JAMES 2:1-13

FAITH WORKS IMPARTIALLY

FAITH WORKS #8

 

A pastor from the North went down to speak in a church in the South, with the view of possibly becoming a candidate for the job of pastor in that church.  In a meeting with the pulpit committee the issue of race came up. The pastor remarked that although he was not out to integrate the church, he felt there should be no problem if a black came into worship. The pulpit committee appeared to agree.

 

The next morning before Sunday School the visiting preacher was introduced to a black teenager who had been brought to church by a young missionary candidate.

 

After the benediction at the end of the service there was a call by a man in the congregation for a meeting of the men right after church.  As it turns out, the meeting was over setting a policy so that another black would not walk into the services again. The men were divided 50-50. While the meeting was going on, the black boy, the visiting preacher and the ladies of the church waited. Nobody talked to the boy except the visiting preacher.

 

The end of the story is this. The pulpit committee ultimately felt that the “Yankee” pastor could not handle the southern problems, and was not invited back as a candidate.

 

This whole incident illustrates the reality of bias or prejudice that takes place in some churches.  I know this story to be true. I was that pastor.

 

We live in a world of partiality and prejudice. Usually when we meet someone for the first time we decide some things about that person. We decide what kind of person he or she is and whether we are going to like them or not.

 

Often people are partial when it comes to whether a person is rich or poor; white, black, yellow, or red; smart or not so smart; male or female.

 

If there is a place where there should not be prejudice it is in the true church of our Lord Jesus Christ. However, since Bible times there have been prejudices and partialities in the church. In Bible days there were probably prejudices against tax collectors, gentiles, Jews, the rich and the poor.

 

We continue our study of the Book of James. The theme in James is “Faith Works”.  Last week we saw that “Faith Works Religiously” in James 1:26-27.

 

POOR RELIGION IS VAIN – Vs. 26

PURE RELIGION IS VALUABLE – Vs. 27

·        PURE RELIGION IS VALUABLE TO GOD

·        PURE RELIGION IS VALUABLE TO MAN

·        PURE RELIGION IS VALUABLE TO OURSELVES

 

As we begin a new chapter in our study of James we find James dealing with partiality or prejudice in the church. James makes it clear that the church is no place for partiality.

 

Faith Works Impartially.  We all come to Christ in the same way, and that is through faith in His death on the cross for our sins. No matter what a person’s background, color, status in life, or financial position, trusting the work of Christ alone for salvation is the only way to Heaven. Therefore one is not greater than the other in the local church.

 

“Many years ago in New York City, there lived a wealthy couple by the name of Mr. and Mrs. Whitemore.

 

They were entertaining guests one night and, in order to do something different, they went down to the Bowery to the mission of Jerry McAuley. These people went in and sat down in the back to take in the service that night. This wealthy couple belonged to a fashionable church, but they had no more heard the Gospel than a person living in the darkest heathenism in the world. As they heard Jerry McAuley preach, their hearts were touched, and they saw themselves as sinners. They went forward, and that night THE MINK KNELT WITH THE RAGS AS THEY ACCEPTED CHRIST. Mr. and Mrs. Whitemore became workers in that area, and she established a home for wayward girls…”

 

Yes, everyone who is truly saved is saved in the same way.

Therefore, because we came to Christ in the same way we are to treat others in the same way, equally. None of us would be anything save through Jesus.

 

Tonight, borrowing three points from Ron Blue and adding a fourth point, we want to see that “Faith Works Impartially”.

When faith is impartial there will be:

 

COURTESY TO ALL – Vss. 1-4

COMPASSION FOR ALL – Vss. 5-9

CONSISTENCY IN ALL – Vss. 10-11

Because there will be,

CONSIDERATION OF ALL – Vss. 12-13

 

COURTESY TO ALL – Vss. 1-4

 

There will be all sorts of people who have walked through the doors of this church and will walk through.

Alcoholics

Missionaries

On Welfare

Wealthy

Very intelligent

Mentally ill

Old and feeble

Young and vivacious

Friendly

Hostile

From good families

From troubled families

 

All people who enter into our church should be treated equally.

 

Vs. 1 – James is saying that you are not to have your faith in Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory, and be partial at the same time.  You are not to be a “respecter of persons”.

