James - Part 2 [Notes]

You’re invited to join us for to "James," a five-week series through the five chapters of James. This letter to early Christians is packed with practical truths to help us learn and live our faith every day. Whether it’s standing strong in trials and temptations, using our words to build others up, or serving and sharing with those in need, this series will help equip us for an everyday faith that grows our relationship with God and others.

Takeaway: Our faith in Christ should result in a growing love for people that’s reflected in how we treat them.

1 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.  w 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 (HCSB)

My brothers, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
– James 2:1 (HCSB) [Emphasis added]

Favoritism: an idiom, literally ‘to accept a face’: to make unjust distinctions between people by treating one person better than another; to show favoritism, to be partial, partiality.
– Greek English Lexion of the NT

My brothers, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
– James 2:1 (HCSB) [Emphasis added]

There is no favoritism with God.
– Romans 2:11 (HCSB) [Emphasis added]

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.
– James 2:2 (HCSB) [Emphasis added]

Haven’t you discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
– James 2:4 (HCSB) [Emphasis added]

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.
– James 2:8-9 (HCSB) [Emphasis added]

For judgment is without mercy to the one who hasn’t shown mercy.  Mercy triumphs over judgment.
– James 2:13 (HCSB)

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can his faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it?  In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself.  But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.”  Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works.  You believe that God is one; you do well. The demons also believe—and they shudder.  Foolish man! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless?  Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?  You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was perfected.   So the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness,   and he was called God’s friend. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by a different route?  For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
– James 2:14-26 (HCSB)

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can his faith save him?
– James 2:14 (HCSB) [Emphasis added]

For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are His creation, created  in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.
– Ephesians 2:8-10 (HCSB) [Emphasis added]

By His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of truth so that we would be the firstfruits of His creatures.
– James 1:18 (HCSB) [Emphasis added]

 If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself.
– James 2:15-17 (HCSB)

What exactly a biblical author means by justified depends on the context in which he uses it.
– HCSB Study Bible Notes

For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
– James 2:26 (HCSB) [Emphasis added]

Flimsy faith is dead; so are empty, faithless works. James’ argument is not pro-works or anti-faith, or pro-faith or anti-works. He has simply said that genuine faith is accompanied by good works. Spiritual works are the evidence, not the energizer, of sincere faith.
– J. R. Blue, The Bible Knowledge Commentary

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
– Matthew 5:16 (CSB)

You've Already Won // Graves Into Gardens // Abandoned // Living Hope // Hosanna

You can watch or listen to past messages online!

Your financial gift to support what God is doing at The Ridge makes ministry possible. Thank you for your generosity. We cannot do any of what God has asked us to do here at The Ridge without your faithful and cheerful giving.