A Respecter of Persons
James 2:1-13
(Acts 10:34) "Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of
a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:"
He was quite correct. God is not a respecter of
persons…He does not show partiality or favoritism, and
neither should we!
(James 2:1) "My brethren, have not the faith of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of
persons."
What is James talking about here? He is warning the
believer against showing favoritism or partiality. Which
means to pay special attention to a person because of his
wealth, social standing, position, authority, popularity,
looks, or influence.
I. General Warning Against Showing Favoritism.
A. We are all sinners saved by grace.
1. Everyone who is born again is a brother.
2. Everyone stands on an equal footing before the
Lord Jesus Christ.
3. Wealth, status, social standing, position,
appearance does not matter.
4. Nothing matters except all men coming to the
Lord Jesus Christ and worshipping Him.
B. Jesus Christ is Lord of all.
1. Everyone who has faith in our Lord Jesus Christ
bows before Him as Lord.
2. This means that the person bows before Christ as
a servant or slave.
3. We all come to Him on an equal footing; no one
is higher or more acceptable than anyone else; All are
His servants or slaves.
C. Consider Him
1. Jesus Christ is the Lord who left the glory of
heaven and came to this corruptible world to save all
men.
2. He humbled Himself, and laid aside all the
glory, majesty, brilliance, and splendor of heaven
itself and came in utter poverty and humiliation to
this earth in order to save us.
3. If the Lord of glory loved us that much, then
all who believe and follow Him must humble themselves
and love the poor and lowly of this earth just as
much.
"Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment; thou
shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour
the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt
thou judge thy neighbour" (Leviticus 19:15).
"I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus
Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe
these things without preferring one before another,
doing nothing by partiality" (1 Tim. 5:21).
"These things also belong to the wise. It is not
good to have respect of persons in judgment"
(Proverbs 24:23).
II. The Picture of Partiality. v2-3
A. There must be no misunderstanding about what is
meant by partiality.
1. Two unbelievers visit the church. One man is
sharply dressed, so much so that it is immediately
noticed that he is somewhat wealthy.
2. He has on the finest of clothes and an expensive
gold ring.
3. The other man is shabbily dressed, and it is
immediately noticed that he is very poor.
4. The Greek word for the kind of clothing he is
wearing means filthy and dirty.
5. The man is so poor that he is actually a dirty,
smelly beggar or derelict from off the streets.
B. What happens when these two men visit the church?
1. The picture painted by Scripture is that of
showing partiality to the rich man.
2. The rich man is escorted to a good seat.
3. But the poor man is told to stand or be seated
over there away from everyone else.
4. He is treated as being less important than the
rest of us.
5. He is treated no better than a servant who sits
at the footstool of our feet.
C. Note the implication.
1. The two men represent the extreme ends of wealth
and poverty.
2. If partiality is not to be shown in this case,
then it is never to be shown.
3. There are to be absolutely no distinctions
within the church, no distinctions of social class,
standing, position, wealth, prestige, or recognition.
4. How often has a poor person visited our church
and was not welcomed with open arms?
5. How many of us have felt uneasy and
uncomfortable around them?
6. Have we ignored, neglected, and shunned them?
7. Have we failed to greet and welcome them?
8. This is not of Christ…it is wrong.
III. What is Wrong with Showing Favoritism.
A. It sets us up as the judge of men (v4a)
1. That puts us in the place of God.
2. It says who can worship God and who cannot, who
is acceptable to God and who is not.
3. Only God Himself can determine who He will
accept and not accept.
"Let us not therefore judge one another any more:
but judge this rather, that no man put a
stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his
brother's way" (Romans 14:13).
"Therefore judge nothing before the time, until
the Lord come, who both will bring to light the
hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest
the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man
have praise of God" (1 Cor. 4:5).
"There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and
destroy: who art thou that judgest another?" (James
4:12).
B. It reveals our evil thoughts (v4b).
1. The person who shows partiality focuses upon
mundane and changeable things, things such as clothes,
cars, houses, and all the other outward things that
change, things that rapidly waste away, rot, and
decay.
2. Such thoughts are corrupt because they focus
upon corruptible things and neglect the person
entirely.
3. It says that material things such as clothes and
cars are more important than the person himself.
4. This, of course, is foolishness.
5. Yet it is exactly how most people behave, for
most people in the world show partiality.
6. Believers are never to show partiality, not to a
single soul…We are to look at the person himself.
a. What matters is that he be saved and come to
know the love, joy, and peace that only Christ can
bring him.
b. Then and only then can he fulfill his purpose
for being on earth and make the greatest possible
contribution to society and Christ.
"Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect,
go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor,
and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come
and follow me. But when the young man heard that
saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great
possessions" (Matthew 19:21-22).
"Look not every man on his own things, but
every man also on the things of others" (Phil.
2:4).
C. Showing partiality discriminates against the poor
and lowly, a people who are loved by God (v5).
1. This verse is not saying that God does not love
and care for the rich and high.
2. He does, but He also cares and loves the poor
and lowly.
3. In fact, they have been the very ones who have
found so much hope in the gospel and have turned to it
in great numbers.
"I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of
the afflicted, and the right of the poor" (Psalm
140:12).
D. Showing partiality shows a disgraceful attitude
(v6a).
1. It dishonors, humiliates, shames, disgraces, and
insults the poor and lowly person.
2. No believer is to ever make a person feel
unwelcomed or of little value and worth.
3. Believers are to have open hearts and arms,
welcoming everyone into their lives, homes, and
churches.
4. All believers are to live as Christ lived: to
love and care for all and to reach out for all.
"The poor is hated even of his own neighbor: but
the rich hath many friends" (Proverbs 14:20).
"All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how
much more do his friends go far from him? He
pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to
him" (Proverbs 19:7).
E. It also shows foolish behavior (v6b-7).
1. What about the rich?
a. The rich and high usually oppress the poor.
b. The idea is that they use the law unjustly in
order to protect and increase their wealth and
power.
c. The rich and high usually blaspheme the name
of Christ.
1) They blaspheme His name by denying, mocking,
ridiculing, persecuting, neglecting, ignoring, and
rejecting Him as the Savior of the world.
2) The rich and high usually feel
self-sufficient, because they have everything they
need upon earth.
3) Therefore, they think little about needing
anything.
d. But They forget two things:
1) That everything they have fades away, and
death is just around the corner.
2) That they must face whatever lies right
beyond this world and life: God Himself.
"Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the
LORD will deliver him in time of trouble" (Psalm
41:1).
IV. Specific Warnings Against Being a Respecter of
Persons.
A. It is sin. (v8-9)
B. It makes us guilty of the whole law of God (v10).
C. It is just as serious a sin as adultery and
killing (v11).
D. God will judge Sin. (v12-13)
How we treat others reflects our relationship to God.
James warns us tonight to not be respecters of persons. We
are challenged to be like Christ. Are we guilty of having
respect of persons? Maybe it isn't about their economic
status…perhaps it is about their age…their appearance…etc.
People need the Lord…all people, from all backgrounds and
cultures!
(Mat 5:16) "Let your light so shine before men, that
they may see your good works, and glorify your Father
which is in heaven."