Study in the Book of James – Part 4
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We have read through all of James, Chapter 1. What are things you remember about this chapter?
In the first chapter, James focused on building your faith to perfection, overcoming temptation, and being a person who was living out God’s Word. In Chapter 2, James begins by focusing on love and how we should act fairly with all people.
James 2:1-4 explains:
1 My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, 3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” 4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
The first thing we are told is to not show partiality. What does that word mean?
The dictionary tells us that partiality means to show unfair or biased favor toward a thing or person. What do you think is the problem with showing partiality?
There are many areas in the Bible that caution us against showing partiality or bias. Let’s use your cross-reference to find other places and see what God says about this. (Review Leviticus 19:15, Deuteronomy 1:17, 16:19, 1 Samuel 16:7, Proverbs 24:23, John 7:24, Romans 2:11, Ephesians 6:9).
What do these other verses tell us? Why do you think showing partiality is a problem for a Christian?
In verses 2-4, James gives an example of partiality. Do you see this example occur in our society today?
What do you think causes partiality?
The truth is that many things could cause us to show partiality. These include (but are not limited to):
- Pride – Seeing others as not as important as ourselves.
- External Focus – concern for how others view us. (Galatians 2:11-13).
- Desire for Praise – Doing something because you want to be praised for doing it.
Where do you show favoritism or partiality? How do you correct that behavior?
The Rich Are Not Better Than the Poor
Our society often caters to the rich, allowing them far more privileges that those who are poor. This was true in James’ day as well. James 2:5-7 reads:
5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
Let’s read Matthew 9:10-13:
10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Compare these two sections. What are commands we are given by James and Jesus?
Why is someone blaspheming Jesus’ Name when they show partiality this way?
What did Jesus mean (Matthew 9:13) when He said that He desired mercy and not sacrifice?
Let’s review other verses you can find in the cross-references related to showing favoritism to the rich.
James 2:5 shows the illogical attitude of favoring the rich. In Jesus’ day (and likely true today as well), who are the people who are more likely to be saved, rich or poor?
If it is the poor, then why cater to the rich?
Upholding the Law in Love
The final six verses of this text explains:
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
There is a great deal of important theology here, something we have seen and will continue to see throughout the Book of James. The first verse tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves, that this is fulfilling the Royal Law. Looking in your cross-references, where would you find verses where Jesus said to love our neighbor as ourselves?
Why is it so important that the love we show our neighbor is equal to what we would show to ourselves?
James then explains that when one shows partiality, he or she is a transgressor of the law. The principle that is being applied here is the Law of Equal Weights and Measures. What this means is that one should apply a standard equally in every situation.
The Bible often expresses this law related to business transactions, but the idea that one should always apply the same weight is a common theme in the Bible, Including in how we judge others and situations. Proverbs 11:1 tells us, “A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight.” When we are cheating someone or applying an unequal weight (showing partiality), God declares that as an abomination. He finds it detestable.
James explains that when we show partiality that we are then convicted as transgressors. Does it impact you in a different way to know that God finds your partiality to be a transgression?
Verse 10 then provides one of the harshest and convicting verses that one is going to find in the Bible. This tells us that by committing one violation of the law that a person is guilty of breaking all of it. So, when you are biased or favorable in your dealings with people, you are guilty of transgressing the entire Law.
Think about this for a moment. If you are stealing from someone else, how else could you be breaking the commandments of God?
This is a tough question but is more obvious than we may know. First, I am not trusting in God, which means I am putting other gods before Him. By stealing from another I am showing hatred toward my brother, something the Bible tells us is the same as murdering him (1 John 3:15-17). Stealing would mean that I am coveting. It would mean I am not resting in God. It would mean that I am putting that thing as an idol, committing adultery. The truth is that when we break one part of the Law, we truly are breaking all of it.
Can you see how your transgression in one area of the Law is a transgression in several other areas?
Are you seeing your partiality as a bigger issue than you may have thought?
The final two verses of this section encourage us to be merciful in the way that we deal with others. James tells us that we should speak and act as those who are judged under the “law of liberty.” What do you think is the law of liberty?
In Jesus’ time, many believed that following the Law would earn them salvation. They became “slaves” to the Law, doing everything they could to try to be perfect, but always falling short. Instead, God’s mercy found through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross provides true liberty. It frees us from the reality that we cannot earn our own way into heaven. Instead, we are given freedom through the mercy of God.
God has given us a great deal of mercy. In return, He is telling us to set aside our judgments of other people and to show mercy to them. In Psalm 18:25-26, David explains how God deals with people:
25 With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless; 26 with the purified you show yourself pure; and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
How do these verses relate to what James is saying in James 2:13?
James concludes this section with a truth that should dictate our thoughts: mercy triumphs over judgment. What do you think this statement means?
Do you believe that God showed mercy instead of judgment in your life?
Do you feel that you should show the same mercy to others?
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