Building a Faith that Works:  the Book of James

Loving Without Partiality

James 2:1-13

August 11, 2002

A Faith that works includes Joy.

A Faith that works includes Love.

Loving completely means loving like Christ.

1.  Love without caution (2:1-4)

¹My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. ²Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. ³If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," ⁴have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7

2.  Love with compassion (2:5-8)

⁵Listen, 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? ⁶But 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? ⁷Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?  ⁸If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right.

            Luke 10:11-37

            “And who is my neighbor?”

            “Which of these three was a neighbor?”

            “The one who had mercy.”

            “Go and do likewise.”

3.  Love with consistency (2:9-13)

 ⁹But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. ¹⁰For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. ¹¹For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
¹²Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, ¹³because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

            what do murder and favoritism have in common?

Genesis 9:6