MAKING YOUR LIFE
USEFUL
Don’t Show
Favoritism
James 2:1-12
Jerry A Collins
SCC
v
What
is the meaning of showing favoritism?
v
Why
is the law called a royal law?
v
Why
is the law called the law of liberty?
There are an awful lot of things that just do not make
sense to us about God’s expectations and desires and demands for us. He tells
us to lose our lives; take up our cross; don’t seek revenge; speak evil of no
one; when angry do not sin; love your wife like Christ lived the church; obey;
our parents; respect your husband; give your money; be filled with the Spirit;
pray without ceasing; and don’t show personal favoritism. James just taught us
that true religion finds an outlet in service, a service which demands that a
believer learn to accept others without prejudice and
to assist others without presumption. Bottom line, it begins be learning to not
to make distinctions between ourselves in the body of Christ based upon worldly
standards of status, wealth, fame, power, or influence. Making distinctions
this way motivates us to preferential treatment based on impure motives. You
never want to be guilty of showing favoritism because of some perceived gain
for yourself. Have you ever been guilty of this? Of course you have and James
tells you to stop it because your judgment will be severe if you do not vs 13. Judgment is everywhere in this book (2:4, 12, 13;
3:1;
SHOWING FAVORITISM
IS MOTIVATED BY EVIL INTENT 1-4
Don’t show
favoritism vs 1 We now move on to a different subject “my brother”,
indicates this. James reminds us that we have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. Do you think of Jesus that
way? Interesting that James, the brother of Jesus, makes this statement. He and
his siblings did not believe in Jesus as the Christ during Jesus’ lifetime.
James has had a thorough conversion. He is the spokesman for the church in
He illustrates this Suppose James says, a man with a gold ring obviously well off or well-known or well
connected--comes into an assembly of believers. Someone also comes in dirty and
poor vs 2. So we have an obvious contrast. A
friend of mine invited to teach actually went to the class as a hobo. No one
knew him until he was introduced to speak. Up to that point almost everyone
avoided him. He made his obvious point to them as he taught on this passage.
Then you literally ‘gaze upon’ the fine man and give him preferential seating.
You give special attention. The poor man you give a seat on the floor—under
everyone’s feet—out of the way vs 3. So James
accuses—you have made an evil judgment vs 4. He does not condemn making judgment
but judgment with evil motives. Judgment that discriminates
with ulterior motives. Do you invite people who give you no advantage to
your social gatherings? Do you have mental dress code for people when we
gather? Do you have poor xians in your relationships?
Do you serve with them not just to them? Are they valuable in your heart? Why
is it evil? The motive is for social or financial gain in our religious
meetings or ministries. The real motive is so that the rich and influential
will honor our organization or ministry endeavor.
(1) Puts institution
over individual
(2) Puts earthly
over eternal
(3) Puts short-term
ahead of long-term
SHOWING FAVORITISM
IS A SIN BECAUSE IT VIOLATES GOD’S COMMAND TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBO
If you are making distinctions among yourselves on outward
appearances based on wealth, status, or influence, you are being judges with
evil motives.
1. God did not do that vs 5. He chose the poor because the poor are not as likely
to have their values tied to this world. They appear poor materially but are
rich spiritually. Actually all true believers are poor by definition in this
world because we place no value on the riches of this world whether we have
them or not. Being poor is a mindset and attitude as
well as possessions.
2. Throughout history the rich usually so by
dishonesty—they oppress others and guilty of distortion, and slander vs 6. They also are the ones who blaspheme and curse the
noble name to whom believers belong vs 7. The point, believers belong to Christ not these rich exploiters
we believe can give us an advantage of some kind. We would have to agree with
James to insult the poor and favor the rich and influential was sin and totally
unreasonable.
3. If we value God’s thinking and priority then you will
love your neighbor as yourself. If you show partiality you will be guilty and
convicted vs 8-9. It is a royal law meaning the kings law for his household and his realm—so
it is a family code. So God says, change the way you think about the poor and
powerless and favoritism. In the body of Christ there is no distinction. You
cannot love a person and either at the same time want something from them—the
wealth or influence or recognition for personal gain—or despise them because
there is no apparent advantage for you from a relationship with them. Love is
violated when distinctions are made. (On Celeb Rehab this week Rod
Stewarts son being counseled and during the session this 27 yr old broken by
his drug addiction and then his alcohol wept and said ‘my dad was never there
for me. Always on the road he never took time for me. I still have that hurt
inside of me even as an adult.’) The rich and famous have their own
problems.
SHOWING FAVORITISM
IS A VIOLATION WORTHY OF JUDGMENT
In case you mite not consider your prejudice as a sin
James says the thing about the law is if you break one part of it your guilty
of all of it. There are no special indulgences. The same would be true for no
adultery but murder—you still transgress the law and are guilty. Yet, the Law
of Moses gives us liberty vs 12. It gave you
boundaries which give you liberty within them. It has wise constraints. So
speak and act as those judged by it instead of seeing what you might get away
with, you will never get away with sin.
1. Don’t be motivated by the temptation to pursue
advantage at the expense of someone else.
2. Understand that we must not use relas
to advance our greed, pride, or personal ambitions.
3. Give those who can never give back—widow, orphan,
poor—what you would like to be given so they know you love them.