THE PERFECT MAN AND SERVICE
Introduction: The practice of cliquishness is destroying the individual Christian and in turn,
his church. Somehow the Christian church has borrowed the "clique concept" from the world
and it is eating her alive. When people associate only in a small and exclusive coterie, they
alienate and severely damage others who are not part of that set.
The purpose of this lesson is to change cliquishness to that of Christian concern in
the welfare of others. Cliques must be unveiled so that each class member knows exactly
what it is --- a disease! (Roy R. Roberts pg.48)
I. The Problem of Prejudice
Society has its problems with prejudice, And, God help us, prejudice permeates
even the Christian church. ( R. R. R.)
Respect of persons is the N. T. phrase for undo and unfair partiality; respect of persons
means truckling or pandering or paying special attention to someone, because he is a
rich or influential or powerful or popular person. (William Barclay pg 73)
Almost every church has its cliques, and often, new Christians find it difficult
to get in. (W. W. pg 64)
Definition: 4382 respect to persons
The fault of one who when called on to give judgement has respect of the outward
circumstances of man and not to their intrinsic merits, and so prefers, , as the more
worthy, one who is rich, high born, and so powerful, to another man who does not
have these qualities
The Mature Christian ( The Perfect Man)
1. Receives the WORD
a. Swift to Hear (Hear * in NT = 566X ; Hear in NT = 130x)
Romans 10:17 Faith cometh by hearing
Eccl. 5: 1-7 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of
death than the day of one's birth.
2It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of
feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
3Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is
made better. 4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart
of fools is in the house of mirth. 5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than
for a man to hear the song of fools. 6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so
is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
7Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
Mt. 13:9 Ears to hear; what the Spirit says to you during your trial.
Remember definition of Temptation --- adversity, affliction, trouble:
Sent by God and serving to test or prove one's character, faith, or holiness.)
b. Slow to Speak (Speak* in NT = 200x; Speak in NT = 150x)
Prov 10:19 Prov 13:3 Prov. 17:27-28 Prov 18:21 ---
The Christian should not be swift to speak and complain when trials come.
When you Speak: Titus 2:1 Speak sound doctrine
1Tim 2:7 Speak the truth (Eph 4:25)
c. 1 Tim Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth
in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.
Ephesians Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour:
for we are members one of another.
. Slow to Wrath --- Don't Fly Off the Handle
Wrath is a work of the Flesh --- Gal 5:19-20
Wrath is by nature --- Eph 2:3
Put off wrath because it worketh not the righteousness of God Eph 4:31
Pray without wrath --- 1Tim 2:8
God can not work in your life if you react with wrath--- Remember James 1:4
let patience have her perfect work
Wisdom from above is gentle James 3:17--- James 1:5 ask of God
d. The Mature Christian Has a Teachable Spirit (v21)
Casting off darkness --- Rom 13:12
Putting off former things --- Eph 4:22 (Filthiness of the flesh)
Superfluity (Defined)
Receive the WORD---Too often we have the wrong attitude toward the
Word as well as toward those who teach it, thus showing our own failure to deny self.
Lehman Straus pg 61
The sad condition of the church is the tragedy of its castaways, men and
women who are failing in the matter of self-discipline. Many Christians
are in real peril of failing to fulfil the purpose in their high calling and
thereby stand in jeopardy of being disapproved when our Lord will reward
His faithful servants. Those who stand the test in that day will be the
and women whose lives brought forth the sweet, pure fruit of the
engrafted WORD.
2. The Mature Christian Practices the Word
a. Be ye doers--- Many there are in our churches who read the Bible, respect the Bible,
and even reverence the Bible, but do act upon its teachings
-Not every one that saith--- Mt 7:21-27
-Lord? Lord? --- Luke 6:46
-A Blessing to Keep --- Luke 11:28 (Happy - John 13:17)
-Doers are justified--- Romans 2:13
The Bible is the directory of a disciplined and devout life, thus the main business
of our lives should be the doing of the Word.
b. Some will not hear --- Jer. 44:16
Chuck Swindoll--- It's your responsibility to respond to the truth/
c. Some will not do --- Eze 33:31 Jer 6:16
d. The Word is for Examination and Correction
-Gaze instead of Glance --- Look in the mirror
Don't forget what you see--If you will look close, you won't forget.
