James 2:1-15

Well, all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with

! reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. In

! case you're wondering, that is the article one of the UN Declaration of Human Rights.

That is not what I'm preaching on tonight. But it strikes me that that is that there are

many things in our society that reveal sin, are there? The idea of sin is kind of very

old-fashioned to most people in the streets. But if there's one thing that is sin, then

it's prejudice, favoritism, exclusion. We are often told that inclusiveness is a British

value and tolerance is a British value, whatever those things mean. And often religion is blamed

for violence, for trouble in the world at this weekend is a prime example, isn't it, sadly?

And it's thought that if only people could embrace the UN Declaration of Human Rights and live

that out, the world would be a better place. Religion is the scourge so often, isn't it,

in people's minds. And so as we come to James chapter 2 verse 1, it's perhaps one of those

James 2:1

verses in the Bible that many people in our society would say amen to. Or at least the

first half of it, anyway. My brothers, show no partiality. If they stop there, people would

be quite happy, wouldn't they? It's like the words of Jesus, do not judge others. Even a

group like REN, the American group, can sing, I can't say that I love Jesus, that would be

a hollow claim. But do not judge others, lest you be judged. What a beautiful refrain, they

say. So people like that, don't they? They like the idea of not showing favoritism, not showing

impartiality. And we get what James describes here, the situation in a church where the rich

people are welcomed in and the poor are disregarded. And we'd like to hope that wouldn't be, wouldn't

be in practice if people came to IPC healing, didn't we? And our children gave a good answer

when I asked them that question. But James goes further than that. He's not just commanding

we don't behave like that. He's commanding them to actually become more Christian in a way

when we look at other people. He says, when we look at James chapter 2, he doesn't say,

James 2 · chapter mention

be more inclusive, be more tolerant. He doesn't even say, treat people equally, because we're

all made equal. He could say that. In chapter 3 he comes closer, chapter 3 verse 9, where

he loots the fact that all people are made in God's image. But what James is saying, he

goes deeper than that. He isn't merely after a change in behavior, saying treat people more

fairly. Rather he's calling us and his readers to examine our hearts, to see why we behave the

way we do. Like an excellent doctor, he's saying, if you are treating people with partiality, it's

actually a sign of a deeper disease. It's a symptom of deeper disease. And he wants to get

to the root of that problem. So in verse 4, he does get to the root of the problem. He shows

us what partiality and favoritism, where it comes from. In verses 5-11 he gives us a few

reasons why it's particularly wrong for Christians to behave in that way. And finally in verses

12 and 13, he takes us to a solution. Kind of an unexpected solution in some ways, but a

solution nonetheless. Let's look at the heart of the problem first. As James is writing this,

he's writing into a culture that, even more than our own, respected people of wealth and

high status and high standards. I don't know if you've watched Downton Abbey, or you have

watched it. I'm afraid I'm a fan, I like it, I'm that kind of person. But if you've watched

it, then you'll know, back in the 20s in England, in high society, people were very deferent

still to those in high society. Think of Carson the Butler, horrified that anyone should treat

Lord Grantham with anything but the utmost respect. If that means nothing to you, don't worry.

But it was a bit like that in James' day. And yet James wants to show that this is a problem.

And you look at this critique carefully, verse 4. If you've treated the poor badly and the

rich well, verse 4, have you not made distinctions among yourself and become judges with evil thoughts?

Now it's obvious that if you've treated the rich one way and the poor another way, you have

made a distinction. But I think James is actually saying something deeper than this. That word

translated distinction here is the same word that James has already used across the column

back in chapter 1, verse 6. The very same context, we'll just go back to verse 5 for a second.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God and gives generously to all without reproach,

and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith with no doubting, with no division in his mind,

no distinction is the way that word is translated in chapter 2. For the one who doubts, the one who

has a distinction in his mind, the one who has a division in his mind, is like a wave of the sea

that is driven and tossed by the wind. That person does not suppose he will receive anything from

the Lord. He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. See, James says in chapter 1,

if you're doubting, if you're divided in your mind, and what you think about God and whether

you can answer your prayer, you're a double-minded man. You're suffering from spiritual schizophrenia.

