The Book of James: Putting Faith to Work! (Chapter 2:1-13)

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Welcome Back! Let’s continue our journey through “The Book of James: Putting Faith to Work!”

The Book of James: Putting Faith to Work! (Chapter 2:1-13)

This week we will continue our reading of verses 1-13 in completion of chapter 2 as we consider Putting Off Partiality…

There is an attribute of God that we don't very often talk about and yet is very often spoken of in Scripture. Which one? It is God's “impartiality” with all people!

In the previous chapter of his Epistle, James provided for us several tests to indicate whether or not our profession of “faith” is the real thing:

The first test was “patience” through “various trials“ of “suffering” and “hardships” in life.

The second test was how one relies on the “wisdom” of “God” in life.

The third test was how one “responds” to various financial perspectives in life.

The fourth test was enduring the “temptations” in life.

The fifth test was the direction of blame for the “temptations” in life.

The sixth test was trusting in the “perfect” provision of God in life.

The seventh test was being a “doer” of God’s “Word” in life.

The eighth test was “taming” our “tongue” in life.

The Scriptures declare that God is absolutely “impartial” in dealing with all people. And in that way He is utterly unlike us! We are very “partial” and tend to put everyone in various categories, higher or lower compared to other people. This may be due to their looks, wardrobe, the kind of car they drive or the kind of house they live in. Perhaps it is due to their ethnicity, social status, outward characteristics or personality. Beloved, all of those things should not matter to “us” and are certainly of no significance to God – They mean absolutely nothing to Him!

Therefore, James begins this next challenging chapter with yet another test for the life of a true “believer” in Jesus Christ: We must avoid showing “partiality” to others in any way…

Putting Off Partiality!

To begin with, James takes a hard look at this matter of “partiality” predominantly from an economic and social perspective. Here in these powerful and poignant passages James confronts another “sin” problem within the “hearts” of the “brethren” in a very practical way concerning life within our “assembly”:

My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. 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, 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,” have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? – James 2:1-4

We don't like to admit it, but “we” can tend to be very “partial” to certain people within the “church” of Jesus Christ. Why? Because of our “fallen” and “sinful” human nature! How? By often becoming “judges with evil thoughts” along with having “shown partiality” by passing on our opinions of others. We are often impressed with bank account balances or the cars some may drive. We can be impressed with beautiful wardrobes of “fine apparel” or shiny “gold rings” and jewelry. We can be very impressed with the jobs some people hold or perhaps their reputations. We can even be very impressed if some have amassed a host of letters at the end of their names through higher education. “But… our “Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory” – Is not impressed with any of these externals!

On the other hand… The Lord is not disinterested in us because “we” may be financially “poor” or may not have certain “clothes” to wear. The Lord is not disinterested in us because we may work a common job or perhaps haven’t acquired any degrees, reputation or a certain social standing. The Lord is not disinterested in us because of what we lack nor is He interested in us because of what we possess. This should be true of “us” as well! The “soul” of the person is the issue, not the “outward appearance” as such. And “we” who belong to our “Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory” – Must have this understanding!

James then makes an authoritative call to “Listen” carefully to him as he further addresses his “beloved brethren” with a question concerning the spiritually “poor” within the “kingdom” of God:

Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? – James 2:5

Although not everyone in the first-century “church” was financially challenged, the majority of the people in those early years were indeed “poor” in regards to worldly wealth. They were quite unlike the economically “rich” and piously “religious” hypocritical leadership reminiscent of James’ big brother’s Sermon on the Mount found in chapter 5 of Matthew's Gospel. However, in regards to the spiritually “poor” of “this world” referred to by Jesus Christ and the financially “poor” saints of the “assembly” referred to by James were indeed very “rich in faith” and are God’s “chosen” as “heirs of the kingdom” – The common people!  

Next James addresses a “sin” of “dishonoring” the economically “poor man” of God by asking two more poignant questions:

But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called? – James 2:6-7

In other words, “You are unbelievably unlike God!” The “rich” people drag “you” before the civil “courts” and religious “courts” of man. Not only did the “rich” depreciate human value, they also depreciated true “faith” in Jesus Christ. Incidentally, world history proves to “us” that the godless “rich” of this “world” have always oppressed the “poor” – Civil, financial and religious hostility!

The phrase "by which you are called" speaks of a personal relationship to God. Therefore, James reminds the “brethren” that they “received” for themselves the worthy name of Jesus Christ! It was the godless “rich” people who oppressed them, not the “poor” people of God. As is true with Jesus Christ Himself, it was never the “poor” people who oppressed Him. It was always the “rich” and wicked “religious” people – The pious pretenders!

