Saturday, April 9, 2016

Favoritism - James 2:1-13

Christ died for all mankind, God shows no partiality, rich or poor, great or small, we are all the same before our Lord and Savior.
Christians should treat each other and the world with the same equality and love.

Romans 2:11
For there is no respect of persons with God.
1 Timothy 5:21
I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.
James 2:1-4
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
James lays it out for us, do not show favoritism, do not differentiate between persons, based on riches, apparel, or status. If we do, then we judge, harboring evil thoughts.

James 2:5-8
Hearken, my beloved brethren, 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?
But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
James reminds us who is chosen of God, the poor, rich in faith, and those that love Him, they are the heirs to the Kingdom of God. Not the rich and powerful that oppress Christians, and demand respect and adulation, they care not for the things of God.

Notice: It always comes back to this, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:".

If we can learn to do that simple thing, to love our neighbor as our self. We will do well.

James 2:9-13
But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
James shows us the sin of favoritism, judgement, and its consequences. Laying out how there is no difference in sin, all sin is equal, all sin carries the same weight and consequence.
Teaching us to behave as we should, as children of God and the liberty afforded to us, to not judge, instead to show mercy and love.

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