THE CHURCH: A COMMUNITY THAT SHOULDN’T PLAY FAVORITES
We have often heard it said, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” This is largely a metaphorical phrase meaning one should not judge the worth of something by its outward appearance.
I read an article this week that argued this was bad advice. The author countered that there were several reasons to judge a literal book by its cover. When I go to Chapters to peruse books, I begin by looking for my favorite authors. These authors have their names on the cover. If it’s not the author that grabs my attention, it is the title or the tagline, or the subject that stands out. The artwork speaks volumes to what the book promises to deliver. In terms of an actual book, what is the point of the cover if it doesn’t beg you to open it and read the contents?
We are discriminating in our tastes as well, and that’s not a bad thing. Some of you like seafood, I don’t. We choose our clothing based on likes and dislikes. This is natural. Even in our relationships, we are drawn to people who have similar interests or values as we do. To have a best friend implies that you like this person better than most. All good.
Whoever coined the phrase, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” was probably not thinking of books, tastes, or values, but of people. These factors influence what we think of a person, but it is the person herself that is the focus. Do I like or dislike a person based on how they appear, how they talk, or what political bent they profess? Probably. Should I value a person’s worth and give or withhold love based upon his appearance or demeanor? No.
James takes issue with our discrimination in the church body. The world may have its boxes and categories for people, but not the church. The church is one community of people in the world where all people ought to receive equal treatment. This is the thrust of James 2:1-13, and it gets in your face.
The Statement: Show no Partiality (2:1)
James begins with a very simple but powerful statement. Having faith in Jesus and showing favoritism are not compatible. Christians cannot show prejudice or discriminate someone based on the person’s status, appearance, or anything else that is not relevant to our relationship with God. James writes, “…show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory,” (1).
That word “partiality,” or “favoritism” in some translations, in the Greek is literally “to receive someone according to their face.” It is the essence of judging by appearance or perception. True faith, and the church of Christ herself, has no place for the social distinctions that we know of in the world.
In this way the NT church was radically counter-cultural to the norms of the Roman Empire where appearance and status were a way of life. When Paul spoke of the church, he said, “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all,” (Col 3:11).
If you can imagine life in the first century, imagine during the week a master giving his slaves orders, then on Sunday receiving instruction from one of his slaves who is the elder or is serving communion. It would have been an equalizing and humbling experience. Master and slave worshiped side-by-side in the church as brothers and sisters.
James is emphatic on this reality: Show NO partiality, or “Do not show partiality.” It could be taken as “don’t do this” or “stop doing this.” It’s very possible that Christians in the church were despising the poor and treating the rich with special attention. They needed to be told: stop it!
The Illustration: A Rich Man and a Poor Man (2:2-4)
James presents a hypothetical situation to drive home his statement. You could almost hear him say, “Suppose a man…” and then presents a scenario of two men, one rich, the other poor.
In the Greek, the description of both men is more vigorous. The rich man is described as “gold-fingered” and wearing “shining clothes.” He is never described as rich, but the description implies wealth. I read somewhere that a person could even rent gold rings to cast an image of importance. The poor man was dressed in shabby clothing, or filthy work clothes – probably his only set of garments.
To update this imagery, we may compare a person who comes into RFC dressed in dress pants, a button-down shirt and tie. He is shaven and dressed well. We are easily drawn to this person, we greet him, we welcome him with a handshake and get to know him. Contrast this with a man who enters RFC with a scraggly beard; he’s not bathed or shaved for a while. His clothes are worn and dirty; he has tattoos on his arms and neck. We allow him to join us, but he is not warmly welcomed, and we keep an eye on him.
In James’ scenario, this poor man is told to stand or sit down at the usher’s feet. That is a sign of humiliation, or domination on the part of the usher. It’s not kind; it’s not nice; it is not Christlike.
Sound far-fetched? Perhaps for Rosenort. But I did see this in my first church in the city. Our church was as close to the outskirts of the city as you can imagine. Nevertheless, a man entered our building who was clearly a homeless, inner-city man. He was dressed shabbily. He was muttering to himself, clearly mentally unwell. His hair was a mess. One of our prominent ladies came to me and quietly but nervously suggested we keep an eye on him. I looked over and saw the man, laughed, and said, “Oh, that’s just John. I met him a few weeks ago. He sleeps at Brad’s place.” (Brad was the former pastor’s son and was ministering in the inner city).
Poverty has different faces. Yes, some folks are poor financially, but others are impoverished socially, and still others educationally. Discrimination also comes in different forms: we discriminate by age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, race, and color of skin. Do we ignore or disregard anyone because of these different “faces” or appearances?
James says, “yes, you have.” If we are honest with the question, we must admit we have discriminated, we have judged with evil thoughts.