 

To be the servant of the Son of God who impartially gave His life on the cross for everyone, and then to be partial is terribly inconsistent.

 

According to D. Edmond Hiebert, the word translated “with respect of persons”, “came to be used of any form of improper preferential treatment. In the New Testament it always denotes favoritism or partiality, a biased judgment based on external circumstances, such as race, wealth, social rank, or popularity, while disregarding the individual’s intrinsic merit.” D. Edmond Hiebert, James, Tests of a Living Faith, (Chicago, Moody Press, 1979), p. 147

 

It is very easy for a clique concept to develop in a church. Only certain people “belong” with other “certain” people, and there is always a danger that the church might start forming little groups or cliques.

Being cliquish or exclusive is a hard charge to live down.

 

Gandhi, the great leader of India, was disturbed by the caste system in his own culture. He read the Bible and thought that it had the answer. He went to a church to investigate and was told to worship with his own people. The end result was he left never to return, concluding that Christians, too, had a caste system.

 

Vs. 2 – James illustrates the point that he is making.

A man comes into the assembly, a church.

The usher greets him, and evidently this man is an unbeliever, perhaps a stranger to the congregation.

He is wearing a gold ring, probably an abundance of gold rings on the left hand, an indication of wealth.

He is dressed well.

 

Another man enters.

He is not well dressed.

He probably has only one set of clothes to his name, work clothes, and they’re filthy.

 

Vs. 3 – The head usher is probably thinking about the first man, “My, this is the type of person we need to give this congregation some class. Here is someone who can really give to our building fund.”

So, he says, “Come on down sir, we have seat for you in this good location.”

 

Then the usher comes back for the other man, and he’s probably thinking, “Where did this vagabond come from.”

So he rather coldly says to the man, “Here. Sit next to me on the floor,” or, “You’ll have to stand, we can’t seat you.”

 

Now we might not treat people this exact way when we seat them, but the way we talk to them and listen to them might indicate a partiality either for or against an individual.

 

Vs. 4 – James reminds us that when we are partial we are judging others.

 

Clothes do not make the man.

Finances do not say what the individual is like on the inside.

To judge base on appearance is to judge being motivated for the wrong reasons, trying to better one’s own position.

 

Although we all have friends in church that will become closer to others, it is our responsibility to treat everyone equally, with respect, love, and common courtesy.

 

COURTESY TO ALL

COMPASSION TO ALL – Vss. 5-9

 

Vs. 5 - God loves all His creatures.

God loves all us in this room.

But God in His master plan deemed it easier for a poor humble person to be rich in faith.

I think this is because in order to be saved a person must realize that he is a sinner, that he needs help and can’t save himself.

 

Because of their poverty poor people are often already humble. Therefore it is easier for them to humble themselves before God and trust Christ by faith.

 

Matthew 5:3 - Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 - For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: [27] But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; [28] And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: [29] That no flesh should glory in his presence.

 

We can be courteous and compassionate when we realize how precious the poor of this life are to God. There is no intrinsic merit in being poor, other than one is more likely to come to Christ.

 

Vss. 6-7 – James now reminds these people who would show preference to the rich of what the rich have done. He’s not talking about all rich people, of course.

 

·        It is the rich who socially and economically oppress the poor.

·        It is the rich who will bring the poor into court and oppress them.

·        And making matters worse, the rich would actually blaspheme the name of Christ.

If you doubt this is true, consider the Hollywood stars, many of whom are very rich.  Consider the attitude that most of them have towards Christ.

 

The rich are very independent because of their wealth and just not as likely to humble themselves and trust Christ.

 

I, as a Christian, am not to be partial but to have compassion on all people, whether they are rich or poor.

 

Vs. 8 – The royal or supreme law in my treatment of other human beings is to love my neighbor as myself. That means that I must treat my neighbor in the proper way.

 

You are probably familiar with Jesus’ story of the “Good Samaritan” in Luke 25-37.   

It was the Samaritan who helped a man who been robbed, beaten, and left to die.  The Samaritans were hated by the Jews.  But it was this Samaritan that saved the man’s life, showing compassion.

