Temple Baptist Church - 10-13-2021
James 2:1-9
Introduction:
A. Last week, we saw God's reasoning concerning these scattered or dispersed Jewish believers. Respect of persons had long held a position of prominence in Israel. You were a Jew, or you were not; you were born in, or you were born out.
1. God knew the possibility and probability of the Jewish believers rejecting certain types of people.
2. Things are no different in our day. "Birds of a feather flock together" has to do with more than birds. It is natural for mankind to seek after the friendship of those who are alike. I have no problem with that as long as it does not produce a distain or dislike for others who are not like you.
3. In the beginning, God, in His infinite wisdom, made people different though they are of the same blood. God also appointed the bounds of their habitation.
Acts 17:24, 26 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth … (26) And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
4. Today, we live in a multi-cultural society where men of all ethnic groups dwell in the same proximity. We need to understand that God created all men equal and according to His divine will, all men different.
Acts 17:27-28 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: (28) For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
B. Everyone is welcome and wanted at Temple Baptist Church. They cannot be saved without the Word of God and the Gospel, neither can they come to the knowledge of the Truth without the Word of God and sound doctrine.
1 Corinthians 12:12-13 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. (13) For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Galatians 3:26-29 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (27) For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (28) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (29) And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
C. I want to reiterate that the greatest enemy of the local church sits on its pews. It matters not what persecution or Satanic attacks comes from the outside because we band together with God as our strength and protection. Persecution makes the church grow stronger. The greatest enemy comes from within and most church implode, not explode.
Matthew 12:25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
D. Now, with that in mind, let us pick up the context.
1. Verse 1. James is writing to "My brethren." He is writing to this pastor; He is writing to you who sit here tonight; He is writing to those who will one day grace these pews. God created all men equal in His sight both lost and saved!
1 Corinthians 12:12-13 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. (13) For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Galatians 3:26-29 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (27) For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (28) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (29) And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
2. Verse 1. Our faith "of our Lord Jesus Christ" is our saving faith inwardly (Christ died for us and Christ died for everyone else) and the embodiment of our faith, the Bible. We are not to have "respect of persons." Partiality or favoritism. Partiality is how we view them while favoritism is how we treat them.
3. Verses 2-3. James gives us an example of "respect of persons."
a. Gold ring and goodly apparel. Wealthy, socially acceptable, influential. Just what most churches are looking for people who, from their outward appearance, will be an asset, not a burden. These are accepted with joy and are too often given partiality and favoritism.
b. Poor in vile raiment. Having little or nothing and socially rejected. Not having the ability to be of financial help and a potential burden to the church. These are basically ignored.
c. Both 2 examples are based upon outward appearances, and both are given different treatment and sitting in the assembly, the local church. We allow everyone to sit where they would like to sit, not seat them.
4. Verse 4. Respect of persons is judging the inward man by the outward appearance. We cannot see the heart nor know the person that lives within the clothing. "Judge not" is the right application here. The Bible says that we are to use righteousness in judgment, not appearance.
5. Verses 5-7 gives the historical look at rich and poor.
a. The poor are rich in faith. These are generally the best church members.
b. The rich are poor in faith. These are the ones that generally cause problems.
6. Verses 8-9. These verses show the consequences of respect of persons of the lack thereof.
a. The Royal Law – to love thy neighbor as thy self: rich or poor, poor or rich. This should be our acceptance of those who come to our church. Over the years, we have had a lot of hardworking but poor in the eyes of the world people that have come and made this church the great church that it is. We have had few if any rich folk.
b. Sin – if we have respect of persons, it is a sin problem. We are to love people as God loves them.
7. Respect of persons causes division and division causes destruction.
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