No Partiality Part 2 - How serious is this? - sermon post James 2:8-13

 


This is a piece of papyrus from the 3rd century which contains part of James 2 and 3.  It is amazing to think of those who undertook the writing and copying of Scripture throughout the centuries so that we would have the words of God to guide us.  What if we didn't have this very practical book of James?  James, the half brother of Jesus, who takes His teachings and puts them into the real life scenarios of the 1st century Christian.  What is amazing is that the scenarios of the 1st century are also the scenarios of the 21st century for the Christian.

We have the picture of two hands.  One hand is grasping the sin of partiality and the other hand is holding onto a faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  James says that this is not possible.  Your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ does not produce partiality or favoritism that puts one above another.  Instead of looking on the outside of the person, our faith produces mercy or compassion for the inside of the person.  

Think of Samuel going down the sons of Jesse and trying to determine who would be the next king of Israel.  Obviously God's pick is the oldest, tallest, and strongest by outward appearances.  No, it was the youngest, David, who at the time was out in the fields tending the sheep.  God looks at the heart and therefore we should do the same but we will never get there if we are judging others from the outward appearance only.

James is very direct in calling partiality and favoritism not only dishonoring of the other but also a sin.  It is a sin that violates the royal law, the law of liberty and freedom to love God and love others.  Jesus' great sacrifice made a way for us to be freed from sin and the wrath of God and freed to love Him and one another.  We are not free to love others if we are holding onto the sin of partiality.  

So how shall we live?  v.12 - "So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty."  I am to be judged on how much I have loved God and others.  The mercy that has been shown to me by God is the mercy I am to show to others.  I have the opportunity to duplicate on a smaller scale the mercy I have received from the master to a my fellow servant.  Read Matthew 18:21-35 to get a grasp of this opportunity.  

A sin has been identified.  Have I committed this sin?  Is this sin lingering rather than being confessed and acted upon?  I will be held in its bondage until I...

Adam



A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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