The Sin of Favoritism

"My brothers, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. ² For example, a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor man dressed in dirty clothes also comes in. ³ If you look with favor on the man wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here in a good place,” and yet you say to the poor man, “Stand over there,” or, “Sit here on the floor by my footstool,” ⁴ haven’t you discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
⁵ Listen, my dear brothers: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that He has promised to those who love Him? ⁶ Yet you dishonored that poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? ⁷ Don’t they blaspheme the noble name that was pronounced over you at your baptism?
⁸ Indeed, if you keep the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. ⁹ But if you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. ¹⁰ For whoever keeps the entire law, yet fails in one point, is guilty of breaking it all. ¹¹ For He who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. So if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you are a lawbreaker.
¹² Speak and act as those who will be judged by the law of freedom. ¹³ For judgment is without mercy to the one who hasn’t shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment."
James 2:1-13


Today's Message: The Sin of Favoritism  

 
Good Morning Beloved, I'd first like to give thanks to the Lord, for assembling all of us together
here today. And I'd also like to thank all of you for responding to His prompting.

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the Word today for all of us, those You have gathered together today, to receive it.
I pray that it will settle deep within our hearts, and we may become changed by this rich and glorious text. Lord, I ask that You will lead us to share it with those we encounter, that we may help to bring about a change in our society, and in Your world. That we may truly fulfill Your command, to love our neighbor. Be it all for Your glory.
In Christ's name
Amen

Open with me, if you would, your Bibles to the book of James, chapter 2. Today, we'll be looking at verses one through thirteen. James 2:1-13. Allow me to just read this marvelous, rich text to you, so that we may all allow it to settle deep within our hearts and minds, before we get started. 

"My brothers, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. For example, a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor man dressed in dirty clothes also comes in. If you look with favor on the man wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here in a good place,” and yet you say to the poor man, "Stand over there," or, "Sit here on the floor by my footstool," haven’t you discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Listen, my dear brothers: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that He has promised to those who love Him? Yet you dishonored that poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? Don’t they blaspheme the noble name that was pronounced over you at your baptism?

Indeed, if you keep the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. But if you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the entire law, yet fails in one point, is guilty of breaking it all. For He who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. So if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you are a lawbreaker. Speak and act as those who will be judged by the law of freedom. For judgment is without mercy to the one who hasn’t shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment."

I want us all to just pause, and  meditate on those words for just a moment.

So what is favoritism? According to the dictionary, favoritism, is defined as "the practice of giving unfair preferential treatment to one person or group at the expense of another." In James epistle, 
In verse 1, James uses the word "favoritism." To further elaborate on its meaning, "respecter of persons" or to "show partiality." James is talking about the fault of giving judgment to the outward circumstances of man, or woman, and believing them to be more worthy than another. Beloved, it is a sin, an error to treat someone as more worthy because they are rich, a certain skin color, or political position or power, or celebrity. Therefore, it is also a sin, an error to treat someone, as less than, simply because they are poor, a certain skin color, have no political power, have a disability, or are in your estimation a ‘nobody.’ That is, favoritism. And allow me to just call it what it is, that is a sin. James specifically identifies this in verse 4 as "evil thoughts."

In this passage, James highlights "love your neighbor as yourself" in verse 8 and shares with us that when we show favoritism towards people around us and judge others as less than us that we are convicted because we sin. As I was studying these verses, reading them over and over, as I frequently do, I began to think more deeply on this particular text, on favoritism, I was trying to think of all the ways, in which, I, myself, might show favoritism. Then I began to think upon the ways it might be shown to me, and the ways, which I might see it in our culture.

It was then, I began to think about Jesus' words, in Mark chapter 7, verse 21. "Then He said, “What comes out of a person—that defiles him. 21 For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, 22 adulteries, greed, evil actions, deceit, promiscuity, stinginess, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a person."

That brought me to think more deeply, we know how the dictionary defines favoritism, how the world views favoritism, but how does God, see favoritism. After all, isn't it, beloved, His view, that ultimately matters.  I started thinking about Hero-Worship: Treating a famous person differently than another person without notoriety. Gender Bias: Believing that one gender is greater than the other; treating that other gender poorly. Age-ism: Treating someone different because of their age, typically, the very young or the elderly, the very old. Then, I thought about the issue that our country is facing, especially today; Racism: Preferential treatment of one race over that of another; usually preferring one’s own race to others.

And so, it was this last one, Racism, that is the one, I’d like to address today. I'd like to preface here, I make no apologies, to anyone this offends, nor want any praise from anyone who is pleased, or feels
validated by today's message. As I've often stated, the message comes by way of prompting from the Holy Spirit, and I, I am just His messenger.

As we see and hear, there is much occurring today, in the United States, in regard to race and racism. They are in the form riots, protests and even violence and death. I don’t think there is a day that goes by, where I don’t see something on the news, or on social media, or on the streets, that relates to race and violence.

