James 2a

James 2a

Shawn Bumpers / General

James

Introduction

James 2:17 NKJV

Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

a hypothetical situation

James 1:27 NKJV

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.

1 John 4:20 NKJV

If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

v1

ἀδελφός Adelphos – close associates in a mutual membership

προσωπολημψία prosōpolēmpsia: To accept a face

James 2:1 ESV

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.

v2-4

Luke 6:31–34 NKJV

And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.

James 3:1 NKJV

My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.

Matthew 22:16 NIV84

They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are.

Jesus Himself was the “poor man” who was rejected by His own people.

Luke 9:58 NKJV

And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

Hebrews 1:3 NKJV

who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

John 1:14 NKJV

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 7:24 NKJV

Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

1 Corinthians 6:19 NKJV

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

Ephesians 2:21–22 NKJV

in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

v5-7

ἀγαπητός agapētos: dear, beloved … agapētoi.

adelphos

James 2:5 NKJV

Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

ἐκλέγομαι eklegomai: choose.

Ephesians 1:4–7 NKJV

just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

Ephesians 2:8–10 NKJV

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Acts 10:34 NKJV

Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.

Ephesians 6:9 NKJV

And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.

1 Samuel 2:7–8 NKJV

The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up. He raises the poor from the dust And lifts the beggar from the ash heap, To set them among princes And make them inherit the throne of glory. “For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, And He has set the world upon them.

1 Corinthians 1:26–27 NKJV

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

1 Timothy 6:17–18 NKJV

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share,

v8

Scripture does not condone the showing of favoritism.

“the royal law.”

Leviticus 19:18 NKJV

You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:9 NKJV

But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;

Romans 5:5 NKJV

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Romans 13:10 NKJV

Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

v9-11

Exodus 20

Favoritism will make you find ways of breaking those commandments.

v12

λαλέω laleō: to speak or say

ποιέω poieō: make or do

John 5:24 NKJV

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

Romans 8:1 NKJV

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Romans 14:10–13 NKJV

But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

2 Corinthians 5:9–10 NKJV

Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Matthew 12:36 NKJV

But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

Matthew 12:34 NKJV

Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

Hebrews 10:17 NKJV

then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

Psalm 103:12 NKJV

As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Attitudes

v13

We cannot earn mercy by showing mercy, because it is impossible to earn mercy.

Liberty does not mean license. 

Romans 6:18 NKJV

And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.