You're saying one thing but believing another. So it's interesting he uses the same word here.

If there's a division in your thinking, if you're claiming, verse 1, to hold the faith

in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you're divided in the way you're treating people, then it shows

there's actually a division in your heart. It shows you're a double-minded person. You are

actually holding the faith with integrity. So you can translate verse 4 of chapter 2 like

this. If you treat the rich man and the poor man differently in this way, then have you

not been divided within yourselves, within each one of you? Are you not behaving in a

double-minded manner? And to spell out further how serious that is, look at what James says

at the end of the verse. If you're doing this, have you not become judges with evil thoughts?

So James is calling a spade a spade. He's not saying it's a bit intolerant and a bit exclusive

if you treat people differently. He's saying you're becoming a judge with evil thoughts.

That's what you're being. So James is really saying the reason you are discriminating against

people is that actually you're not being Christian enough. The solution is to actually hold your

faith with integrity, to really trust Jesus as Lord. To verse 1, show no partiality as you

hold the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now as we read James' description of the church

in verses 2 and 3, I think it's easy to think, well we wouldn't do that in this church, would

we? We wouldn't treat the rich one way and the poor another. I suspect we wouldn't. But

actually how often in our own hearts do we hold prejudices and do we actually treat people

differently, albeit subtly? I was walking down the street this week, thinking about these

verses, I was preparing this sermon. I thought, what are some of my prejudices? And as I've been

praying more shownly, in the next minute, first of all, a guy cycled up a pavement towards me.

And being a cyclist, and being self-righteous, I immediately went to him, how could he cycle up

a pavement? I would never do that. I really realised, okay, there is one of my prejudices.

I think I'm such a nice guy, I wouldn't do this. So I frowned on the man who does. And as if that

wasn't enough, 20 seconds later, walking up the pavement behind him, was a lady smoking away,

and as she walked past, I thought to myself, what a disgusting habit, because I hate the smell,

and because I've never been tempted to do it. Oh dear, immediately, straight away, two of the

Stuart's prejudices leap out. As you hold the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, do not show partiality.

And yet bias and partiality and judgement, they're part of our human makeup, aren't they?

How does it play out in other ways? As Christians, we often still behave in ways that show favoritism

to some, don't we? So don't we love it when we hear about some sports star somewhere who

has professed faith in Christ? Oh great, we can wheel them out and show us some credibility

in being a Christian. You can be a Christian at a sports star. Don't we love that person?

Or at work? We find out that a partner in our firm, or a senior manager is a Christian.

Aren't we excited as someone we can look up to? And yet we don't so easily overlook the

Christian security guard, or the Christian cleaner? Isn't that showing partiality, like James

tells us not to? Or how often have I heard people say to me, I went to the Christian Union

school once, or the Christian Union University, but I didn't really like it because they were

all nerdy. I didn't want to go back. Well I can understand that. I was really involved

in the Christian Union School and of the University, and I was a nerd, I still am. But actually

when we say that, we don't want to associate with those people because they're people other

people that look down on. When we look up to the sports star or the senior manager, and

look down on the cleaner, all the nerds in the Christian Union, are we showing partiality?

Are we viewing people the way the world views them, not the way Jesus views them? It's actually

hard for us to see past status, isn't it? Or attractiveness, or celebrity, or importance

to the world's eyes, or wealth. That's why we need to heave verse 1. My brothers, show no

partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. Notice the

phrase there, the Lord of glory? Jesus isn't called back anywhere else in the New Testament.

Why does James use that phrase? He says, when we catch the glory of the Lord Jesus, then all

the things this world values pale into insignificance, don't they? What is a celebrity sports car or

a hip kid at school compared to the majestic, glorious Lord Jesus? How can we judge by a

worldly standard if we're holding faith in this majestic King? So here's the root of the

problem, James says. When we're judging others, when we're showing partiality, we're actually

being double-minded. We're not keeping our eyes and our faith on who Jesus is and who he

has made us by his grace. We're not single-mindedly holding the faith. So he's shown us the root

of the problem. He then goes on to give us some reasons why it's so wrong to show partiality.

