God does not show favoritism...He wants us to be like Him

James is explaining that we are not to be partial in our dealings with people. We are not to show favoritism. We are to be like the Lord is, and He is not partial.

Treating everyone the same way. With God's love.

James explains that God wants us to walk with Him and not show partiality to anyone. God Himself does not show favoritism. He loves everyone equally, and sent Jesus to die for the sins of the whole world.

God is not partial....He does not show favoritism. and He does not want us to either.

James 2:1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.

James 2:2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes,

James 2:3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,”

James 2:4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

James's simple, clear instruction here, is for us not to "hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory with partiality" And, then goes on to give us an example of how it might look if people were showing partiality. The word partiality means, to be a respecter of persons, and it comes from a word, meaning to be an accepter of a face. That is, to show preferential treatment to someone because of who they are, and to show a lesser treatment to someone, because of who they are not. In this case, treating a rich person in a certain way, and then treating a poor person in a certain way. We are not to be partial to the people we see because of who they are.

If we do this James says, ( 2:4 ) have we have become judges with evil thoughts? And, of course the answer would be yes we have. James then goes on from chapter 2:5-13 to give further explanation about showing partiality. We will look at that portion tomorrow.

The tendency would show itself especially when people with position or wealth would come into the congregation. This would be to show favoritism to someone because of who they are. And, it's spoken of by God as our becoming judges with evil thoughts.

It would be evil, because it's a false value system. Placing value on someone because of their money and place in society. And, then, it would be to dishonor the poor person, whom God actually honors. ( See 2:5 )

What a blessing to know that God is not a respecter of persons, He is not going to act one way towards someone because of who they are, and then another way to someone else because of who they are.

This means that You can expect the same love, the same care, the same mercy, etc, from God, as He would give to anyone else.

In fact, on a personal note, this was one of the first truths I learned about God, back in Feb 1973 shortly after I was saved. What a huge relief I felt in my own soul to realize that God loved me and cared for me as much as He did for anyone else. I hope you know that to be true for your life as well.

Thank You Lord for who You are, and how You deal with us, and what the Bible says about Your wonderful nature. May we represent You in a manner that is pleasing to you. In Jesus name, amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier

Calvary Chapel Visalia

Application/Promise

1. He loves you just as you are.

2. He is not impressed with anyone because of who they are.

3. He is not un-imprssed because of who you are not.

4. He is not impressed by anyone.

5. He is loving and caring to any and everyone.

6. He never changes.

7. He wants us to act like Him towards others

The proof is in the pudding

James explains how to know the difference between true, or useless religion, or worship. The proof is in the pudding as they say.

Is my religion useless, or pure before God?

James 1:26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.

James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

James now addresses the subject of "Pure Religion", ( religion here, means worship. ) He tells us two basic things about religion, or worship.

First, of all, a person can think they are religious, but if their tongue is not bridled, or controlled, then, their religion is useless, or empty, fruitless, vain, and they are deceiving their own heart. So, again, we have the issue of self deception, ( James 1:22-24 ) and the tongue which will be dealt with later in James. ( James 3 )

Thus, it's possible for a man to think ( have the opinion ) he is a worshipper of God, but be self- deceived, and one of the evidences of that deception would be a tongue that is not under control.

Secondly, James says, the true worshipper is marked or characterized by two things.

1. He visits the orphans and the widows in their need. That is, he is a person who reaches out to others in need, in a practical and meaningful way,

2. He keeps himself unspotted from the world. On a personal and moral level, he keeps himself unstained, or uncontaminated from the world. He is a man who is not walking in sin, and in the way of the world. He is not caught up in pride, self promotion, and living for material things rather then for God.

James does not pull any punches. He tells it like it is. Both the good and the bad if you will. Later, he will talk about how our works are really the test of our faith, those works reveal the genuineness, or the authenticity of our faith.

We can be of a certain opinion about ourselves, and our place before God, but, it's the way we live that really shows with accuracy who we are, and where we are in our walk with the Lord. The proof as they say is in the pudding. Our actions, speak louder then words.

The Lord has called us to be fruitful, and He wants to keep us pure and undefiled from the world. Let's pray for those things in our lives today. Lord, make us fruitful. You have appointed us to bear fruit, and that our fruit would be abundant and lasting. Thank You for Your Word, which tells us the truth about You and about ourselves. And, thank You Lord for not condemning us, but seeking to conform us into Your image.

Pastor Bob Grenier

Calvary Chapel Visalia

Application/Promises

1. Are you encouraged by this passage?

2. What is the Lord saying to you from this passage?

3. Remember, God wants to help you, not condemn you.

4. In what practical ways is your faith showing itself?

5. The Lord will use you if you let Him.

6. Forgiveness and cleansing come from the Lord.

7. God will give guidance and power, and open doors for service.

Doers or Deceived..?

God teaches us to not only hear His Word, but to be "Doers" of it also, lest we be deceived. Those who hear and do, are promised blessings from the Lord......

Are we doers or deceived?

James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

James 1:23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;

James 1:24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

James 1:25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

This is God's call to be doers of His Word, and as he adds, not hearers only. It's one thing to hear God's Word, but His intention, is that we would then respond in faith by being "doers" or those who put His Word into practice.

If we only hear, and aren't "doers" then we are like a person who looks into a mirror, ( God's Word is likened unto a mirror, and is indeed so, in that it shows us who we are ) and see ourselves, and see what God is showing us about ourselves, but then we go our way and forget what we just saw.

On the other hand, if we will look at God's Word, and continue in it, and not be a forgetful hearer, but are a "doer", then we will be blessed in the work, and in what we do.

So, the blessings of God are brought to us through His Word, but we must not just hear, but do, and then God's blessings are experienced in our lives.

The primary and central blessing of God in our lives, is that He works in us to conform us into His own image, and He works in us and through us to bring about His will for our lives, and into the lives of others.

It all starts with His Word, and our response to it.

May the blessings of God, in your work and in your life be yours today. May You hear and be a doers of His Word. Lord, how You desire to bless us. Thank You for that in Jesus name. Amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier

Calvary Chapel Visalia

Application/Promises.

1. God is speaking through His Word.

2. We have ears to hear, may we use them.

3. Hearing and doing are both God's will for each of us.

4. Grace enables us to be doers.

5. Let's read, hear, and then respond on a daily basis.

6. God's richest blessings come through His Word.

7. May His work in You be blessed today.