-Improve your spiritual appearance --- If you know there's a flaw,
and you do not admit it and work to remedy it, you are deceiving
your own self. James 4:17
e. Be Free --- Gal 5:1
Liberty in the Spirit --- IICor 3:17
Liberty in the perfect law--- William Barclay pg 71
So long as a man has to obey his own passions and emotions
and desires, he is nothing less than a slave. It is when a man
accepts the will of God that he becomes really free--for then he
is free to be good, and free to do what he ought to be. His
service is perfect freedom, and in doing His will is our peace.
3. Playing Church
Lehman Strauss pg 63
Satan sows tares among the wheat and mixes the sheep with
the goats so that there are counterfeits among the real. Such
counterfeits have creep into many local churches today. They
sit with the brethren, and listen to God's Word, but they have
never received the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour.
a. A man has but a seeming religion if he has a
lying tongue ---
The Devil is a liar--- John 8:44
No man can be called a saved liar.
b. The gossiper has only a seeming religion.--- Set a watch, O Lord,
before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. Ps 141:3
4. Pure Religion in the Perfect (Mature) Man
a. Self-Control--- A bridled tongue (More to come in Chap 3)
b. Love for Others--- "visit" suggests to care for or look after
Help your brother. Sacrificial Service --- your brother's keeper
Visit:
By Praying for one another.
By supporting the holy endeavors of others.
By giving financially to those who are in need.
c. A Clean Life --- 1Tim 5:22 ... keep thyself pure.
A. INCONGRUOUS with Faith
My Brethren, pay no servile regard to people--show no prejudice, no partiality.
Do not [attempt to] hold and pratice the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ [the Lord]
of glory together with--snobbery!
Leviticus 19:15 "Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment; thou shalt not
respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty; but in
righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour."
B. INCOMPATIBLE with Glory
1."the Lord of Glory" ---the familiar Jewish conception of the Shekinah
is what James is referring to --- It denotes the visible glory of the Lord's
indwelling in men.
2. Therefore, to express "an attitude of personal favoritism" would be
incompatible to the glorious Lord who dwells in the hearts of HIs people.
C. INCONSISTENT with One's Testimony
It is inconsistent to profess Christ and at the same time show prejudice.
1. Christ became poor for us:
II Corinthians 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that
ye through his poverty might be rich.
2. Jesus Christ did not have respect of persons.
Matthew 22:16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians,
saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in
truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.
II. THE PERIL OF PARTIALITY
A. The APPEARANCES
1. "for if there come"--- The idea is maybe he will or maybe he won't.
This implies that the rich did not frequent the Christian meetings of worship
too often. But if and when he did, he would be dressed in the most
extravagant of clothing. (Luke 16:19 --- rich man wore purple and
fine linen)
The more ostentatious of the ancients wore rings on every finger
except the middle finger, and wore far more than one on each
finger. They even hired rings to wear when they wished to give
an impression of special wealth. (William Barclay pg 75)
In its early days, the Church was predominantly poor and humble;
and therefore if a rich man was converted, and did come to the
Christian fellowship, there must have been a very real temptation to
make a fuss of him, and to treat him as a special trophy for Christ. (W.B.)
2. "and there come in" --- Sounds like the norm, in fact, according to
Dr. James L. Boyer: "the vast majority of the converts to the Christian
faith in the early church period were from the common or lower classes
of people".
"in vile raiment"---He is poor. The very opposite of the rich man. He would
be a typical Christian of the first century world, probably a man of meager
means and, perhaps, no means at all. ( R. R. R.)
a. By the way: How would Lazarus the beggar be accepted in your
church? He wore rags and sported sores on his body--- "full of sores"
b. And what of Saul of Tarsus? Acts 9:10---The church was afraid of him.
It took one Barnabas---The son of consolation--a Levite to bring him in to others. Acts 9:26 -27
(1) How where you perceived when you accepted the Lord?
(2) I was a "no good" when my pastor asked me in the altar
if I wanted to be saved.
He:
--- took me into the church (even though he knew of me)
---visited me at home
---called me and took on errands/to church/on visitation
---told me after service one night (1983) that God wanted
--me to receive the Holy Ghost and make me a teacher
---assigned me to a class (after I received the Holy Ghost)
---allows me to speak to the adults when visiting
(3) How many Sauls has God sent to the local pastor who has been
praying for men to help in the Church and the pastor did not
recognize them for the outward appearance?
