1-14)

What does the Bible say about favoritism in the church?

Why is it wrong to judge others by their appearance?

What is the royal law mentioned in James?

How does showing partiality relate to sin according to James?

What does it mean to be rich in faith?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

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