Faith and Favoritism James 2:1-13 © John Stevenson, 2009

In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12).

Wisdom from above (3:13-18) Taming the tongue (3:1-12) Warning against partiality — Show your faith by your works (2) Visiting orphans and widows in their distress (1:27) Bridling the tongue (1:26) A prayer for wisdom (1:5-7)

James 2:1 My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.

Matthew 7 Prohibition against judging (7:1-2). James 2 Prohibition against judgmental favoritism (2:1). Illustration of removing one’s faults so that you can see to remove another’s faults (7:3-5). Illustration of removing one’s partiality so that one can instruct or judge others (2:2-4). Warning not to despise the holy in favor of dogs or pigs (7:6). Warning not to despise the one rich in faith in favor of the rich (2:5-7).

Matthew 7James 2 A summary of the Law: Do to others what you want done to yourself (7:12). A summary of the Law: Love others as you love yourself (2:8-11). Warning against false prophets: You will know them by their fruit (7:15-20). Warning against a dead faith: You will know real faith by its works (2:14-21).

James 2:2-3 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, 3 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…”

James 2:4 …have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?

James 2:5 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?

James 2:8-9 If, however, you are fulfilling 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.

James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.

James 2:11 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.

Therefore, if you show partiality, you are guilty as a breaker of the Law (2:11). Warning against partiality — Show your faith by your works (2) Therefore, showing partiality is against the Law and makes me a law-breaker (2:9). Partiality is not loving (2:9) The Law commands me to love my neighbor as myself (2:8)

James 2:12-13 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 has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. How does this connect to the previous verses?