The Sin of Showing Favoritism - Christian Hope Church Home

MESSAGE FOR SUNDAY NIGHT, JULY 26, 2009
MESSAGE 7 OF 17 IN EXPOSITORY SERIES FROM JAMES
CHRISTIAN HOPE CHURCH OF CHRIST, PLYMOUTH, NORTH CAROLINA
by Reggie A. Braziel, minister
The Sin of Showing Favoritism
Message 7 of 17 in Practical Wisdom For Daily Living Series
(AN EXPOSITORY SERIES FROM JAMES)
As we continue with our series of messages from the Book of James let’s
turn in our Bibles to James 2:1-13.
P R A Y E R
INTRODUCTION
Read: James 2:1-13
We all have our “favorites” don’t we?
We have……………
Our favorite sports teams.
Our favorite recording artist.
Our favorite TV shows.
Our favorite movies.
Our favorite foods.
Our favorite flavor of ice cream.
Our favorite soft drink.
Our favorite place to vacation.
Our favorite make of automobile.
Our favorite holiday.
And our favorite time of the year.

Unfortunately, having favorites can sometimes spill over into our
relationships.
…….Sometimes PARENTS are guilty of showing favoritism toward
one child over the others, which creates tension in the family.
…….Sometimes TEACHERS are guilty of showing favoritism
toward a particular student or group of students which creates
an atmosphere of unfairness in the classroom.
…….Sometimes COACHES give certain players special
treatment which often creates dissension on the team.
…….Sometimes BOSSES give unfair advantages to some
employees, which creates a bad work environment.
If you have ever had the experience of having someone shown
favoritism over you, you know how unpleasant that can be.
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Unfortunately we live in a world where people are often discriminated
against on the basis of outward appearances.
The ATTRACTIVE are often favored over the unattractive.
The WEALTHY are often favored over the poor.
The EDUCATED are often favored over the uneducated.
Those from a PROMINENT FAMILY are often favored over
those from an average family.
Those who are FAMOUS are often favored over those who
unknown.
And this discrepancy often translates into unfair advantages for the
favored in the job market, the court room , and many other areas of life.

What happens when this worldly discrimination infiltrates the Lord’s
Church?
That is the issue JAMES addresses in our scripture text tonight.
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First of all let’s consider………….
I. The Problem of Partiality vs. 1
My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t
show favoritism.
1. James begins this second chapter by identifying a problem
that existed in a number of the early New Testament Churches
………..the problem of PARTIALITY.
Some of your translations might refer to it as “the sin of
partiality” or “the sin of respect of persons” or even “the
sin of discrimination.”
2. That term “partiality” in the original Greek literally meant
to “receive a face.”
In other words to favor some people over others or to
pay more attention to some than others because of
one’s wealth…….social standing……position……..
physical appearance……..or …….influence in the community.
3. You notice James makes his appeal on the basis that they are
believers in the our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
JESUS wouldn’t show favoritism and as His followers you
shouldn’t show favoritism either.

4. The impartiality of Jesus is well-documented in the New
Testament.
Even Jesus own enemies, the Pharisees, said of Him
in Matthew 22:16 “Teacher, we know you are a man
of integrity and that You teach the way of God in
accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by men,
because You pay no attention to who they are.”
5. Our Lord did not look at the outward appearances, He
looked at the heart.
He was not impressed with a man’s riches or social status
or his position.
The poor widow woman who gave her mite was greater
in His eyes than the Pharisee who boastfully gave a large
sum of money.
When Jesus was in the city of Jericho he didn’t go to the
home of some of the prominent political or religious leaders,
he went to the home of a hated tax collector, named
Zaccheus.
Jesus touched and cleansed lepers who were considered
outcasts by society.
6. Jesus saw potential in the lowly and the sinful that others did
not see.
In Peter, he saw someone who was a “rock.”
In Matthew, the tax collector, Jesus saw a faithful disciple
who would one day write one of the four gospels.
7. And so, on the basis of their relationship with Jesus Christ,
(and ours’ as well) James appeals to his brothers and sisters
not to show favoritism, but to treat all people with the
same equity.

8. We must realize favoritism is very subtle. It can creep into
our hearts without us realizing it. And either consciously or
unconsciously, we can treat some people better than others,
simply on the basis of outward impressions.
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Secondly, James gives us…………
II. The Picture of Partiality
1. Just so there will be no misunderstanding about what he means
by partiality, James now paints a crystal clear picture in
verses 2-4.
READ: VERSES 2-4
2. The scene here is likely in a synagogue. The synagogues in those
days had benches around the outside walls and a bench or two
in front.
Most of the congregation would either sit cross-legged on the
floor or stand during the worship service.
3. Well in James’ illustration, he wants them to imagine that two
visitors have shown up at their synagogue.
These two men represent the far extremes of wealth and
poverty.
One man is sharply dressed in fine clothes and a gold
ring. While the Jews commonly wore rings, very few
could afford gold rings. In those days the most affluent
people in society would wear rings on every finger with
a gold ring on the middle finger of each hand, signifying
they were people of great wealth and prominence in the
community.

The other man, according to verse 2 is dressed in “shabby”
clothing. The Greek term James used here for “shabby”
means filthy and dirty clothing. In other words this man
is so poor that he actually has the stench of a lowly beggar
off the street who hasn’t bathed in a long time.
4. Now James drives home his point. What are you going to
do with these two men? Are you going to treat them with
the same equity and fairness?
Or are you going to make all over the rich man and escort
him to one of the finest seats in the synagogue, while telling
that dirty, smelly, poorly dressed man to take a seat on the
floor or stand?
5. James goes on to say in VERSES 4-7 to give us five reasons
why showing favoritism is a SIN.
(a) Favoritism is a sin because it sets us up as judges.
vs. 4 Have you not discriminated among yourselves
and become judges………….
When we show favoritism we are putting ourselves in the
position of God. Favoritism puts us in the position of
determining who is worthy to come into God’s presence
and who isn’t. And determining who is acceptable to God
and who isn’t.