The Rationale: Loving Your Neighbor (2:5-11)
Why is favoritism such a big deal? James now explains why favoritism is foolish and sinful. There are three reasons why partiality is inconsistent with the life of the church.
1) It is inconsistent with God’s choice of the poor. Throughout the Bible we read how God favors the poor. James grabs attention with “Listen” and then says, “has not God chosen the those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?” Jesus preached, “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” a nod to those who recognize their spiritual poverty. And Paul reminds the Corinthians of their status when they were called (read 1 Cor. 1:26-29).
Why would God favor the poor folks specifically? As one writer said, God is on the side of the poor, not because they are poor but because they are responsive to him and are near the kingdom (S. Andria). Poor people are more likely to depend on God than those who are self-sufficient. Is it any wonder that the global south now sends missionaries to us?
Favoritism is wrong then because it contradicts God’s own attitude. The poor have been given the offer to be rich in faith. They are more likely to choose Jesus over the world.
2) It is inconsistent with the conduct of the rich. James noted a strange paradox: the church was bending over backwards for the rich, but the rich were the ones oppressing the church. In those days, the rich often became rich by exploiting the naïve. He asks a rhetorical question: “Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court?” The answer is “yes.” “Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?” (The name of Christ). And “yes.” It makes no sense to fawn over a rich person. If he comes to church to worship, great, but to elevate him above other worshipers is gross.
Now to favor the poor over the rich is a sin of partiality as well. Let’s be mindful of that. Equality of the brothers and sisters is the goal.
3) It is inconsistent with the Royal Law. The Royal Law, James highlights, is the second part of the Great Commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus elevated this OT command from Lev. 19:18 and paired it with loving God. Since King Jesus made this a high calling, James called it the Royal Law.
You remember when someone asked Jesus to define “my neighbor,” Jesus replied with the parable of the Good Samaritan. Samaritans were the enemy of the Jews. The conclusion Jesus makes is that a follower of Christ is to love the most unlikely of people, the outcast, the reject.
With respect to partiality then, James is saying that to love some people in the church, but not others, is to break the Royal Law. He said, “But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” He goes on to explain that breaking one law is as good as breaking all of them. In other words, you can’t get away with serving on a worship team, tithing, and giving money to missions, knowing the Bible backwards and forwards, praying three times a day, and yet ignoring a brother or sister in the church just because they are awkward socially, or of a different class economically, or just don’t fit your “likes.”
If the Samaritan is any indication, loving like Jesus asks of us to break barriers of all kinds in making friends.
The Challenge: Be Consistent in your Mercy (2:12-13)
James concludes with a challenge to do better in respecting every person who belongs to the body of Christ, rich or poor. He said, “So speak and act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.” He told us in 1:25 that as we look into the law, the Word of God, we will see our flaws and make corrections. Now we have looked into the law and perhaps we have seen ourselves in this issue of partiality. And the law of Christ demands that we speak and act without partiality in the church because the community of faith ought to be different than the world.
The second part of the challenge is to show mercy. “For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” What does mercy have to do with the problem of partiality? Thinking back to 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, we weren’t much when Christ called us to follow him. But he showed us mercy when we did not deserve mercy. Being a friend to the undeserving (in our estimation) is a merciful thing, because Christ showed mercy to us. While we were his enemies, Christ died for us… In being a friend to such a one, we may find a better friend than we have ever had.
Mercy triumphs. You have heard the story of Jean Valjean, I’m sure (Les Misérables). Set in early 19th century France, Valjean was a French peasant who went to prison for stealing bread for his sister’s starving child. He was in prison for almost 20 years. When he was released from prison, he arrives at the town of Digne, but no one is willing to give him shelter since he is a convict. Desperate, Valjean knocks on the door of M. Myriel, the kindly bishop of Digne. Myriel treats Valjean with kindness, and Valjean repays the bishop by stealing his silver candlesticks. When the police arrest Valjean, Myriel covers for him saying that the candlesticks were a gift. Then the bishop says, “You silly man, you forgot the silverware,” and he gives Valjean the items. The authorities release Valjean and Myriel makes him promise to become an honest man. Jean Valjean is so moved by the mercy he is shown that he becomes a changed man.
Friendship is a mercy. We have received mercy and we demonstrate that we have understood mercy when we show it to others. Mercy triumphs over judgment because God showed us mercy when he could have shown partiality.
Do not make shallow estimations of anyone.
Do not judge by appearances.
Do not consider race or color.
Do not give the wealthy more than their due.
Make friends of all ages.
Show mercy and receive mercy. As the people of God, the church of Christ, welcome everyone into our fellowship.
AMEN
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