 

It is obvious from this parable that my neighbor is anyone in need that I am able to help.

 

“During one of Mr. McKinley’s congressional campaigns he was followed by a sharp reporter from the other party who kept writing very cutting articles. While he was annoyed at the misrepresentation, he was impressed by the skill and persistency which the man used. He was also unhappy about how poorly clad the man was and how ill he was with an annoying cough.”

 

One particularly cold night McKinley took a closed carriage to a meeting to speak. When he heard the cough of the reporter who was riding with the driver… he called the driver to stop and he got out.

 

He called the man down off the seat. The man came down thinking he would be balled out. Instead McKinley put his coat around him and told him to ride in the carriage.

 

The reporter said, ‘I guess you don’t know who I am, I have been with you the whole campaign, giving it to you every time you speak, and I am going over tonight to rip you to pieces if I can.”

 

“‘I know’, said the president, ‘But you put this coat on and get inside and get warm, so that you can do a good job!’” Source Unknown

 

My friend, is there someone you need to show compassion to? Perhaps it is someone you have even been partial or prejudiced against.

 

1 John 3:16-18 - Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. [17] But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? [18] My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

 

Vs. 9 – James informs us that us that if we fail to show compassion to all we have committed a violation of God’s law.

Some might not consider being prejudiced as a serious problem, but God does. The one who is prejudiced is convicted by the law as a transgressor.   

 

COURTESY TO ALL

COMPASSION FOR ALL

CONSISTENCY IN ALL – Vss. 10-12

 

In our effort to obey God we can not pick in chose what laws we chose to obey. We need to be consistent.

 

Vs. 10 – If we break one law, the law is broken.

If you break one of the Ten Commandments, you can’t say, “Well, I’ve kept the other 9 in tact.”

No, the law is broken!

 

Vs. 11 – James illustrates by say, “There are two laws, Thou shalt not kill and Thou shalt not commit adultery.

You may never commit adultery, but if you kill someone, you have certainly broken the law.

 

Imagine that you are headed to Kittanning on Route 28, and are followed into town by a policeman. 

At a light in Kittanning you make an illegal left turn where it says not to turn.

 

The policeman pulls you over.

He says, “You’ve broken the law.”

You say, “But officer, I didn’t speed.”

“I didn’t pass anyone illegally”

“I’m wearing my seat belt.”

 

The officer would probably answer, “Sorry, all that doesn’t matter. You have still broken the law.”

 

So, James is showing that we must be consistent in our Christian living.  We can’t chose to be prejudiced and still think that we are doing okay with God.

 

What James is saying not only applies to being prejudiced.

You may be writing off a whole area of your life, saying, “Well, I’m sinning there, but at least I’m not sinning in a lot of other areas.”

That attitude does not work with God.

Instead he wants to give you victory.

 

Galatians 5:16 - This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

 

COURTESY TO ALL

COMPASSION FOR ALL

CONSISTENCY IN ALL

THERE WILL BE CONSIDERATION OF ALL – Vss. 12-13   

 

Vs. 12 – As you know, each Christian will come before the Judgment Seat of Christ. We will be judged not for salvation but for rewards.

 

Let me ask you:

Who has made you free from the punishment of hell?

Who has made you free from the power of sin in your life?

Who has made you free to serve Him?

Who has made you free, not to do what you want, but so you can conscientiously live for God?

 

The one who has made you free is Jesus Christ.

John 8:36 - If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

 

The law of liberty, then, is the law of the one who has set you free. The law of liberty is the law of Christ.

We will be judged according to His law.

We will be judged to see if we have followed His law. He has made us free to do so.

 

Vs. 13 – Because we will be judged by His law which is full of mercy and compassion, we must careful to show mercy to others.

   

·        Mercy to rich and poor alike

·        Mercy to the widow

·        Mercy to the fatherless

·        Mercy to the orphan

·        Mercy to black, white, red, and yellow

 

The one who lives without mercy is judged without mercy.

The one who has shown mercy can expect mercy.

 

FAITH WORKS IMPARTIALLY

Let us show:

COURTESY TO ALL

COMPASSION FOR ALL

CONSISTENCY IN ALL

For at the Judgment Seat of Christ there will be

CONSIDERATION OF ALL