They're not the reasons that the UN Declaration of Human Rights gives, valid as that reason

might be. He tells us, first of all, it goes against God's whole practice and attitude.

Look at verse 5. Listen, my beloved brothers. Has not God chosen those who are poor in the

world to be rich in faith and heirs of a kingdom which he has promised to those who love him?

But you have dishonoured the poor man. See what James is saying? You can't dishonour these

ones who God himself has honoured with the kingdom. To be an heir of the kingdom means these people

who are despised by the world will one day inherit true wealth, inherit a place and a role in God's

renewed world. That place where there will be no more suffering. They're the ones of whom it can

be truly said they will live happily ever after. That's how God has treated them. How can you

treat them badly? James says. Now at this point, why don't they have a problem? Doesn't that mean

God is shown favouritism? If he's bestowing his kingdom on these people, isn't he showing

favouritism? Well, that's a good question to ask. But we need to think firstly about the

identity of the poor that James is talking about, but also the extent of this pattern.

So he's not merely talking about the materially poor, and he's not only the poor who are heirs

of the kingdom. Let's see what we mean by that. First of all, who are these poors who have

God's promised the kingdom? Well, it's not just the materially poor. Let me read two statements

of Jesus. First of all, Luke chapter 6, verse 20. Jesus said, blessed are you who are poor,

Luke 6:20

for yours is the kingdom of God. Now that's clarified a bit more by Matthew, in his account.

Matthew 5, verse 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:3

So it's not merely the economically poor, the financially poor, who are part of God's

kingdom. So those who often are in that state, but also recognise their spiritual quality,

recognise their need for God to help them out, to rescue them, for they have no spiritual

resources. And that is the way God seems to love to work. That's why the Apostle Paul can

write to the Corinthians, 1 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 26. Consider your calling, brothers.

1 Corinthians 1:26

Not many of you were wise, according to worldly standards. Not many were powerful. Not many

were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame what is wise. God chose

what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world,

even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are. So no human being might boast

in the presence of God. See, God delights to bestow his kingdom on those who know they have nothing

to offer. So if we disregard those people, we're going against God's pattern. But is it favoritism?

Well, no, because it's not just the poor. It's not just the economically poor. Well, there's those

who have little of the world's riches who particularly can see their need for God. But James has already

written back in chapter 1, verse 10 of the rich believer, who is to boast of his humiliation.

So it's not only the materially poor. God isn't showing favoritism here. But we have to face the

fact, for most of us who are actually materially wealthy in the world's terms, it is often hard

to admit our need for God's grace, our need for utter dependence on him. We so easily trust

in the things we own, don't we? That's why Jesus said it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle

than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Here's the first reason James

gives why it's particularly wrong for Christians to show partiality. It's because God doesn't show partiality.

But there's a second reason as well. Look down to the end of verse 6.

Aren't all the rich the ones who oppress you and the ones who drag you into court?

See, there's a second reason. It's just against common sense. It's against God's character

in ways. It's also against common sense. You're trying to

cozy up to these wealthy people, but otherwise they'll make life hard for you.

You're like, he's not saying be mean to them

because they're mean to you. He's saying be sensible.

Perhaps for us today, James would say

don't just try and ingratiate yourself with the media

who then often just beat up Christians. That would be a mad thing to do.

But he gives us another reason in verse 7.

Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honourable name

by which you were called?

Are they not the ones who blaspheme

the honourable name

which is over you, literally?

I don't know what it's like when you go to school

or when you went to school. When I went to school

or when my kids go to school, we write their names

on their coat, on their books, on everything we can

that is theirs.

Why do we write their names on it?

To show us their possession.

James is reminding us here

that if we are Christians

then God has written Jesus' name over us.

We belong to him.

So when these wealthy people

blaspheme the name of Jesus

they're blaspheming the ones to whom we belong.

When they slander

the name of Christ

when they slander Christians

they're actually slandering

our identity

slandering the one to whom we belong.

That's another reason James says

to not show favouritism to them.

It's going against God's pattern

it's going against common sense

it's going against our very identity

as those who belong to the Lord Jesus.

