WEDNESDAY, February 13th, 2008

James 2:1-9

Pastor Lee:
The principle that is emphasized here is one of partiality. God explains to us that we are sinning when we show partiality to certain people. It is easy to find myself wanting to help a rich person, while ignoring a homeless or needy person. And that is wrong. This passage makes it clear that when we show partiality to someone because of who they are or what they have, then we are being nice to them for our own benefit. We are no longer trying to glorify God through our works, but we are trying to give ourselves the benefit. While Christ was here on earth, He did not seek out the rich, but he sought out the poor and needy, the weak and helpless. Because He was not interested in making friends with the "rich guys". His father owns the cattle on a thousand hills. (that is a Biblical phrase that means God has all the riches of the world)

I want to seek to be like Christ, not helping other people for my benefit, but helping those that are helpless and needy for the benefit of Christ and His glory!

1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.
2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes,
3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,”
4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts?
7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,”[a] you do well;
9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.