(remember, these are unedited/draft show notes, not a transcript — listening is always better…and if you listen AND follow along below, you’ll see how)
Focus Question:
What is the sin of partiality?
Intro:
Welcome to September! Not that it has anything to do with anything, but September and October are my favorite months of the year and the most beautiful time here in Oregon, so I’m feeling goo-ood! And a shoutout to listener Maisy who sold me a car — I’ve found it to be nicer than expected and appreciate the deal. Thanks for supporting the ministry in this way.
Do you remember the language in the book of Revelation that Jesus uses when he says, “Those who have ears, let them hear”? Today is one of those days.
At the beginning of today’s passage in James 2, you’re going to hear James address his audience about a particular sin…the sin of partiality. And that’s our focus question today…What is the sin of partiality.
But those who have ears, let them hear. When we think about A) the whole Bible, and B) how this is applied and misapplied today, what is something that is often missed? How does this apply to all people?
New Testament segment:
Passage: James 2
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 26
Words: ~592
If we think about the whole Bible, who does God care for? All people. Who is made in the image of God? All people. Who are we supposed to treat with honor and dignity and respect? All people.
In the passage today, James says not to show favoritism. If we said, “Yo, full stop right there,” doesn’t that sound like God’s heart? Yes.
James then goes on to call out people showing favor to the wealthy. So do we therefore conclude that God hates wealth? Or that he favors poor people? No.
Yet in a lot of cultural rhetoric today, you hear language about oppressors and oppressed, you hear rhetoric that we should take from the rich and give to the poor, you hear proposals whose net effect is to punish one group and favor another. But is that God’s heart?
Favortism of any kind is a sin because it does not recognize every person as equal image bearers. As I often do, I’ll close with one additional, crucial thought.
Today Jeremiah begins with a parable.
OLD Testament segment:
Passage: Jeremiah 13-14:18
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 44
Words: ~1304
So God’s desire is to glorify himself…which seems weird to us. Except that unlike us, God deserves all the glory for being the good Creator and Sustainer that he is. But who is getting called out through Jeremiah? Those who have the responsibility to lead.
Wisdom segment:
Passage: Proverbs 15:15-28
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 13
Words: ~206
The bottom line:
It’s important to make a distinction. On one hand, all are equal image bearers. Yet we also hear Jeremiah call out false prophets who preach a false peace. If we back up and look at the Bible as a whole — especially considering that God frequently calls out oppressors — what might we conclude relative to today’s focus question, “What is the sin of partiality?”
Oppressing people is a form of partiality. It fails to seek the conditions of human flourishing consistent with God’s heart, and often it’s leaders and teachers who are called to account for not stewarding what’s been entrusted to them appropriately. But the opposite is wrong to think that wealth or position is inherently bad and to be punitive toward them because that’s partiality in the other direction.
James was speaking to a particular group of people who were snuggling up to — and showing favoritism to — the check writers. But the key verse that we read was the first — don’t show favoritism. We are to love God and love all our neighbors as God loves them.
Love you!
Roger
ForTheHope is a daily audio Bible + apologetics podcast and blog. We’ve got a passion for just keepin’ it real, having conversations like normal people, and living out the love of Jesus better every single day.
Roger Courville, CSP is a globally-recognized expert in digitally-extended communication and connection, an award-winning speaker, award-winning author, and a passionately bad guitarist. Follow him on Twitter -- @RogerCourville and @JoinForTheHope – or his blog: www.forthehope.org.
Sources and resources:
(1) Paul W. Barnett, “2 Corinthians,” in CSB Apologetics Study Bible, ed. Ted Cabal (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), 1460.