But most importantly

verses 8-11

he tells us it's wrong to show partiality

because it goes against the law

of the king and his kingdom.

It goes against the law of the king

and his kingdom.

Look at verse 8.

Go over the page.

If I can turn it over.

If you really fulfil

the royal law

according to the scripture

you shall love your neighbour 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

that fails in one point

has become accountable for 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.

You may not commit adultery

or murder

but if you show partiality

says James

you haven't kept the royal law

to love your neighbour

as yourself.

What is this royal law?

Well it doesn't mean

the most important law

rather it means

the law of the king and his kingdom.

James back in verse 1

James called Jesus the Christ.

Christ

Christ

anointed one.

It's a title of Jesus

as king.

We're part of his kingdom.

Then in verse 5

he talks about

heirs of the kingdom.

It's all kingdom language.

The royal law

is the law of the kingdom.

It's not one specific law

that's more important

than the others.

It's the whole body of the law

that is enforced

under the king's rule.

It's the Old Testament law

fulfilled and reinterpreted

by the Lord Jesus.

That is the law

of the king

and his kingdom.

That's why James quotes

Deuteronomy 19 verse 18

Deuteronomy 19:18

when he says

to love your neighbour

as yourself.

It's not a new law.

Yes, Jesus repeated it

but it wasn't new.

So what James is doing here

is underlining

how important it is

we live the way

our king Jesus

would have us live.

See, partiality

is more serious

than we ever thought

says James.

It's not just going

against British values

of tolerance.

It's not just going

against the UN

declaration on human rights.

more importantly

it's an offence

to our gracious

King Jesus.

And remember who he is

James says

he is the Lord of glory

you're holding faith in.

He is the Lord of glory

who to redeem us

left that glory

came to the squalor

of the stable

was despised

and rejected by man

that he could lift

he became what we are

so we can become

what he is.

He is the Lord of glory

who looked on us

in our shame and weakness.

How dare we

go against his ways

and his pattern

and show partiality

and favouritism.

So do you see the problem?

It's a deeper problem

than we ever believed

isn't it?

It's a deeper problem

than we ever believed

when we show partiality

when I judge the lady

with a cigarette

or the man

riding the pavement

I'm going against

God's attitude

I'm going against

common sense

I'm going against

what God has made us to be

as his people

and he's going against

the way of the kingdom

and the way of the king himself

So what's the cure?

How can we treat people

fairly

and not with partiality?

Well the UN Declaration

of Human Rights

was in a sense

attempt to do that

when the UN agreed to it

on the 10th of December

1948

and what's that

coming up for 67 years ago

it was in the hope

of it to solve

the problem

of partiality

and prejudice

and injustice

in the world

coming off the back

of World War II

later on in that declaration

it says this

or in the introduction

it says this

I should say

that

all peoples

and all nations

and every individual

and every organ of society

should

keeping this declaration

constantly in mind

shall strive

by teaching

and education

to promote respect

for these rights

and freedoms

see what they're saying?

Teaching and education

should help people

respect these freedoms

and then we'll live

in a world

without prejudice

without partiality

without injustice

but 67 years on

that hasn't worked

has it?

Why not?

Because the problem

is not with education

the problem is not

what we know

the problem is

in our hearts

isn't it?

See we need a deeper

cure than someone

telling us

we should be fair

to people

we need something

that's going to

change our hearts

don't we?

And that is actually

the cure that's implicit

in what James speaks of

in verse 12

It may not sound

like a cure

but believe me it is

we'll see why in a second

So speak and so act

as though it is for us

to be judged

under the law

of liberty

That's actually a command

a command to constantly

be aware that in what we say

and how we act

we're going to be judged

under the law of liberty

Now how is that a cure?

Well it's a cure

as we understand

what the law of liberty is

What does it mean?

Let me tell you briefly

and I'll try and explain

why this is so

The law

to live under

the law of liberty

means to live

knowing

we need our hearts

changed

and to live

knowing

we're accountable

to God

It means to live

knowing we need

our hearts changed

and to live

knowing

we're accountable

to God

how do I get that?

Well because James

has talked about

this law of liberty

before

It means a law

that brings liberty

He mentioned it

back in verse

25 of chapter 1

The law of liberty

is the law

that produces liberty

Now what is liberty?

