August 14, 2022
Withholding Love: Favoritism
James 2:1-13

SIDEBAR

• We are not to judge most things in life–at all.
• We are not supposed to judge the unbeliever.
• 1 Corinthians 5:12-13a, For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside.
• We are not supposed to judge the motives of believers.
• 1 Corinthians 4:5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
• We are suppose to call each other out in love over sin.

PASSAGE
TITLE: Withholding Love: Favoritism
INTRO: James continues his commands and pleas (what we call imperatives) to the his audience. The things he is explaining to his audience has huge consequences for Christians; as we saw last week when we read James 1, “Bridal your tongue or your religion is worthless.” We are going to see more of that kind of straight talk today. God is going to speak to us today about our future judgment and the huge impact partiality—or favoritism—has on our lives at our judgment.

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

• Here we are in chapter 2 and we see “My brothers” again.
• It would seem that James is giving emphasis to what he was about to write to his audience.
• Pleading or listen with respond. Change Church—live right.
• ILLUSTRATION = Dear Jason, later Jason …
• The audience is Christian.

The plea this time? V 1, “Show no partiality …”

• partiality = favoritism
• Show partiality in all kinds of ways.
  • Politicians show favoritism.
  • County commissioners show favoritism.
  • Judges show favoritism.
  • Businesses show favoritism.
  • Churches show favoritism.
  • Friends show favoritism.
  • We show favoritism.
  • We all hate it unless we receive it.
  • God’s word teaches not to do it.
• Look again at v 1: “Show no partiality, as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory”
  • Lord (Master), Jesus (Greek for Joshua = God is salvation), Christ (The Anointed).
  • THE GOSPEL
• Everyday we live, favoritism should not be a part of a Christian’s life.
  • The faith life we are living is suppose to rise towards our maker in holiness in our words, thoughts and deeds–devoid of partiality towards people.
  • Faith will one day change—when we see Jesus with our own eyes. Then we shall be changed to. But the here and now demands our attention to the holiness details of the challenging life.
  • We will have faith in God forever for various things, but one day our faith shall be sight regarding our saving faith in Jesus.

JAMES ILLUSTRATES FOR HIS AUDIENCE

Very long sentence.
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?

• Most likely James either saw this at a gathering in Jerusalem or heard about it happening from a personal account.
  • A man with a gold ring, and fine clothing (lit. too: splendid or ornate clothing).
  • A man in shabby clothing = lit. vile raiment = filthy clothes
  • While people don’t see others sitting on the floor today in churches there is still plenty of favoritism in churches around the world.
  • Imagine a man comes into a fellowship and sits down at a table.
  • He is asked to move for that is the table reserved for important people.
• v 4 “have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”
  • Distinctions is a good translation, lit. too: separate, discriminate (Strong); to withdraw from one, desert [someone] (Thayer)
  • The Bible teaches, when we make distinctions, we make ourselves an illegitimate judge with evil thoughts. WOW!
  • By contrast, to Christians, favoritism is often considered an “acceptable sins–if it is considered a sin at all.”
• We don’t look at our sin the way God does.
• PERFECTION

Let’s drive these points home with the word of God:

• Romans 2:11, For God does not show favoritism (BSB).
• Ephesians 6:9, And masters, do the same for your slaves. Give up your use of threats, because you know that He who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with Him (BSB).
• Leviticus 19:15, You must not pervert justice; you must not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the rich; you are to judge your neighbor fairly. (BSB)
• Acts 10:34, Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism. (BSB)
• Colossians 3:25, Whoever does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism. (BSB)
• 1 Timothy 5:21, I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism. (NIV)
• Galatians 2:6, But as for the highly esteemed—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—those leaders added nothing to me. (BSB)
• James 3:17, But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. (BSB)
• Deuteronomy 21:16, For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God, showing no partiality and accepting no bribe. (BSB)

• Paul explained, Colossians 3:11, Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
• Why should there be no distinctions in our lives? Christ made no distinctions.
  • Greater to the lesser.
• Theologically too:
  • All people are made in God’s image. We have intrinsic value.
  • All Christians are part of the same family of God.
  • Christ died for all people. All have the opportunity to have the same access to God.

APPLICATION

• Favoritism is a sin that may be blatant and obvious to us and those around us, but it’s often subtle as well.
  • There are millions of ways to show partiality; all should be avoided. No such thing as an “acceptable sin.”
  • We need to make sure favoritism is on our minds.
  • We need to bring the bar of holiness back to where it should be.
  • We love the long view of the telescope for our lives. Get the microscope.
  • We are to strive to identify them firstly–we need to be severely self-critical here—brutally honest with self.

TRANSITION

Now that we are reminded that favoritism is evil, and it should not be a part in our lives, let’s look at what James reminded his audience regarding the rich.

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?

• Favoritism is bad under any circumstances.
• But James brings up many reasons why we should not show favoritism to rich people.

James employs a contrast of a poor man to a rich man.

Poor man—look again in v 5, Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith …

• The poor are rich in faith.
  • The Chinese Christian is trusting God for their safety this morning.
  • The are Nigerian Christians demonstrating faith through their martyrdom today.
  • Poor—I mean poor—Christians around the world are trusting God for their daily meals this morning.
• James reminds his audience that the poor are going to be “heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?”
  • Heirs of the kingdom >> one day these will hold the positions of power, positions of government and authority.
  • Why? The love God
    • Jesus reminded us how to express love, “If you love me obey my commandments.”
• But what is James’ charge to his audience: v 6 “But you have dishonored the poor man.”

