James 2:1-13--The Sin of Partiality

James 2:1-13 English Standard Version (ESV)
The Sin of Partiality
1 My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 2 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, 3 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,” 4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 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? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 11 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. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

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Partiality may not be the easiest word here, but it's synonymous with "favoritism."  As Christians we should not play favorites or treat people differently because of what they have to offer us, their social status, how much money they put in the offering plate, their political or business connections, or anything else.

James uses a few examples here where people of his time and many people today would make first-impression judgments and treat certain people that walked through the Church doors differently.  First would be someone who is well-dressed verses someone who dressed in shabby clothing.  The person that is well-dressed would be assumed to be someone of status that should be given a "good seat" while the person in shabby clothes would be assumed to be someone of no status, maybe even a slave and would be told to sit on the floor so that someone else of more esteem could be given a seat (usually churches were meeting in small groups in people's houses if that helps add context).  Do we want God to treat us with such partiality based off of how much money we have in His economy or what kind of value He thinks we can add to His kingdom?  That is a test we would all fail because streets are paved with gold in heaven and gates to the city are made out of pearls and the foundations are made of precious jewels.  We have nothing to offer him that is valuable other than the fact that He values the souls of men and pad the most precious price for them--the blood of Jesus, and in that sense the soul of the rich man and the soul of the poor man in this story cost Him exactly the same thing and have exactly the same value.  This is the way that we need to see every person...."That's a person that's valuable enough that Jesus died for them."

James even points out that it is the rich man who is likely the one who is going to oppress the Christians and take them to court and they are more likely the ones to dishonor the name of God--mostly likely that is a reference to calling themselves "Christians" and living just like the world when they are conducting business or in their social circles.

James then comes back to the core issue.  We cannot say we love our neighbor as we love ourselves and treat some people better than others.  The Greatest Commandment tells us we need to love everyone the same-like we love ourselves.  The assumption is that we love ourselves and want what is best for ourselves.

James then addresses the fact that we are all Law-breakers and there are no better or worse Law-breakers in God's eyes.  The Law is like a chain of connected links (like a bicycle chain).  How many links in the chain need to break for the chain to be broken?  Only one.  It doesn't matter if you never murder anyone if you are still a liar or a thief or even someone who covets his neighbor's stuff.  We are to see ourselves as transgressors of the Law who have been shown mercy by God and in this estate we had nothing to offer God and were like the man dressed in shabby clothes--our good deeds were as filthy rags and we were likened to the valley of dry bones that were completely useless until God decided He wanted to make them live again (we'll talk about the Valley of Dry Bones sometime when we get to the book of Ezekiel.  It will be a while, but it's one of the best images of what God does for us in our salvation.)  We must have mercy on others because we have been shown mercy.  We must forgive others because we have been forgiven.  Let's bring this home with a parable taught by Jesus in the book of Matthew that I think was probably on the mind of James here.

​Matthew 18:21-35 English Standard Version (ESV)
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”