How Bad Is Favoritism Really? Series

But, in the final question that James asks here, he even discusses the fact that it’s these people who are blaspheming or dishonoring the name of Jesus.

(consider teasing this out more)

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So James lays out this foundational argument calling us to avoid the sin of favoritism. In the final verses he gives us a helpful solution by essentially telling us that…

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Love conquers favoritism and fulfills the law (8-13)

He essentially turns the entire argument back on ourselves and sort of challenges us to ask the question, “how would I want to be treated?”

James 2:8 ESV

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.

In chapter 1, James transitioned from the word (hearing and doing it) to the perfect law. Here he seems to revisit the law by referencing the “royal law” - Love your neighbor as yourself.

When Jesus was confronted by his accusers on the way to the cross, they asked him, “what is the greatest commandment?”

Matthew 22:37–40 ESV

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Jesus’ basic argument is that we can fulfill all of the commandments if we simply follow these two commands - love God, love others. And yet how difficult is it for us to do those perfectly. Our love for God is distracted by love for things, power, our own authority. Our love for others is tainted by our selfish ambition.

And yet, love, true agape, unconditional, sacrificial love is the very thing that will conquer favoritism.

James then takes the next couple of verses (9-11) to illustrate how breaking the law in one area makes us guilty of breaking the whole law. His point is that showing favoritism, or not loving others as we love ourselves, is breaking the law. That dishonors God and as we said before, tarnishes the glory of Jesus.

But thanks be to God,

Romans 5:8 ESV

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

God is the one who is showing by example how we should live. He calls us to do the same for others:

1 Peter 4:8 ESV

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

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James concludes this section with a couple of verses that are again both challenging and convicting. Challenging in that some of the specific words are difficult to understand, but the overall point is very plain.

James 2:12–13 ESV

So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Our speech and our actions are not simply one-and-done - but ongoing acts of love. James urges us to keep on speaking and keep on acting as people who will be judged under the law of liberty or as some translations say - the “law that gives freedom.” We can’t just speak one way to one group of people and another way to others.