Show No Partiality – James 2:1-13

This irrational fear we have of being labeled racist has prevented us from really examining our prejudices.  And it is the height of foolishness to not want our children to be introduced to the problem of prejudice, a problem that has plagued our nation from its first days until now.  James will have none of this.  He is focused, not on ethnic prejudice, but financial prejudice, favoring those who are wealthy to the ignoring of those who are not.  And here he begins expressing the generally negative view of wealthy people, whereas he had a more nuanced view in chapter 1.

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. (James 2:1-13, ESV)

Partiality is another term for prejudice. We are partial to those who are in our same economic strata, ethnic group, family clan, political leaning, sexual orientation, age level, etc. There are as many different possibilities as there are people. But the church is the great equalizer. All believers in Christ are brothers rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom together. To make distinctions of any kind as to how we love one another is evil.

The Scriptures clearly teach that we love our neighbors as ourselves. That must remove all prejudice and partiality. To violate this law is to be a law-breaker and guilty of transgressing the law just as surely as if one committed murder or adultery. And not loving another as ourselves is akin to murder.  We can’t pick and choose which portions of the law we keep. We will be judged according to all the law and there will be no mercy for those who show no mercy.

Do you know your prejudices? From whom do you automatically draw back? I recall pulling back from an older man and judging him slow and boring, only to find when thrown together in conversation just how wonderful and special he really was. There are a wealth of relationships awaiting us in Christ.