May 07, 2025

“ENCOUNTERS WITH GOD”

“PRACTICE THE TRUTH”

JAMES 2:1-13

“What does authentic faith look like?”

James wants to transform his readers from a bunch of naive recruits into the spiritual warriors who set the standard of faithful living in a world of corruption and compromise.

1 Samuel 16:7 “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

James wants to help us practice God’s Word, so he gives us a simple test. He sends two visitors to a church service, a rich man and a poor man; and he watches to see how they are treated. The way we behave toward people indicates what we really believe about God!

1 John 4:20 “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?”

So James Will Examine Four Basic Christian Doctrines In The Light Of The Way We Treat Other People:

*The Principle: James 2:1 “My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.”

The Greek word for “partiality” or personal favoritism is “prosopolempsia” a compound word that communicates the idea of  “receiving face.” What a great way to put it. You see a persons outward appearance his or her “face,” and you receive a image as if it’s a real thing.

Acts 10:34 “Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.”

God judges the truth of a matter by the heart, not the face. And Christians are called to reflect this quality in their own lives.

1.   Jesus Is God (Deity)- James 2:1-4

James 2:1 “My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory…”

*Jesus did not respect persons, even His enemies admitted:

Matthew 22:16 “And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men.”

Our Lord did not look at the outward appearance; He looked on the heart. 

James 2:2-4 “For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” 4have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?”

We are prone to judge people by their past, not their future.

*Jesus Was Despised and Rejected.

Isaiah 53:3 “He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.”

*Yet, He Is The Very Glory of God- vs.1 “the Lord of glory…”

John 7:24 “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

How do we practice Jesus as God in our human relationships? By not showing partiality, by looking at everyone through the eyes of Christ.

2.  The Grace of God- James 2:5-7

The emphasis here is on God’s choosing, and this involves the grace of God.

Ephesians 2:8-10 

God save completely on the basis of the work of Christ on the cross and not because of anything that we are or have.

James 2:5-7

*God ignores national differences- In the sight of God, there is no difference between the Jew and the Gentile.

Acts 10:34 “Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.”

*God also ignores social differences- Masters and slaves, and rich and poor are alike to Him.

Ephesians 6:9 “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.”

From the human point of view, God chooses the poor instead of the rich:

1 Corinthians 1:26-27

James gives a stern warning in verse 6-7 “But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? 7Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?”

3.   The Word of God- James 2:8-11

James now points us to the Word of God!

James 2:8-11 “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; 9but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.”

vs.8 “…You shall love your neighbor as yourself,”

Leviticus 19:18 “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.”

The important question is not, “Who is my neighbor?” But “to whom can I be a neighbor?” Why is “love your neighbor” called the “royal law?”

John 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

Romans 5:5 “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.”

True believers are taught of God to love one another:

1 Thessalonians 4:9 “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 13:10 “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

3.   The Judgment of God- James 2:12-13 

James 2:12-13 “So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. 13For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

Our Words will be judged (Matthew 12:36), our Deeds will be judged (Colossians 3:22-25), and our Attitudes will be judged (James 2:13).

Our beliefs should control our behavior. One of the test of the reality of our faith is how we treat other people. Can you pass the test?