Points to Remember:
---Jewels start in the rough.
---It may require some effort on your part to shape.
---When you see a shepherd boy, God may see
a king. 1 Sam 16 If we could see as God sees.
---If you don't use them, you lose them. If God has
called a person to minister, they must minister.
c. Is it any different today? Do the rich frequent our regular services?
I Cor 1:26-27 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many
wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise;
and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the
things which are mighty;
B. The ATTITUDE
1. Verse 3 took place about 2000 years ago. Have we changed?
2. How often do we spend time catering to the rich while the poor
man sits humbly by being ignored or avoided?
We cater to the rich because we hope to get something out of them,
and we avoid the poor because they embarrass us. Jesus did not
do this, and He cannot approve of it. (W. W.)
Jude verse 16
These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and
their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons
in admiration because of advantage.
3. A "class church" is not a church that magnifies the grace of God. (W. W.)
C. The APPRAISAL
1. "partial" 1 Timothy 5:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God,
looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Proverbs 25:21 To have respect of persons is not good: for for
a piece of bread thatman will transgress.
2. "evil thoughts"
III. THE POSITION OF THE POOR
Define POOR:
4434 ptochos 30 poor, 2 beggar, poor man 1, beggarly 1
1) Reduced to beggary, begging, asking alms
2) destitute of wealth, influence, position, honor
2a) lowly afflicted, destitute of the Christian virtues and enteral riches
2b) helpless, powerless to accomplish and end
A. The CHOICE of God
1. Hath not God chosen the poor"
a. Christ anointed to preach to the poor. Luke 4:18
Where was your greatest anointing? In a coliseum?
At a great assembly of the rich and famous?
One of my most memorable anointing came among the poor.
It was at the Morehead Treatment Center (MTC) among
a group of teenage girls one step from the penitentiary
at Pee Wee Valley.
b. A sign of his Messiahship to John the Baptist. Mat. 11:3
c. Give to the poor for treasure in Heaven. Mat. 19:21
d. A poor widow gave Christ the opportunity to call a meeting
of the disciples for a teaching moment. Mark 12:42
e. Called to feast. Luke 14:12 ---24
2. "God," said Abraham Lincoln, "must love the common people because
He made so many of them."
3. It is not that Christ and the Church do not want the great and the rich and
the wise and the mighty. But it was the simple fact that the gospel
offered so much to the poor, and demanded so much from the rich,
that it was the poor who were swept into the Church. (W. B. pg 78)
4. The Jews had come in many cases to look on earthly prosperity as a mark of divine
favor and poverty as a sign of God's disfavor. "But ye have despised the poor
B. The COURTS Used for Oppression
1. "oppress you"
2. "draw you before the judgement seat" --- No doubt this was for debt.
Moneylenders were plentiful and extortionate. In the ancient world there
was a custom of summary arrest. If a creditor met a debtor on the
street, he could seize him by the neck of his robe, nearly throttling him and
literally drag him to the law courts. There was no sympathy; all they wanted
was the uttermost farthing, It is not riches that James is condemning. It
is the conduct of riches without sympathy. (W. B. Pg78-79)
.
4. The Jews had come in many cases to look on earthly prosperity as a mark of divine
favor and poverty as a sign of God's disfavor.
"But ye have despised the poor"
IV. THE PROPER PATTERN FOR PEOPLE
A. The LAW
1. "the royal law" ---- Some say the golden rule is: He who has the gold
makes the rules, but Jesus says, Love thy neighbor.
Who is my neighbor? Luke 10:29--- Good Samaritan
Neighbor Defined:
4139 plesion {play-see’-on} neighbor 16, near ; 7
1) a neighbore
1a) friend 1b) ay other person , and where two are concerned,
the other (thy fellow man, thy neighbor),
according to the Jews 1c) according to Christ, any other man
irrespective of race or religion with whom we live or whom
we chance to mee
Someone in need within your realm of control.
Royal = of or belonging to a King
a. royal because given by a King
b. royal because obeying makes you a king I Peter 2:9
2. The hinge commandment Matt. 22: 40
There would be no need for the thousands of complex laws if each
citizen truly loved his neighbors.
