2. Review from Last Week: The Man with a Worthless Religion
He does religious practices (prays, worships,
Lord’s Supper, etc)
2) But he does not bridle his tongue.
Self-Perception – “he thinks himself to be
religious”
Self-Deception – “he deceives his own heart”

3. Review from Last Week: Pure & Undefiled Religion (A Religion of Worth)
Pure – purity of heart, cleansed (genuine,
real, true)
Undefiled – uncorrupted by selfishness
In the sight of our God and Father

4. Review from Last Week: Three Hallmarks of Pure Religion
1) To bridle one’s tongue (1:26)
2) To visit orphans & widows in their distress
3) To keep oneself unstained by the world

5. “What is our mission statement
As we move along in our study of
The Book of James this morning,
I want to begin by asking you:
“What is our mission statement
for Crossroads Church?
What is our mission?”

6. Our mission is to advance God’s Kingdom by making fully devoted followers of Christ!

7. “My brethren, do not hold your faith in our
James 2:1-13
“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,

8. and you pay special attention to the one who
James 2:1-13
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?

9. Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God
James 2:1-13
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?

10. Do they not blaspheme your fair name by
James 2:1-13
Do they not blaspheme your 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.

11. But if you show partiality, you are committing
James 2:1-13
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.

12. For He who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’
James 2:1-13
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.

13. For judgment will be merciless to one who
James 2:1-13
For judgment will be merciless to one who
has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over
judgment.”

14. This is the key passage for
James 2:1
“My brethren, do not hold your faith in our
glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude
of personal favoritism.” (NKJV – partiality)
This is the key passage for
James 2:1-13!

15. An Example of Partiality and Favoritism:
When I was an intern in seminary,
I was asked to make calls
to the new superintendent
of the school district who was about
to move his family into town.

16. Is Not Always What It Seems!
Rich and Poor
Is Not Always What It Seems!

17. Matthew 5:3
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,     for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

18. The key for understanding these verses is to understand that
James is encouraging us not to display any partiality or favoritism in our attitudes toward others.

19. for us here at Crossroads,
How does this play out
for us here at Crossroads,
especially in light of
our mission statement?

20. Our mission is to advance God’s Kingdom by making fully devoted followers of Christ!

21. James 2:12-13
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.”