What is freedom?

What is freedom

for a fish?

If a fish

wants to be free

what does it have to do?

It has to not

get out the water

doesn't it?

Why?

Because a fish

is designed

to live in water

That's where a fish

is truly free

And if you've

seen fish swimming

in an aquarium

you've seen salmon

leaping out the river

to get up the river

to its breeding ground

That's where you see

a salmon being

perfectly free

Because it's doing

what it's designed

to do

The law of liberty

is the law

that shows us

what we're to be

shows us

how we're designed

to live

shows us

what our purpose is

And that is

God's law

It's not a law

on the outside of us

which cannot change us

But it's a law

that God writes

in our hearts

that not only

shows us freedom

but makes us free

Let's turn back

to chapter 1

for a second

See how James

talks about

this law of liberty

It's the law

fulfilled

and interpreted

and applied

by the Lord Jesus

So chapter 1

verse 18

He speaks about it

speaks of God

as of his own will

that he brought us

forth by the word

of truth

He made us new

people

by the word

of truth

That word of truth

then in verse 21

James describes

as the implanted

word

which is able

to save your

souls

It's God's law

written on our

hearts

written inside of us

not just on tablets

of stone outside

not just in the

UN declaration

but written in

our hearts

this implanted word

the gospel message

the word of truth

tells us that we

are actually more

sinful and wicked

than we could ever

imagine

It tells us that

our partiality

our prejudices

lying deep in our

hearts are more

sinful and wicked

than we could ever

imagine

and yet we are

more loved than we

ever dreamed

because God has

sent his son

to be our

rescuer

to be our

Lord and saviour

and so now that

implanted word

is God's spirit

writing that word

on our hearts

and we can only

have that word

written on our

hearts if we know

our need for our

hearts to be changed

if we know that

actually we do not

have the resources

to love our

neighbours ourselves

if we know we

cannot do that

that is what

brings us to

faith in Christ

Jesus that James

has talked about

in verse 1

it's as we trust

him as our

Lord

to experience

the law of

liberty

the spirit

writing his

law on our

hearts

but that doesn't

mean we're just

passive does it

at the end of

chapter 1

James had told us

to be not merely

hearers of the

word but doers

also

here he tells us

to speak and act

as those judged

under the law

of liberty

and I say hang on

what do you mean

being judged

under the law

of liberty

didn't Jesus

die and take

our judgement

well yes and

no Jesus

died to pay

for our sin

so we might

not be judged

but yet Jesus

as judge will

judge us by

our actions

how do those

two things work

out

well let me

give a little

plug

Sunday school

next Sunday

morning

9.30

I'm dealing

with this

very topic

so come along

there if you

want to find

out more

but for the

moment we can

say this

we will be

judged

on our actions

but for those

of us who

trust in Christ

those of us

who have

God's law

written on

our hearts

will be

saying that

all our

actions are

by grace

Christ has

died for our

sin

we will not

be condemned

and all our

actions in this

life flow

from his grace

flow from the

fact that the

law of liberty

is written on

our hearts

so when we

are judged

if we have

lived as those

who are under

the law of

liberty

lived as those

who know we

cannot keep

the law on

our own

but know we

need God's

grace and

forgiveness

and we will

not face the

guilty verdict

on that day

but we've seen

that what we've

done the good

we've done has

been by grace

because the law

is written on

our hearts

as John Calvin

said the law

of liberty

is really the

same as the

mercy of God

is coming to

God

coming to

Christ

saying we

know we

need forgiveness

we know we

need that

mercy

but also we

know we're

accountable to

him

don't we

think of what

Jesus taught

us to pray

forgive us our

sins as we

forgive those

who sin against

us

it's not that

us forgiving

other people

merits God

forgiving us

it's the other

way around

isn't it

God forgives us

so we're free

to forgive others

so it is here

in James chapter 2

James 2 · chapter mention

God in Christ

has shown mercy

to us so we

can show mercy

to others

that's what

James comes on

to say in

verse 13

for judgment

is without mercy