Fulfilling the Law --- Gal. 5:13-15
B. The LESSON
1. Committing sin --- Church sins are no less serious because they
are committed in the church.
Judgement begins at the house of God. I Peter 4:17
Is it any wonder?
2. Convinced = Convicted by the law
Transgressor = Lawbreaker
1651 elegcho (el-eng’-kho)
1) To confict, refute, confute
1a) gemerally with a suggestion of shame of the person convicted
1b) by conviction to bring to the light, to expose
I John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law; for
sin is the transgression of the law. A man may be moral in his action,
pure in his speech, meticulous in his devotion. But, he may be hard
and self-righteous; he may be rigid and unsympathetic; and, if so, all
the goodness is spoiled by the infecting fault.
(WB pg 81) "A little leaven leaveneth the whole loaf."
V. THE POINT OF THE PRECEPTS
A. The Rabbi's 3 "Biggie" Sins --- Murder, Adultery, and Idolatry
(They were a little slack on Adultery---Jesus writes in the sand.)
These individuals did not commit the "biggie" sins. But, they verbally assault,
hate in their heart, cause divisions in churches, drive away new people from
the congregation and a host of other "little" sins. RRR pg 57
1.Guilty Defined: Above
2 All = each, every, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything
B. Christianity vs. Churchianity
There are no large and small sins. The point of the precept is if one violates
one part of the law, he violates all of it!
We cannot sin lightly and serve faithfully. (WW pg 72)
VI. JUDGED BY THE LAW OF LIBERTY
Liberty = True liberty is living as we should, not as we please.
A. Our words will be judged. Matt 12:34
B. Our deeds will be judged. Col 3:22
C.Our attitudes will be judged. Merciless attitude James 2:13
VII. MERCY--- Kindness or good will toward the miserable and afflicted, joined with a desire
to help them.
A. Judgement without mercy
B. Mercy Rejoiceth--- to glory against, to exult over, to boast one's self to the
injury (of a person or thing)
VIII. FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF A VISITOR --- "there come in also"
A Why do they come?
1. As a sinner--- Seeking spiritual help
2. As a saint--- Seeking Fellowship
a. Neighboring saints
b. Home Church? Changed Location
B. Factors Involved in Building Church Attendance/Acquisition of New Members
1. Location
a. Distance from home
b. Highway accessibility
2. Physical Facility (Church Building, etc.)
a. Parking
b. Comfortable (Heat, Cool, Seating, Etc.)
3. People
a. Pastor - -- Who is the most significant contact for a visitor?
b. Pastor's Wife --- Second only to the pastor in impact
c. Pastor's Family How do the children behave, etc. ?
d. Members
4. Religious belief system compatibility
C. Patterns for Pastors
1. Greeting
2. Hospitality
3. Concern
4. Follow-up
D. Patterns for Members
1. Greeting ---Some are gifted
2. Hospitality --- Different level than pastor
3. Concern and Interest
4. Pure religion; no respect of person; no cliques; no discord
E. Faith is a key doctrine in the Christian life. The sinner is saved by faith (Eph 2:8-9) and the
And the believer must walk with faith (II Cor 5:7). Without faith it is impossible to please
God. (Heb 11:6), and what ever we do apart from sin (Rom 14:23).
F. Does James contradict Paul. This is the passage which is so often used to seek to show that
James and Paul were completely at variance. It is apparently Paul’s stress and emphasis
that a man is saved by faith and by faith alone, and that deeds do not come into the
process at all. The emphasis of Paul is upon grace and faith, and the main emphasis of James
is on action and works. James is arguing against the acceptance of a fact without allowing
the acceptance of a fact without allowing the action to have any influence upon life. James is
actually arguing against the perversion of Pauline Theology. This perversion teaches that current
action have no bearing on eternal outcomes so long as one has believed.
ALSO:
The differences between Paul and James is this: They begin at different times in the Christian Life.
Paul—Begins at the very beginning. Faith is the initial step.
James – Begins with the professing Christian . Faith continues in the Christian walk.
IX. THE PROBLEM OF PIOUS PRETENSE
A. Pious pretense cannot save
1. “What doth it profit” -- What use is it?
2. “Can faith save him?”
