Faith Works | Week 11

Introduction: We saw last week that James starts to challenge his readers with regard to how they posses their faith in Jesus. He warns them not to hold it with favoritism or partiality. There is real danger when we begin to apply additional standards to faith than what Jesus did. The Lord of glory as James so carefully calls our attention to, showed no favoritism when he chose to wrap himself in and condensed down to human flesh. He chose to restrain the fact that he was God and lived among his creation and was subject to it just as we are. 

Hebrews 4:14-16 NKJV - (14) Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast [our] confession. (15) For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all [points] tempted as [we are, yet] without sin. (16) Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 

All the while that he was here he fought with those that desired that he would be partial to a particular group of people. They fought and fused for his undivided attention. The only ones that he showed partiality to were the ones that saw themselves as needing a savior. 

Matthew 9:10-13 NKJV - (10) Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, [that] behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. (11) And when the Pharisees saw [it], they said to His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" (12) When Jesus heard [that], He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. (13) "But go and learn what [this] means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

So James wants to make it abundantly clear that Jesus showed no partiality and neither should we. “The way we behave toward people indicates what we really believe about God. We cannot - and dare not - separate human relationships from divine fellowship.” - Wiersbe Immature people talk about their beliefs, but the mature person lives his faith. Hearing God’s Word and talking about God’s Word can never substitute for doing God’s Word. This week we will look at how this danger of partiality is displayed in a gather of people.