Respect of Persons - Part 2

 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.

Respect of Persons

 Temple Baptist Church - 3-6-2021

James 2:1

 

Introduction:  This evening, I will simply introduce these verses as there is too much to cover in one message.

 

A.  We will look at one of the greatest enemies of the local church: Division.  Our Lord said, " And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand."  (Mark 3:25)

 

B.  James, writing to the dispersed Jews, knew the possibility and probability of respect of persons because of the history of the Jewish nation.   

 

C.  I find it of interest that the Jews had no problem with those who converted to Judaism.  They are called Jewish Proselytes. 

 

Judaism (noun) - the monotheistic religion of the Jewish people.

 

1.  We find many in the Old Testament.

 

Exodus 12:38  And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.  (Many Egyptians came to know the God of Israel and traveled to the Promised Land with them.)

 

Exodus 12:48  And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.  (God included the "strangers" when giving the law.)

 

Matthew 1:5  And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; (Rahab, a Gentile, was the mother of Boaz and in the lineage of the Lord.)

 

Ruth 1:16  And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:  (Ruth, a Gentile, was the great grandmother of King David.)

 

2.  We find many in the New Testament.

 

Acts 2:5-6  And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.  (6)  Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.  (Jewish Proselytes – 16 languages mentioned here.  Titus was a Gentile; Luke was a Gentile; Timothy's father was a Greek.)

D.  If this was so, and it was, then what was the problem that James was having to deal with in James, chapter 2?  There was still RESPECT OF PERSONS WITHIN THE LOCAL CHURCHES!  James 2:2 "Come unto your assembly!"  Now, let us look at a few of the causes of respect of persons.

 

1.  Respect of Persons is tied with Phariseeism.  Disassembling from sinners. 

 

Luke 15:1-2  Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.  (2)  And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

 

2.  Respect of Persons is tied with Judaism.  Disassembling from non-Jews.

 

Acts 10:10-15  And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,  (11)  And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:  (12)  Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.  (13)  And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.  (14)  But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.  (15)  And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

 

3.  Respect of Persons is tied to Christianity.  Disassembling from those less esteemed.

 

a)  The Lord had to deal with Peter when He sent him to Cornelius, a gentile, and preached the gospel to him. 

 

1)  The Lord knew that Peter would not go to the Gentiles.

 

Acts 10:27-28  And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.  (28)  And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

 

2)  Afterward, the Jews contended with Peter because he had gone to the Gentiles.

 

Acts 11:2-3  And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him,  (3)  Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.

 

b)  Paul had to deal with Peter a little later concerning his dissembling from Gentiles when the Jews arrived (Peter still had not gotten it right!). 

 

Galatians 2:11-14  But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.  (12)  For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.  (13)  And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.  (14)  But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

 

E.  Most churches implode (blow up from the inside).  It is not outside persecution that brings them down; it is inside division.  There is a great difference between biblical separation and respect of persons.

 

1.  Many times, it is infiltration.  This was a problem 2,000 years ago and it has only escalated over the years.  The Bible commands separation from false prophets and "grievous wolves" that enter the local assembly.  God called pastors are "wolf watchers" as they oversee the flock of God.

 

Acts 20:29  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

 

2.  Most times, the problem is carnality.  Once again, this was a problem in some New Testament churches 2,000 years ago.  Too often, separation is unbiblical as some will have nothing to do with others because of carnality.

 

1 Corinthians 1:10-12  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.  (11)  For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.  (12)  Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

 

1 Corinthians 3:1-9  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.  (2)  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.  (3)  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?  (4)  For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?  (5)  Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?  (6)  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.  (7)  So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.  (8)  Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.  (9)  For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

Respect Of Persons

Temple Baptist Church - 4-8-2009

Galatians 2:6-14

Introduction:

A. In this portion of scripture, we find that there was a problem in the area of respect of persons. In the first century AD, polarized conditions governed society. People were either rich or poor, slaves or free, Jew or Gentile, Greek or barbarian.

1. Paul used the phrase “who seemed to be somewhat” when referring to them of “reputation” in verse 2.

a) By reputation I believe that the reference was to the Apostles mentioned in chapter 1:16-19.

b) Their having a “reputation” was not necessarily wrong in itself as they were the visible leaders of the Jerusalem believers.

c) Paul went to them privately, reporting what God had given to him in both revelation and ministry.

d) Paul reported to the Galatian believers that these Apostles “added nothing to me.”

2. In verses 12-14, Paul relates a real problem concerning “respect of persons” in his confrontation of Peter.

a) Peter ate with these gentile believers in verse 12 prior to the arrival of other Jewish believers.

b) When the Jewish believers arrived, Peter “withdrew and separated himself” from them.

B. Peter’s actions caused a two-fold problem.

1. His actions were a personal affront to the believers at Antioch. They certainly knew what he did.

2. The other Jews followed Peter’s bad example also. Respect of persons brings about negative peer pressure.

3. Barnabas (a champion of the down and outers who took in the Apostle Paul) was then affected by the dissimulation and withdrew also.

C. Paul then withstood Peter “to the face” in verse 11 because he was to be blamed. He was the most noted of the Jewish believers that came to Antoich.

1. The rebuke was public because the sin was public. Vs. 11

2. The rebuke was stern because it was detrimental to the truth delivered.

Acts 10:34-36 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. 36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)

D. Respect of persons has continued to be a problem throughout the church age. Respect of persons does not mean that you have to invite the entire church to your cookout. I want to look at just three areas that have affected our churches and their growth.

1. Respect of persons because of race.

a. This affects our evangelism! The Jews hated the Samaritans and the Samaritans hated the Jews. Most nations were natural enemies and it was and still is hard to get them to sit down together.

b. Race differences have always been a problem, especially here in the south. We love to sing the children’s songs which say, “Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight; Jesus loves the little children of the world” while ostracizing people based on race.

c. God made people the way He wanted them to be. There is not a problem with recognizing race. The problem is with “respecting” race. Respect of persons is to place one race above another or to exclude someone of another race.

d. God made all; God loves all; God is willing to save all!

1 Timothy 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2. Respect of persons because of social status.

a. This affects our unity! The socially elite have a problem with the “baser” sort and the opposite is also true. I do not get invited to their cookouts and they do not get invited to mine!

b. From this aspect of respect of persons, cliques are formed. It is not that we cannot invite everyone, it is that not everyone is wanted.

Psalms 133:1-3 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; 3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

3. Respect of persons because of money.

a. This affects our motive! This form of selective evangelism places monetary value over the value of a soul. The rich and poor normally do not meet in the same churches! Organized visitation occurs in select communities instead of in every community.

b. Many times the rich are welcomed into churches with a “red carpet” treatment while the poor are either looked down upon or ignored. Every visitor should be treated with kindness and respect! It matters not how they are able to dress or the amount that they may be able to give.

James 2:1-7 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; 3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: 4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? 5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? 6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? 7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

c. This kind of respect of persons often clouds the judgment of the leadership. The rich can get away with “murder” while the poor are quickly chastised for the same sins.

Deuteronomy 1:17 Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.

Deuteronomy 16:19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.