Family of God, Body of Christ
- Loving as He Loves

James 2:1

“My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.” (NKJ)

“…don’t show favoritism” (NIV)

Our Father is Impartial

Deuteronomy 10:17

17 "For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes."

Job 34:19

19 who shows no partiality to princes

and does not favor the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?

Colossians 3:25

25 "Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.

1 Peter 1:17

17 Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.

Romans 2:10-11

10 But glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

11 For God does not show favoritism.

Our Savior is Impartial

Luke 5:29-32

29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his

house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and

others were eating with them

30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who

belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and `sinners'?"

31 Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who

need a doctor, but the sick.

32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners,

to repentance.

The Law of Moses Prohibited Partiality

Leviticus 19:15

15 " `Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.

An Example of their Problem

James 2:2-4

2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes,

3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "You sit here in a good place," and say to the poor man, "You stand there," or, "Sit here at my footstool,"

4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

What is Partiality?

Strong's says…

“respect of persons”, as it is used here, is the fault of one who when called upon to give judgment has respect of outward circumstances of man and not to intrinsic merits, and so prefers, as more worthy, one who is rich, high born, or powerful, over another who does not have these qualities."

James 2:4
“Have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (NIV)

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The Inconsistency of Their Partiality

James 2:5-7

5 Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

6 But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?

7 Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?

God chose the poor of this world.. (Matthew 11:5; Luke 1:52-52; 1 Corinthians 1:26)

The rich of this world did not choose God.. (Matthew 19:23-24)

Partiality vs. the Royal Law

James 2:8-9

8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right.

9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

Matthew 5:43-48

43 "You have heard that it was said, `Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.‘

44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?

47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Romans 5:5-8

5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.

8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Partiality is a sin against the whole law

James 2:9-10

9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary says…

“Although God's law has many facets, it is essentially one, being the expression of the character and will of God himself. To violate the law at any one point is not to violate one commandment only; it is to violate the will of God and to contradict the character of God. The same God who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said "Do not murder." It is also the same God who gave the royal law of love for one's neighbor. The person who breaks just one of these laws has "become a lawbreaker." Although but one commandment is broken, the entire law of God has been flouted. When viewed like this, an act of favoritism is far from insignificant.”

I John 4:21

21 And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.