B. Pious Pretense Doesn’t Serve
It takes warm clothes and warm food to keep on satisfied, not just warm words.
It takes a work not a word to fill an empty stomach. (RRR pg 64-65)
As believers, we have an obligation to help meet the needs of people, no matter who they may be.
1. First to the household of faith. Gal 6:10
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who
are of the household of faith.
2. To the least of brethren. Matt 25:40
3. It is an expression of love. Gal 5:6
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision;
but faith which worketh by love.
4. Again – Neighbor Pr 3:27-28
Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand
to do it. Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give;
when thou hast it by thee.
X. TYPES OF FAITH
A. Dead faith “being alone”
Dead Defined 3498 nekros (Nek-ros’)
1) properly
1a) one that has breathed his last, lifeless
1b) deceased, departed, one whose soul is in Hades
2) metaph
2a) spiritually dead
2a1) destitute of a life recognizes and is devoted to God.
Because given up to trespasses and sin
People with dead faith substitute words for deeds. They know the correct vocabulary
For prayer and testimony, and can even quote the right verses from the Bible; but
Their walk does not measure up to their talk. They think that their words are as good
as works, and they are wrong. (WW pg 76)
Dead faith is counterfeit faith and lulls the person into a false confidence of eternal
life. Dead faith that causes them to:
B. Demonic Faith
Demons have faith that causes them to:
1. Believe in the existence of God and His so Jesus Christ
2. Believe in eternal judgement and a literal confining hell
Matt 8:29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus,
thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
3. Tremble Defined 5425 phrisso (fris’-so)
1) to bristle, stiffen stand up
2) to shudder, to be struck with extreme fear, to be horrified
A person can be enlightened in his mind and even stirred in his heart
and be lost forever. (WW pg 79)
Demonic Faith is an enlightened mind and stirred emotions.
C. Dynamic Faith – The Good Samaritan had dynamic faith. The mind understands the truth; the
heart desires the truth; and the will acts upon the truth.
Dynamic faith is manifested by the will acting upon the known truth.
Matt 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt
tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
XI. NOT EITHER OR, BUT AND (Not either faith or works, but both faith and works.)
A. In the well-proportioned life there must be THOUGHT and ACTION
The man of thought will sit in his study thinking great thoughts; the man of action will
be out in the world doing great deeds. But that is wrong. The thinker is but half a man,
unless he turns his thoughts into deeds. He will not even inspire men to action unless he
comes down into the battle and shares the arena with them. (WB pg 91)
B. In the well-proportional life there must be PRAYER and EFFFORT.
1. Secluded Saints – prayer and devotion.
2. Soldiers on the Soil – work and motion.
If any normal person thinks a prayer can be a substitute for effort, then his prayers
are merely a way of escape. Prayer and effort must go hand in hand (WB pg 91)
C. In any well-proportioned life there must be FAITH and DEEDS. Faith is bound to overflow
into action; only begins when a man has faith in some great cause or some great principle
which God has presented to him (WB pg 91)
Again . . . “It is alone that justifies, but faith that justifies can never be alone” John Calvin
XII. THE PROOF OF PRODUCTIVITY
A. The Case of Abraham (A Saint for the
1. The Method of his Justification -- By Faith before God – By works before men.
2. The Meaning of his Justification –Faith working together with Works
3. The Motive of Justification -- Following God’s Will
4. The Man Justified
B. The case of Rahab Joshua 2 & 6 Hebrews 11
(A Streetwalker for the Gentiles)
Rahab was a prostitute, a woman, and a Gentile
The logic is: “If she can be saved, anyone can be saved.”
Hebrews 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not,
when she had received the spies with peace.
C. The Case of a Body without the spirit
If the immaterial portion (the spirit), is separated from the immaterial portion (the body),
then death results. If the immaterial portion of faith is separated from the material portion
of works, then the faith is dead.
1344 dikaioo (dik-ah-yo’-o)
1) To render righteous or such be ought to be
2) to show, exhibit, evidence, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes
himself to be considered
3) to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be
XIII. GOD CALLS WORKERS
A. Moses – tending flocks
B. David – caring for the sheep
C. Gideon --- threshing wheat
D. Elisha – plowing oxen
E. Peter and Andrew -- fishing
F. James and John – mending nets
G. Matthew - collecting taxes
H. Paul – persecuting Christians
