Favoritism (Book of James Bible Study Series)

Image Credit:  Steve Halama - Public Domain Image - via Freely Photos

 *The following are my Bible study notes from my pastor's sermon titled "Favoritism" from his Bible Study on the Book of James Series.

We are continuing our Bible study on the book of James.  Today’s topic is “Favoritism.”  Today’s scripture passage is James 2:1-13.

Favoritism

My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes,  and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,”  have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?  Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?  But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? ⁷ Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?

If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.  But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. – James 1:1-13

Favoritism is a shared struggle.   No one is exempt.  We all face this challenge.

We label people by the things we value.  We label people by appearance.  We label according to age, achievements, affluence, ancestry, etc.

Favoritism is a serious sin.

To show partiality is not good, because for a piece of bread a man will transgress. – Proverbs 28:21

For there is no partiality with God. – Romans 2:11 

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7 

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. – 2 Corinthians 8:9

 Favoritism stops when we see:

• our need for God’s mercy.
• others through the eyes of Jesus.

We need to see and treat others as Jesus would.

Net-worth does not equal self-worth.

Faith and favoritism are not compatible.

You'll find all my posts about this study on the book of James here.