It is my prayer, that each of you, will pause and allow today's message, to help us shape what we, who are God's own, as followers of Christ, should believe and think, and, ultimately, do in regard to racism. Racism is a sin, a sin that is rooted deeply within many hearts, on both sides, and comes from the sin of favoritism. James tells us in our text, that favoritism, has absolutely no place in the Church, no place in the heart of a believer in Christ, and no place in the world, which God has created. Therefore, James is also, teaching us, that racism, also has no place in the Church, no place in the heart of a believer in Christ, and no place in the world, which God has created.

We are all aware, what our culture, has to say about racism.  As the judgment of one person that he or she is better than or less than another, based solely upon one's race. So, let's examine, more closely what the Bible has to say. Turn with me, to the book of Acts 17. Allow me to just read to you what it says, I encourage you to follow along, as I read this passage, verse 23 and following:

"Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it—He is Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in shrines made by hands. 25 Neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives everyone life and breath and all things. 26 From one man He has made every nationality to live over the whole earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live. 27 He did this so they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. 28 For in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ 29 Being God’s offspring then, we shouldn’t think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image fashioned by human art and imagination. 30 “Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because He has set a day when He is going to judge the world in righteousness by the Man He has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead."
 
I'd first like to point out, this passage is not unique, its not a stand alone message in the Scriptures, it is a clear message, repeated through the Holy Bible, the Word of God.  There are, a number of other passages in God's Word, with the same message.  However, we find in this one passage, that God created all people, with no regard to ones race, no consideration to their color, and has spread them out over the face of the Earth. God did that. And, it was by no mistake. He did it on purpose. God is near to each person He created and desires that every person, regardless of their color, come to know His Son, Jesus Christ. Notice the phrase used in the text; From one man He has made every nationality to live over the whole earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live. Again, there are a number of other scriptures, that support our text.

Then, in John 7:24, we're told to, "Stop judging according to outward appearances; rather judge according to righteous judgment." And now, let''s look at Romans 2:11-13,"There is no favoritism with God. All those who sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all those who sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For the hearers of the law are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be declared righteous." 

And in I John 1:6-8, "Now this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him. If we say, “We have fellowship with Him,” yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us."

All of these passages together, paint a perspective for us that judgments, divisions, and favoritism for one race above another are opposite of God’s will and design. We must recognize this type of racial judgment in ourselves and root it out. We must confess such favoritism as sin. We must not lie to ourselves because "If we say, “We have fellowship with Him,” yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth."

I'd like to speak on racism, and call it what it is. I'd like to encourage all people, of all races and nationalities, to listen closely, as this does not pertain to any one race or nationality.  Racism is hatred and hatred of any of God's creation, is a sin. And, all of us sitting here today, know that sin, is punishable by death, and the second death is eternal separation from God. I'd like us all to carefully think about what I've just said, and look deep within our own hearts. And know, that if we, as God's own, hate any other of God's own, we are in sin.

Allow me to just repeat that for you: Racism is hatred and hatred of any of God's creation, is a sin. And, all of us sitting here today, know that sin, is punishable by death, and the second death is eternal separation from God. I'd like us all to carefully think about what I've just said, and look deep within our own hearts. And know, that if we, as God's own, hate any other of God's own, we are in sin.

Racism is rooted in hatred for another person based on their race. Our race, is not something that we ourselves have chosen, it is what God, in His divine plan, has appointed to each and every one of us. Therefore, because you have the "privilege," or are "disprivilege," of being born into any particular race, that was certainly not because, you are deemed more or less valuable, than any other race. Despite, of what you may have been taught, and grown up to believe. Now, that we have determined, that racism, is hatred, I'd like to examine what the Bible has to say about hatred. I'd like to encourage all of you to pay close attention to this, as it is extremely important, that we all understand racism and its place in our country and in our own lives. 

Here are a few Scriptures to teach us what God has to say about this issue:

Please turn with me to Leviticus chapter 19, and allow me to read to you verse 15 and following:

"You must not act unjustly when deciding a case. Do not be partial to the poor or give preference to the rich; judge your neighbor fairly. ¹⁶ You must not go about spreading slander among your people; you must not jeopardize your neighbor’s life; I am Yahweh.
¹⁷ “You must not harbor hatred against your brother. Rebuke your neighbor directly, and you will not incur guilt because of him. ¹⁸ Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am Yahweh.
¹⁹ “You are to keep My statutes. You must not crossbreed two different kinds of your livestock, sow your fields with two kinds of seed, or put on a garment made of two kinds of material."

Now, please turn to Zechariah 8:16-17 says, "These are the things you must do: Speak truth to one another; make true and sound decisions within your gates. ¹⁷ Do not plot evil in your hearts against your neighbor, and do not love perjury, for I hate all this”—this is the Lord’s declaration."

