By Rev. Ron Purkey
Guest Columnist

Read: James 2:8-13

By Rev. Ron Purkey

“If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:  But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.” (James 2:8-9)

First, The Bible’s Royal Law (James 2:8-9): If you love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. James learned faithfully from his master (the Lord Jesus Christ). When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus said the law has two sides to it: (1) love God and (2) love thy neighbor (Matthew 22:34-40). You can’t claim to love God while you hate others (1 John 4:20). If you show favoritism, you don’t merely do something socially unacceptable — you commit sin (James 2:9).

Second, The Significance Of Favoritism (James 2:10-11): “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.” (James 2:10-11)

How serious is the sin of favoritism? James sets it alongside adultery and murder. The reason the church still suffers from sins of favoritism is because we are not willing to acknowledge how serious and wretched it is. If you are condemned as a murderer, it does no good telling the judge that you are innocent of adultery (James 2:11).

If you are hanging from a chain off the edge of a cliff, it doesn’t matter which of the links breaks because they are all connected. The end result will be the same. If you practice any form of favoritism against those made in the image of God, you are guilty no matter how many rules or laws you follow (James 2:10).

Third, The Law Of Liberty (James 2:12-13): “So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.” (James 2:12-13) Therefore, speak and act with the knowledge that you will stand before the judgment seat of Christ one day (James 2:12). Everyone who enters our churches should experience them as environments of mercy and hope. If you don’t show mercy, don’t expect mercy. If you don’t offer hope, don’t expect hope. Confess any partiality in your life and look for opportunities to show mercy, for mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13).

If you have true saving faith, you will practice impartiality (James 2:1–13) and see people in terms of character and not clothing or other factors. You will not cater to the rich or ignore the poor, but you will love each person for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ. Christian love simply means treating others the way the Lord treats you and doing it in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Read Ron Purkey’s Bible study outlines free at rcpbibleoutlines.com. Purkey has been an ordained Baptist minister for 50 years.