James continues by appealing to the “royal law” of the “Scripture” by referencing God’s first giving and second giving of the “Law” in where we find His view of “partiality” and the foolish favoritism of man… A serious “sin” of the “heart”:

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.  For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law – James 2:8-11

IMPORTANT INSIGHT: James is not referring to the phony psychological self-image of humanistic “love” of which plays mind games and pampers the ego saying: "I'm a wonderful person and I deserve it!" Rather. James is referring to the Agape’ “love” of God in the biblical sense which is always an action related to meeting the true “needs” of other people. God’s “royal law” is not discussed strictly through emotion. When the Bible commands “us” to "love your neighbor as yourself" it simply refers to meeting “needs” in a verb tense. In other words, to “fulfill” this mandate, “you” must meet these “needs” in the same way “you” are meeting “your” own – That's the issue here!

The “transgressors” of the “royal law” in “showing partiality” is completely foreign to the character and nature of God! In fact, the Old Testament is replete with examples of how God’s people had “become a transgressor of the law” to His great displeasure:

For the Lord your God is the God of Gods and Lord of Lords, the great, the mighty and the awesome God who does not show partiality – Deuteronomy 10:17

God’s “law” has no “grace” because it is meant to show us that we are “sinners” at heart by birth! And when we “sin” by breaking God’s “law” we are “transgressors” doomed for “condemnation” and “judgment” in “eternal hell.” Therefore, we must humbly “come” to God the Father through His Son the “Savior” whom imparts His “perfect” saving “grace” in “us” through “faith” and “repentance” – There is no grace in the law!

THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: Incidentally, James quotes two of the 10 Commandments. The first is “Do not commit adultery” from chapter 20 of Exodus and the second is “Do not murder” from chapter 5 of Deuteronomy addressing the most severe of social “sins” related to human life. Why? Because in the Old Testament, God attached the death penalty to them! Also, when we consider Deuteronomy 6:4-5 along with Leviticus 19:18 and combine them together, we have the sum total of the “law and the prophets.” Therefore, we must “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and your neighbor as yourself.” In fact, James’ big brother Jesus Christ also pulled these powerful passages together in His Greatest Commandment found in chapter 22 of Matthew by providing for “us” the “sum” total of God’s Word – Upon these commands we rejoice!

The perfection of God in His “character” and “nature” is manifest in the fact that He's absolutely “impartial” to all people. God treats everyone equally based upon their desperate need for a “spiritual” relationship to Him through Jesus Christ. And so James is instructing the “brethren” to “love” other people equally with no “partiality” regarding their status in life. Therefore, these passages outline another test of genuine saving “faith” in God – True believers respond properly to one another without showing partiality!

Finally, because of the seriousness of these “sins,” James closes with an appeal to consider the danger of God’s divine “judgment”:

So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment – James 2:12-13

In this congregation there were true “believers” who were fulfilling the Sovereign and perfect “royal law” of God as they chose to “speak” and “do” His will. However, there were also phony “professors” who were continually showing “partiality” as unrepentant “transgressors” and “sinners” toward the perfect “Law of God.” These false “followers” will be harshly “judged” by God's Word. Therefore, the true “brethren” must “speak” and “do” as “those” who will be “judged by the law of liberty” in Jesus Christ. On the other hand, “judgment without mercy” will be given towards “the one” who has “shown no mercy!” God says – Mercy triumphs over judgment!

If your life is characterized by “mercy,” you will “triumph over judgment.” Why? Because the true “believer” who is “merciful” to others proves he has “received” forgiveness from God through a transformed life – Mercy triumphs over judgment!

In closing:

A person's education, economic status, looks, wardrobe, social relationships, job, fame, prestige or earthly honor mean absolutely nothing to God – They are non-issues!

For example, the Apostle Peter in presenting the “Gospel” of Jesus Christ to a Gentile ruler was acknowledging that God is “impartial” with reference to His saving “grace” to “every nation” and people group:

But in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him – Acts 10:35

In other words, God shows no “partiality” to anyone in any “nation” who “fears Him” and “does what is right’ in His sight – Fully accepted by Him!

The Apostle Paul also acknowledged that God was “impartial” to “everyone” with particular reference to His judgment:

Tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God – Romans 2:9-11

In the matter of eternal “judgment” there is no “partiality” of persons – “Jew” or “Greek.” Therefore, “everyone” will be “judged” by “God” purely on the condition of their “soul” in regards to “salvation” – God is no respecter of persons!

With this information as a foundation for your personal studies, please read through verses 1-13 of the second chapter of James.

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!

We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!

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Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

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