And in Deuteronomy 19:11-13, "But if someone hates his neighbor, lies in ambush for him, attacks him, and strikes him fatally, and flees to one of these cities, ¹² the elders of his city must send for him, take him from there, and hand him over to the avenger of blood and he will die. ¹³ You must not look on him with pity but purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, and you will prosper."

Matthew 22:36-40, "Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?”³⁷ He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. ³⁸ This is the greatest and most important command. ³⁹ The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands."

Allow me to just point out one more, I John 4:20-21,  If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother he has seen cannot love the God he has not seen. ²¹ And we have this command from Him: The one who loves God must also love his brother."

I think by now, that you're able to get the point, at least I hope and pray that you are. This is all from God's Word, beloved, you know I'm not making any of this stuff up, its right there, in all your Bibles, if you'd only open it and actually read it. All the way through all of His Word, not just the parts that suit your personal desires at that moment. Something to make you feel better, that's great, but sometimes, we need, oh Lord, how we need that which also convicts!

The Word of God, truly is relevant, for all circumstances, even in today's culture. In spite of what is being taught in many modern churches today! God has provided all we need, for whatever situation we may face. If we'll only turn to Him for guidance, and seek His truths.

We are living in a world, with people from all different economic backgrounds, education levels, political parties, mental competence, social skills, and yes, skin colors. Its true, some are white as white can get. And so are some who are black, or brown, or whatever you want to say. We should not and cannot put our head in the sand and ignore these racial divides our nation is dealing with today. And I'd like to add here, the problem is on both sides. But we must each be held accountable for our part of the problem, to come together and rectify it, and ultimately, solve these issues. It's not one race or the others problem, it's all of our problem, and further, it's all of our faults as well. Look, I know there are some of you, squirming in your seats right now, all I can say is good! I'm glad, because, if you're squirming, uncomfortably, than I've done what God has called me to do, speak His truth, not yours, and certainly not mine.  I would be, as your pastor, doing a terrible injustice, if I were to just skip over this topic, for all of us, but more importantly, I'd be doing a huge disservice to Almighty God. 

What are we supposed to do as believers in Christ in the midst of a country that has dealt with and is still dealing with racial issues? I believe there are three things that you and I can do as believers in Christ that are important as we confront or are confronted with racism.

We are to believe ourselves and speak correct beliefs. The Bible is very clear about favoritism and hatred and racism. We must believe and speak what the Bible commands with us to those who are different around us. Beloved, this first begins within ourselves, that we must have correct beliefs and attitudes. This continues through us speaking, posting, or writing correct Godly perspectives and sharing them whenever possible. We must not be afraid to stand up for Christ and speak about what is truth, righteous, Godly and correct.

We must pray! We must pray that racial attitudes and beliefs are not a part of our  own heart. Maybe that’s the way you have always thought and it’s not a big issue for you, 2020 is the year for clarity, new vision, to see the error and sin in our own ways. We must pray the racial attitudes and beliefs are  a part of our own families and our church families. We must pray for both sides to accept responsibility for their part in the problem, to see the sin and error in their ways, to be held accountable for their actions. We must pray for those who deal with racial issues, whether injustice or their beliefs, that Christ, would wake them up and help them to understand the Truth of God’s Word. We must pray that the Word of God and Christianity is not twisted and turned, to suit the individual, wrongly supporting sin. We must pray for wisdom and healing. We must be a people who pray for our nation, especially those who do not know Christ.  We must pray that He would reach down and touch their hearts and lives, and we must pray that His will be done, in regard to race relations.

And lastly, we do as Scripture commands, "Love your neighbor." You may recall Jesus being asked by the law expert, in Luke 10:26-37, "And who is my neighbor?"

"“What is written in the law?” He asked him. “How do you read it?”
²⁷ He answered:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.

²⁸ “You’ve answered correctly,” He told him. “Do this and you will live.”

 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
³⁰ Jesus took up the question and said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him up, and fled, leaving him half dead. ³¹ A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. ³² In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion. ³⁴ He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him. When I come back I’ll reimburse you for whatever extra you spend.’
³⁶ “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”
³⁷ “The one who showed mercy to him,” he said.
Then Jesus told him, “Go and do the same."


Why is this so important?
So that "May they all be one,
as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You."
John 17:21

Beloved, our neighbor is those who are in our own families, our neighborhoods, at work, at school, even those sitting in a pew on the other side of church, those who do not look like us. We must learn to love all people, the people we encounter each and day. We must learn to love well, regardless if they are red, yellow, black, or white, even those who believe differently from us, because they are all God's created, and each precious in His sight. We must learn to love like Christ,Himself loves.
As Christ first loved us, while we were yet sinners, because we are living in a world that is desperately longing for it. And we need to love like we have the answer, for those who are suffering the effects of racism, because we do, indeed, have the answer, His name is Jesus Christ.

And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.

Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen

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