Rich man,—6b, Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, COMMENT

• … and the ones who drag you into court? COMMENT
• … Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?** COMMENT
• But the church has show honor to the oppressor, the person who sues to get more ill gotten gain, and the blasphemer of God.
• No all rich people are going to hell. But per capita the Bible is clear, often riches are a hindrance to repentance and holiness.
• Instead of treating both men on an even plane: the audience dishonored the poor man and honored the rich one.

APPLICATION

• No problem here. I don’t show favoritism to rich people; we still show favoritism.
• James only illustrates what he is taking about.
• He doesn’t limit the truth through the illustration.

8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.

• James’ audience is Jewish.
• James was not talking about all of the 613 Mosaic Law commands to the Jews. He defines what he means by the “royal law”; namely “love your neighbor as yourself.”
• Reminder: who’s my neighbor, according to the Scriptures? EVERYONE
• Pure Christian theology here: The second and last command for the mature Christian. (The first command of the royal law is love God with all of your heart, mind, strength and soul.)
• Royal law “according to the Scriptures”
  • God has explained Himself to the finest detail.
• Not according to man’s opinions.
  • ILLUSTRATION: I thought this morning: “Have I ever confessed favoritism?”
• Love everyone is not hard to understand.
  • The royal law is not voluntary, it Is commanded.
  • It’s the lowest bar for the Christian. (Higher levels of life are voluntary).
  • It is suppose to permeate every thread of life.
• NOTICE again in the first part of v 8: : If you REALLY fulfill it = really DO IT
  • Measurable actions, not fleeting emotions.
  • = DOING WELL.

TRANSITION

Now that we see that application of the royal law is what the standard is, let’s turn our attention the what the Word of God teaches us if we do not hit the mark. v. 9 …

• 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 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.

• This is another section that theologians have struggled with.

• v 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

  • The context is the royal law only.
  • When we sin we are already convicted as transgressors; there is no trial necessary.
    • When we withhold love from anyone, at anytime, for any reason it’s like we were arrested, charged, booked, sent to trial, and sentenced in that nano second.
    • Why? God has already clearly pronounced the unacceptability of a word, a though, and a deed that withholds love.
    • Transgressors = lit. too # 1 the warrior or combatant who stands beside the charioteer, # 2 light troops … who ran beside the cavalry.
      • When we withhold love we become a combatant against the King of kings.
  • … v 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.

The depth of the law of liberty: love your neighbor as yourself.

• Why = withhold love warrants equal guilt.
• All sin in its essence is withholding love from someone.
  • Man says sins are different.
    • Usually: your sins are worse than mine
• The Scriptures teach thus:
  • Murder? Charge = withholding love = guilty.
  • Adultery? Charge = withholding love = guilty.
  • Coveting? Charge = withholding love = guilty.
  • Favoritism? Charge = withholding love = guilty.
  • There is one ONE CHARGE for all actions in the court of God for the believer: withholding love.

APPLICATION

• James acknowledges in 3:2a, “For we all stumble in many ways.”
• Withholding love is the essence of all sin.
• Sin is serious.
• Perfection is the target.
• Withholding love is
• Let us stop acting like an enemy combatant—a transgressor–towards God’s kingdom.

JAMES GIVES HIS CONCLUSION TO THE CHURCH v 12:

12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.

• We are supposed to keep on the forefront of our minds that our words and actions are headed to a judgment when love is necessary for an acquittal of each particular moment of our lives.
• Reminder from this author too: The Christian life involves every word and action.
• All Christians are headed to a judgment
  • Law of liberty (2nd / last time here).
  • Love your neighbor as yourself will be the measuring rod for every word, thought and deed towards others.
• But we are also reminder here that,
• Love is where one finds fulfillment.
• Love is where we find peace and joy.
• Love is where liberty is.

Why do we need to live our lives with our judgment in mind? James gives the reasons in v 13. One is state negatively and one positively. First the negative:

13, For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy.

• lit: mercy: kindness or good will towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them (Strong); “mercy; kindness or good will toward the miserable and afflicted, joined with a desire to relieve them” (Thayer)
• No free pass. Either a work hit the mark or it didn’t.
• Works and words without love arrive dead-on-arrival to heaven. DOA.
• God will not show mercy on the times of our lives that excluded love. NON!
• The ultimate reaping of what we have sown.
• favoritism, those times of our lives receive judgment without mercy.
• If we desire mercy at our judgment we must be merciful.

That leads us to the positive reason: v 13b, Mercy triumphs over judgment.

• Mercy wins in the end. Mercy is loving.
• Triumph = to glory against, to exult over, to boast oneself to the injury of (a person or a thing) (LSJ)
  • Embarrassing procession of conquered people.
• The virtue of love will make a mockery of those attitudes that are contrary to God!
• Live in love and mercy without favoritism.
  … …

Bibliography and Works Cited

NOTE: Please see the following web-page for most of the works cited: https://insidecrosspoint.org/sermons/2022/aug/bibliography.html. Most works cited on that web-page correspond to the verses they are are grouped or outlined with, or in the case of background information, general references, author information, etc., one will find cited material with the Bible books the citations are associated with.

Scripture quotations [unless otherwise noted] are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Other Works Cited