to one who

has shown no

mercy

see if we're

still proud

if we're still

holding on to

our own ability

to keep God's

law

if we think we

don't need

Christ's mercy

we'll end up

not being

merciful to

others

or if we're

not being

merciful to

others

and we're

showing favoritism

it shows

we don't

really recognize

our need

and our

mercy

our need

for God's

mercy

if we find

our status

our sense

of self

our identity

in our own

achievements

or in the

things the

world values

be it our

wealth

our education

our nice

behavior

our career

our family

if we find

our identity

in those things

then we'll

end up disparaging

looking down

at anyone

who doesn't

share in

those things

don't we

it's like

James is

exhorting us

to live as

those who

have the

law of

liberty

written on

our hearts

to live as

those who

are Christ's

people

because we've

turned to

him for

mercy

if we show

no mercy

to others

consistently

and disregard

others

then we will

not receive

mercy on

judgment day

however insofar

as we do

show mercy

to others

verse 13

is telling us

then God's

mercy triumphs

over his

judgment

because Christ

has taken

the condemnation

for us

see this is

the only cure

for partiality

and favoritism

see our

prejudice and

favoritism

arise from

our pride

inside us

our natural

desire

to feel good

about ourselves

and therefore

find someone

else to look

down on

that's why I

felt the

pang of

self-righteousness

and God

cycled up

the pavement

towards me

that's why I

felt the pang

of self-righteousness

as the lady

was smoking

her cigarette

on the pavement

next to me

but that's

ridiculous isn't

it

I need to

remember my

identity is not

in keeping

trivial laws

about where

you ride

your bike

or trivial

health advice

about smoking

my identity

is in the Lord

Jesus Christ

and I need

his forgiveness

and his mercy

so I don't

look down

and exclude

others

if we see

ourselves as

naturally

helpless

naturally

bigoted

naturally

partial

naturally

not loving

others

naturally

deserving

God's

judgment

and we

look out

ourselves

for a

cure

we'll turn

to Jesus

the Lord

of glory

and remember

how he took

pity on us

in our

helplessness

he left the

glory of heaven

for the shame

and dirt

of life

on earth

he ate

with tax collectors

and sinners

for those who

were religious

he looked down

on

he was an

outsider

with nowhere

to lay his

head

he was

crucified

the lowest

of low

criminals

with a

crowd

mocking him

all so

he could

rescue

bigots

and law

breakers

like me

and you

so we

need to

go to him

for mercy

find our

true identity

in him

so as we

do that

that all

prejudice

and pride

is cut

off

some

of us

who

profess

faith

in

Christ

need to

take

this

seriously

don't we

we

cannot

show

partiality

or holding

faith

in the

Lord

of glory

so I

wonder who

is it we

discriminate

against

maybe it's the

prayer that you

need to pray

as I did

walking down the

pavement last week

how are we being

double minded

and the spirit

helps us see that

don't we

some of us here

are believers

in the Lord

Jesus

perhaps we

feel like we're

the marginal

ones

we're the

ones who

live down

in that case

what we need

to see here

is the Lord

does love you

this Lord

who chooses

the foolish

things of the

world to shame

the wise

the Lord

who has

chosen you

as he puts

it in verse

5

chosen the poor

in the world

to be rich

in faith

and heirs

of the kingdom

rejoice

that you are

loved

by the Lord

some of us

here

maybe do not

hold the faith

in the Lord

Jesus Christ

perhaps you

love the UN

article

on human rights

the UN

declaration

perhaps you

love a more

inclusive society

it would be

great if we

were all in

peace with

each other

wouldn't it

and yet look

in your own

heart

do you really

go through

life without

showing partiality

do you really

not exclude

others

in your own

mind

what hope

do you have

in the judgment

if it's your

own record

you're relying

on

when you come

to Jesus

when you come

to this Lord

of glory

this Lord

who has shown

mercy

accept with

meekness

the word

implanted in

you that he

might write

his law

on your

heart

so speak

and so act

as those

who have

been judged

under the

law of

liberty

for judgment

is without

mercy

to one

who has

shown no

mercy

yet if you

come to

Christ for

mercy

mercy triumphs

over judgment

let's pray