Stop Being Snobs James 2:1-13 (Page 1025 in pew Bibles)

James 2:1-13 (Page 1025 in pew Bibles) 1. My brothers, hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ without showing favoritism. 2. For suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring, dressed in fine clothes, and a poor man dressed in dirty clothes also comes in.

3. If you look with favor on the man wearing the fine clothes so that you say, “Sit here in a good place,” and yet you say to the poor man, “Stand over there,” or, “Sit here on the floor by my footstool,” 4. haven’t you discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

5. Listen, my dear brothers: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that He has promised to those who love Him? 6. Yet you dishonored that poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts?

7.Don’t they blaspheme the noble name that you bear? 8. If you really carry out the royal law prescribed in Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well.

9.But if you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10. For whoever keeps the entire law, yet fails in one point, is guilty of breaking it all. 11. For He who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. So if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you are a lawbreaker.

12. Speak and act as those who will be judged by the law of freedom. 13. For judgment is without mercy to the one who hasn’t shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Stop Being Snobs James 2:1-13

Favoritism Vs. 1 “My brothers, hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ without showing favoritism.”Vs. 1 “My brothers, hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ without showing favoritism.” KJV: “Respect of persons”KJV: “Respect of persons” Literally, “To receive the front” or “To accept the outward appearance”Literally, “To receive the front” or “To accept the outward appearance” >

Discrimination Vs. 4 “Haven’t you discriminated among yourselves…?”Vs. 4 “Haven’t you discriminated among yourselves…?” Literally, “To make distinctions”Literally, “To make distinctions” To make distinctions among people based on false or superficial criteriaTo make distinctions among people based on false or superficial criteria >

An Example Vs. 2-3 “For suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring, dressed in fine clothes, and a poor man dressed in dirty clothes also comes in. If you look with favor on the man wearing the fine clothes so that you say, ‘Sit here in a good place,’ and yet you say to the poor man, ‘Stand over there,’ or, ‘Sit here on the floor by my footstool’”Vs. 2-3 “For suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring, dressed in fine clothes, and a poor man dressed in dirty clothes also comes in. If you look with favor on the man wearing the fine clothes so that you say, ‘Sit here in a good place,’ and yet you say to the poor man, ‘Stand over there,’ or, ‘Sit here on the floor by my footstool’” Lst >

Other Examples of Favoritism Cliques: Friends who enjoy each other, but who never notice new people and include themCliques: Friends who enjoy each other, but who never notice new people and include them Treating people who didn’t grow up in Tallassee in a different wayTreating people who didn’t grow up in Tallassee in a different way Girls who date only guys with nice carsGirls who date only guys with nice cars Football players picking on band membersFootball players picking on band members Hiring the more attractive person over the more qualified personHiring the more attractive person over the more qualified person Making much over talented personalities and not even noticing the faithful work quietly done behind the scenes by others at churchMaking much over talented personalities and not even noticing the faithful work quietly done behind the scenes by others at church Racism: Devaluing people on the basis of their skin instead of valuing their characterRacism: Devaluing people on the basis of their skin instead of valuing their character. >

Five Reasons to Stop Being Snobs James 2:1-13

It is inconsistent with the Nature of Christ Vs. 1, Wuest: “My brethren, stop holding your faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of the glory, in connection with an act showing partiality”Vs. 1, Wuest: “My brethren, stop holding your faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of the glory, in connection with an act showing partiality” Christ is every attribute of the invisible God expressed visibly, tangibly, & audiblyChrist is every attribute of the invisible God expressed visibly, tangibly, & audibly If the Lord of Glory descended to show love to weaker people, what about us?If the Lord of Glory descended to show love to weaker people, what about us? In the presence of Glory like that, who would demean others?In the presence of Glory like that, who would demean others?. > 1

It is Illogical to Judge Others When You Will be Judged Vs. 4 “Haven’t you discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”Vs. 4 “Haven’t you discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” Lst > 2

Judges with Evil Thoughts Thinking there is a way to differentiate the relative value of peopleThinking there is a way to differentiate the relative value of people Thinking you are the person to set those valuesThinking you are the person to set those values Thinking human value could be based on superficial things like clothes, possessions, and pedigreeThinking human value could be based on superficial things like clothes, possessions, and pedigree Thinking a person, created in the image of God, can be of lesser valueThinking a person, created in the image of God, can be of lesser value Thinking there is a way to keep score where you can “win” and be a “somebody.”Thinking there is a way to keep score where you can “win” and be a “somebody.” >

It is Illogical to Judge Others When You Will be Judged Vs “Speak and act as those who will be judged by the law of freedom. For judgment is without mercy to the one who hasn’t shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”Vs “Speak and act as those who will be judged by the law of freedom. For judgment is without mercy to the one who hasn’t shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” Mark 11:25 “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your wrongdoing.”Mark 11:25 “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your wrongdoing.”. > 2

It is Incompatible with the Sovereign Choice of God Vs. 5 “Listen, my dear brothers: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that He has promised to those who love Him?”Vs. 5 “Listen, my dear brothers: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that He has promised to those who love Him?” Xref > 3

1 st Corinthians 1: Brothers, consider your calling: not many are wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth. 27.Instead, God has chosen the world’s foolish things to shame the wise, and God has chosen the world’s weak things to shame the strong. 28.God has chosen the world’s insignificant and despised things—the things viewed as nothing—so He might bring to nothing the things that are viewed as something, 29.so that no one can boast in His presence.. > 3

It is Irrational to Honor Those Who Dishonor You Vs. 6-7 “Yet you dishonored that poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? Don’t they blaspheme the noble name that you bear?”Vs. 6-7 “Yet you dishonored that poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? Don’t they blaspheme the noble name that you bear?” Lst > 4

Are They Worthy of Your Honor? The player whose jersey you wearThe player whose jersey you wear The actors you consider hunks or babesThe actors you consider hunks or babes The people from whom you learn the sayings and mannerisms you useThe people from whom you learn the sayings and mannerisms you use The musicians whose music you buy and to which you listenThe musicians whose music you buy and to which you listen If these people are openly critical of your Christian faith, why do you honor them?If these people are openly critical of your Christian faith, why do you honor them? If their work/art is opposed to the most important part of your life, why are you helping to make them rich?If their work/art is opposed to the most important part of your life, why are you helping to make them rich?. >

It is Irreconcilable with Christian Obedience Vs “If you really carry out the royal law prescribed in Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. But if you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the entire law, yet fails in one point, is guilty of breaking it all.”Vs “If you really carry out the royal law prescribed in Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. But if you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the entire law, yet fails in one point, is guilty of breaking it all.”. 5

Stop Being Snobs James 2:1-13