(b) Favoritism is also a sin because it reveals we have evil
thoughts.
vs. 4 Have you not discriminated among yourselves and
become judges with evil thoughts.
When we show favoritism toward some and discriminate
against others, we are showing that we don’t look at people
any differently than the world looks at people.
When we show favoritism it reveals we are focused on the
outward, surface, superficial things such as the kind of
clothes someone wears…….the kind of car they drive…..
the kind of house they live in……..and how much money
they have.
Isn’t that exactly how the evil unbeliever looks at people?
(c) Favoritism is also a sin because we are discriminating
against the very people God chose as His own.
vs. 5 Listen my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those
who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in
faith and inherit the kingdom he promised those
who love Him?
Jesus re-iterated this truth in The Beatitudes in
Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven.
This does not mean God doesn’t love and care for the
rich. It means He loves and cares for the poor just as
much as He does the rich.

Throughout the generations a number of rich people have
come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
But the vast majority of those who have responded to the
gospel has been those who are poor by worldly standards.
Do you see now why God says it is a sin to discriminate
against the poor?
(d) Favoritism is also a sin because it humiliates and disgraces
those who don’t have much money and material possessions.
vs. 6a But you have insulted the poor.
Poor people tend to be very humble people. Many are ashamed
of their poverty. They feel badly they don’t wear as nice a
clothes as someone else. They feel badly they don’t drive as
nice a vehicle as someone else. They feel badly they don’t
live in as nice a home as someone else.
And when we as Christians discriminate against them are we
only add to the shame and disgrace they already feel.
(e) Favoritism is also a sin because it honors those who are
often hostile toward Christ and Christians.
vs. 6 b , 7 Is it not the rich who are exploiting you?
Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?
Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name
of Him to whom you belong?
Just look at our own society here in America. Who is it that
is fighting in our courts to take more rights away from
Christians? Who is it that is fighting for the rights of
homosexuals and lesbians and those who want to practice
ungodly lifestyles?
Its certainly not the poor is it? No it’s the rich, well-to-do
lawyers, politicians, educators and law makers.

ILLUSTRATION
One of the greatest disappointments I have ever experienced in the ministry
was over a situation very similar to the one James describes in verses 2-4.
Years ago a poor black man showed up one Sunday for a worship service
at the Church where I was ministering. Besides being very poorly dressed
in smelly hand-me down clothes that didn’t match or fit , he was also
mentally slow.
While most of congregation kindly greeted him and welcomed him ,
two arrogant, self-righteous women in the Church, a mother and
daughter, snubbed their noses at this man.
Throughout the worship service they whispered back and forth
about this poor man who was seated two rows in front of them.
One of our members overheard them making fun of how his
pants drooped when he stood up to sing.
I learned later, one of these ladies actually called some other people
who were visiting with us that morning and apologized for that
man being there. They said, “We hope you won’t let that keep you
from coming again.”
To say that I was extremely disappointed and upset with the
attitudes and actions of these two women would be a gross
understatement. I don’t remember ever being so
heart broken. Well that was the first and last time we ever
saw that man.
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Well James has talked to us about THE PROBLEM OF FAVORITISM
and he has given us THE PICTURE OF FAVORITISM.
Finally, James gives us………

III. The Prescription For Favoritism
1. How do we keep from showing favoritism toward some
while discriminating against others?
James answers that for us in VERSE 8
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture,
“Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.
2. Why does James refer to this as the “ROYAL LAW?”
One reason is because Jesus linked this law with the
greatest commandment.
In Matthew 22:37 - 39 when the Pharisees questioned
Jesus about which commandment was the greatest.
Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the
first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it,
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” There’s the “Royal Law”
James spoke of in verse 8.
Another reason this is called the ROYAL LAW is because
all other laws hinge upon it. After giving the two greatest
commandment, Jesus went on to say, “All the Law and the
Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Loving God and Loving People embraces all other
laws. By seeking to obey these two commandments
we will obey all other commands as well.

3. If you and I truly love God. If we are true disciples of the
Lord Jesus Christ, we will live by this ROYAL LAW.
We will love our neighbor as ourselves. We will treat
others as we wish to be treated, regardless of their
position…….their social or economic status……or their
outward apperance.
C O N C L U S I O N
In closing I want to share something with you I heard a black preacher
do years ago at the North American Christian Convention.
If you will, simply repeat after me.
I am somebody! (repeat)
I may be rich, I may be poor. (repeat)
I may be old, I may be young. (repeat)
I may be pretty, I may be ugly. (repeat)
But I am somebody! (repeat)
I may wear fine clothes, I may wear hand-me downs. (repeat)
I may drive a fancy car, I may drive an old jalopy. (repeat)
I may have a college degree, I may have an 8 th grade education. (repeat)
But I am somebody! (repeat)
I AM SOMEBODY! (repeat)
I have a God who loves me. (repeat)
I have a Savior who died for me. (repeat)
I have the Holy Spirit to empower me. (repeat)
I have a Heavenly home awaiting me. (repeat)
I AM SOMEBODY! (repeat)

May we here at Christian Hope Church of Christ seek
to be a Church where everyone is treated with the same
love, the same respect and the same dignity.
As believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t
show favoritism!