James 2:1-13

2. 3rd Announcement
forspecialbusiness
meeting…

3. Proposed Bylaw Change for FSBC North
Hollywood
Section 15. Quorum: One-third of the active
members of this church, or a minimum of 15
active 10 active members, shall constitute a
quorum to do business. The Church Clerk, with
the assistance of the Church Secretary, shall
document the number of active members on an
annual basis.

5. No
Favorites…
James 2:1-13

6. It’s not fair!!!
•As a kid I always felt like my dad
favored my little sister over me
•I complained to my mom who said,

7. “Thinking life will be fair is
like thinking the Lion won’t
eat you, because you didn’t
eat him…”
Mom

8. It’s not fair!!!
•As a kid I always felt like my dad
favored my little sister over me
•Mom said…
•God, however, plays no favorites
•He doesn’t care what color you are,
what parents you had, what
education you have, or how much
money you have or don’t have.
•Loves the murderer and the
preacher alike

9. “My brethren, do not hold your faith in our
glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of
personal favoritism. 2 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,” 4 have you

10. not made distinctions among yourselves, and
become judges with evil motives? 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? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man.
Is it not the rich who oppress you and
personally drag you into court? 7 Do they not
blaspheme the fair name by which you have
been called?

11. 8 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law
according to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVE
YOUR NEIGHBOR ASYOURSELF,” you are doing well.
9 But if you show partiality, you are committing
sin and are convicted by the law as
transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole
law and yet stumbles in one point, he has
become guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “DO
NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,” also said, “DO NOT
COMMIT MURDER.” Now if you do not commit

12. adultery, but do commit murder, you have
become a transgressor of the law. 12 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.”
James 2:1-13, NASB

13. A. Cliques in the Church…
•In this portion, we’ll learn what
“respect of persons” means on a
Biblical level, 2:1

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

15. A. Cliques in the Church…
•In this portion, we’ll learn what
“respect of persons” means on a
Biblical level, 2:1
•Jesus taught that the glory of His
church would be in how it loved on
the poor
•But some churches had apparently
already become social circles where
the poor were unwanted

16. “27Therefore whoever eats the bread or
drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy
manner, shall be guilty of the body and the
blood of the Lord… 33 So then, my brethren,
when you come together to eat, wait for one
another. 34 If anyone is hungry, let him eat at
home, so that you will not come together for
judgment.”
1 Corinthians 11:27,33-34, NASB

17. A. Cliques in the Church…
•Cliques bring division, and Satan will
use them to destroy the church
•Deut. 1:17 says, “Do not show partiality in judging;
hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of
any man, for judgment belongs to God…”
•Leviticus 19:15 says, “Do not pervert justice; do
not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the
great, but judge your neighbor fairly.”

18. A. Cliques in the Church…
•Proverbs 24:23, “These also are sayings
of the wise:To show partiality in
judging is not good…”
•Acts 10:23 says, “Then Peter began to
speak: ‘I now realize how true it is that God does
not show favoritism.’”
•God loves the poor, and the rich should too, verses
2-4…

19. “2 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,” 4 have you not made distinctions
among yourselves, and become judges with evil
motives?” James 2:2-4, NASB

20. A. Cliques in the Church…
•The word “assembly” is the Greek word
for synagogue– the place you choose
to meet in for worship
•We have a tendency to judge a book by its cover…
•We also sometimes assume folks are super-
spiritual simply by the way they speak
•Both are wrong– Even Samuel was fooled by
Jesse’s oldest son, by his appearance…

21. “But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at
his appearance or at the height of his stature,
because I have rejected him; for God sees not
as man sees, for man looks at the outward
appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’”
1 Samuel 16:7, NASB

22. B.Why no favoritism to the rich?
•3 reasons against in this passage
1. The rich persecuted poor
believers (Vs 5-7)

23. “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? 6 But you have
dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who
oppress you and personally drag you into
court? 7 Do they not blaspheme the fair name
by which you have been called?”
James 2:5-7, NASB

24. B.Why no favoritism to the rich?
•3 reasons against in this passage
1. The rich persecuted poor
believers (Vs 5-7)
•Luke 6:20, 1 Corinthians 6:20

25. “Then He lifted up His eyes toward His
disciples, and said: ‘Blessed are you poor, For
yours is the kingdom of God.’”
Luke 6:20, NIV
“For you see your calling, brethren, that not
many wise according to the flesh, not many
mighty, not many noble, are called.”
1 Cor 6:20 NIV

26. B.Why no favoritism to the rich?
•3 reasons against in this passage
1. The rich persecuted poor believers
(Vs 5-7)
•Luke 6:20, 1Corinthians 6:20
2. Playing Favorites violates the Law
of Agape’, and is thus sin (Vs 8-11)

27. “8 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according
to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVEYOUR 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. 10 For whoever keeps the whole
law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty
of all. 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.”
James 2:8-11, NASB

28. “8 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according
to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVEYOUR 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. 10 For whoever keeps the whole
law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty
of all. 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.”
James 2:8-11, NASB

29. B.Why no favoritism to the rich?
•3 reasons against in this passage
1. The rich persecuted poor believers
(Vs 5-7)
•Luke 6:20, 1Corinthians 6:20
2. Playing Favorites violates the Law
of Agape’, and is thus sin (Vs 8-11)
3. Favoritism will be judged
(Vs 12-13)

30. “12 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.”
James 2:12-13, NASB

31. Take Home!
•Favoritism is not of
God
•Favoritism divides the
church
•Reach out to one
another– especially the
shy, lonely, and hurt!