Crosspoint Baptist Church Blog

Text: James 2:1-4

 

Proposition: Believers are not live out their faith with favoritism.

 

Title: The Danger of Favoritism to the Gospel

 

Intro: Recap –

1. Trials are used by God to accomplish His purposes in the lives of believers.
2. Believers are encouraged to seek by faith the wisdom of God to endure trials.
3. Believers are reminded of both their identity with and inability without the Lord Jesus Christ.
4. Believers are blessed for having endured trials.
5. Believers are warned against the temptation to sin in the midst of trials.
6. Believers are encouraged in the midst of trials by the unchanging goodness of God.

 

Introduction:

“In the American classic, Huckleberry Finn, young Huck is tormented by a choice: either turn in Jim (faithful friend and runaway slave) or help liberate him. It is an agonizing dilemma because Huck’s conscience was corrupted by a society that counted Jim inferior: He was property, and to aid him was “sin.” To side with Jim was to side against God. What was true along the banks of the Mississippi River in the 19th century is true today—a conscience, wrongly informed by the culture, can be easily led astray, in this case, straight into the sinful grasp of prejudice.”[1]

In the book of James, the half brother of our Lord was writing to a group of people who had been scattered and who were enduring persecution for their faith. Desiring that they continue to demonstrate their faith as a living faith, James is instructing them in a number of areas to help them understand the way they were to accomplish this instruction. Today’s text teaches us that one of the areas that we must be watchful over is the area of favoritism. The word itself deals with the idea of showing partiality based on the type of object being looked at. In our text, a rich and poor man is used as an illustration to help the readers and we understand how we can avoid the trap of favoritism.

Question: What are the dangers to the Gospel if we as a church corporately and believers individually show favoritism?

Culturally, racism and favoritism can have devastating effects. Favoritism in our culture has led to political corruption, church scandal, and ethnic profiling. Entire communities become isolated from one another due to some prejudice theory. The very idea of favoritism says that someone is not good enough simply

 

because they lack blood line, skin color, or healthy bank accounts. We see this everyday.

Now, back to our original question: What are the dangers to the gospel if we as a church corporately and as believers individually engage in showing favoritism? As difficult as it is to believe, these persecuted believers who have been scattered all over were doing this very thing. James, as we have seen already, tells them with a strong imperative to stop!

Transition: I believe that our text gives us several reasons why favoritism is a danger to the Gospel:

1. We cease to demonstrate the Glory of Jesus Christ: vs. 1
2. We cease to demonstrate the Grace found in Jesus Christ: v. 2-4

 

1. We cease to demonstrate the Glory of Jesus Christ: v. 1

EXEGESIS: In this first verse, James instructs the readers to stop, literally, he says “You are not to be holding” the faith that God has granted to you through Jesus Christ alone with favoritism. The faith that God has given is precious and most valuable because it was given on the basis of Jesus Christ and not what one can do on their own. James opens this exhortation to stop showing partiality by using a similar phrase from chapter one. In verses 9-11, James talked about the testing of suffering that the brothers were enduring and he reminded them of their identity in and with Christ. Here, he appeals to them as brothers again and instructs them to stand firm through a different kind test: favoritism. Not just one act but the word is plural and it speaks of multiple acts of favoritism. As he reminded them of their identity before, he reminds them of their responsibility to display to the nations the glory of Jesus Christ. This glory is the majesty and radiance of the risen Lord.

The Glory of Jesus Christ:

 

6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. 4:6

 

 

3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, - Heb. 1:3

 

APPLICATION: This text has clear implications for us in 2009. The temptation to show partiality exists just as strong today as it did in James’ day. To be sure racial favoritism is alive and well and we must take the gospel to all people. To be a church with a global impact we must live and share the gospel with our neighbors as well as those whom we may not feel as comfortable around. Yet, we must also be careful not to show favoritism in the church when it comes to worship preference, evangelism efforts, budgeting concerns, and the list goes on! We must demonstrate to this community and the world the all consuming, awe inspiring, and overflowing glory of Jesus Christ. It is his glory that gives a person their worth for when they trust in him and turns away from their sins, He lives in them and he is what makes them valuable. Thus, when we avoid the trap of favoritism, we are free to demonstrate the majesty and splendor of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

ILLUSTRATION: Edmond Dantes and Monsieur Villeforte

 

Transition: There is a second danger to the Gospel that occurs when we show favoritism:

 

1. We cease to demonstrate the Grace of Jesus Christ: v. 2-4

EXEGESIS: In verse 2-4, James gives a hypothetical situation that taught the readers the danger and outcome of showing partiality. The danger was that rather than showing grace. The word grace is used in scripture in a number of ways that need to be examined. The chief use of grace is that unmerited favor of God upon his elect. It is grace through faith that saves and partiality never helps achieve this. Grace also speaks of showing kindness, joy, and mercy. The passage speaks of 2 men, one clothed with splendid garment and one clothed in a filthy, soiled garment. The readers were guilty of putting the rich man in a good seat and the poor man in a humiliating seat. The readers failed to remember that grace is blind. The phrase in verse 3, “if you pay attention…” has the idea of gazing upon someone. The word picture is clear and it, too, fails to remember that the grace found in Jesus Christ is not partial. Grace does show favoritism.

 

Listen to these examples:

 

9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. – James 2:9

 

34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, - acts 10:34

 

11 For God shows no partiality. – Romans 2:11

 

9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him. – Ephesians 6:9

 

The failure to show grace renders the readers as those who have become like those in 1:6, doubters tossed to and fro, and they now stand as judges. The law stands in direct contrast to grace. Rather than being known for their faith and showing grace, they have made themselves distinct from others because they showed distinction. 

 

APPLICATION: As recipients of grace, we should be quick to show grace. Rather than being legalistic judges, we must be quick to show grace to all people. The purpose of being gracious is that they may be saved and live in right standing before God.

 

Conclusion:

The people of God have always been called to show kindness and grace to people. How has your life demonstrated this reality?

1. Does your life demonstrate the glory of Jesus Christ?
2. Does your life demonstrate the grace found in Jesus Christ?