THE TEST OF LOVE {DISCRIMINATION}
James 2:1-13 Lets read our Text
1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
Question?
Is discrimination a sin?
What does the word mean?
Webster says it this way.
#1 To make distinctions in treatment
#2 To show Partiality
#3 The ability to make or perceive or showing of difference or favoritism in treatment.
IS IT A SIN?
Verse 9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
Some one has said I have a friend only because he has Money,
What Moveites our Friendship?
DISCRIMINATION OCCURS ON ALL LEVELS OF SOCIETY.
Racial, religious, economic, and the list goes on.
STORY.
I once new a man that was very well off but dressed has a poor man for the reason he did not want people to know that he had money, one day he went to buy a car and stop at this dealership to buy a new car, he was dress in his bib overalls. As he was in the cat Lot looking at some a salesman came out and said to him, I don’t think you will be able to buy one of these cars the cost is just two much. The man said I will be paying cash. And the salesman just Laugh at him, It made the man very anger. And said if I had better close on it would not have been funny and just walked away. And went across the street and bought a new car, and made the point to show it to the first salesman and said my friend, next time don’t judge a book by it’s cover. WHAT A MESSAGE THAT CAN BE TO US.
JAMES GIVES US SOME INSTRUCTION ABOUT THIS.
LETS TAKE A LOOK AND SEE WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM HIM AMEN
LETS LOOK IN THE WALLS OF OUR CHURCH.
#1 DISCRIMINATION HAS NO PLACE WITH CHRISTIAN FAITH.
Duet 1:16-17
And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.
17 Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.
Lev.19:15
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.
Prov 24:23
23 These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
Rom 2:11
11 For there is no respect of persons with God
Based on all that, Should we respect anyone more than the other?
#2 DISCRIMINATION IS INSENSITIVE TO THE CHURCH’S CALLING.
Lets consider the word “Insensitive” whats it mean?
It means Incapable of being impressed or in influenced.
#3 THE CHOICES GOD MAKES IS FAR FROM DISCRIMINATION.
1 Cor 1:26-31
26 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;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
#4 DISCRIMINATION IS INDIFFERENT TO THE CHARACTER OF THE LAW.
Luke 10:29-37
29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village
THIS IS TRULY THE ROYAL LAW GIVING BY THE KING
THE SUPREME LAW OF HUMAN RELATIONSHIP.
And when we Obey it we are living according to the scripture.
GOD WILL TEST YOU IN THIS.
AMEN
