Introduction
In this session, we examine the danger of favoritism in a minority church amid a majority of unbelievers (James 2:1-13). The solution is applying faith that works, not faith alone or works alone. This session emphasizes the dangers of one of the three gates of evil and hell, which is racism; the other two gates are witchcraft and negative religion.
Objectives
By the end of this session, the learner will have:
- Understood the place of faith that works in the church, rather than faith alone or works alone.
- Challenged to check if you have active faith or passive faith by examining the biblical examples of Abraham and Rahab
- Appreciated God’s solution to discrimination in the church.
Outline
- Favor versus favoritism
- Judging others based on external standards
- Dangers and solutions for favoritism
Group Study Time
James 2: 1-13
Connecting
- Gather with two or more people for a community discovery bible study session.
- Start with a heartfelt prayer, inviting God to guide and bless your understanding.
- Explore the passage by reading it at least twice, using different Bible versions if available, then retell the story together as a group.
- Reflect and share the challenges and blessings you experienced from the previous study.
Comprehending
- Read 1 Samuel 16:7, Galatians 3:27-29, Matt 7:1-2. What does God say about judging believers based on external and internal standards or parameters? Why is it evil to judge a believer by external things such as age, sex, gender, education standards, economic standards, skin color, income, etc.?
- Read James 2: 1, 2-13: What is racism, or discrimination, favoritism, partiality, prejudice?
- Read James 2: 2-7. What do these verses say about favoritism among the poor and the rich in the church? Why does the church engage in favoritism? How does the church show favoritism? What are the forms of favoritism in the Church?
- Read James 2: 8-13. What are the dangers of favoritism? What is God’s solution to racism, favoritism, or discrimination in the Church?
Committing
- Engage with the Bible—read, study, memorize, meditate, pray, listen, and live it out.
- List three lessons you have learnt as an agent of change that you would like to put into practice and teach others about.
- Take time and worship Jesus with the attributes revealed about Christ.
- Use the SPACEPETS model, to assist you in putting God’s word into practice. Look for:
- Sin to confess
- Promise to claim
- Attitude to change
- Command to keep
- Error to change
- Prayer to make
- Example to copy
- Truth to obey and
- Something praiseworthy
Communicating
- Identify one person you can connect with and share the valuable insights and lessons you gained from this session.
- Reach out to a new believer—either in person or by phone—and pray with them to support them through their challenges, including any concerns about attending church.
- Create a new group and guide others through this study to help them grow in their understanding.
Post Lesson Teaching Summary
Great job completing the study! Take a moment to listen to this summary to reinforce your group’s understanding of the text and ensure you’re all on the same page. We’re here to support your learning journey!
Dangers of favoritism, change the lens of favoritism
James 2: 1-13
Audio Summary
James 2:1-13
Context
- James, Jesus’ half-brother and pastor of the Jerusalem church, writes to dispersed Jewish believers facing persecution, guiding them as missionaries to remain influential among unbelievers without conforming.
- Chapter 2 focuses on fair treatment of all people, warning against favoritism based on wealth or status, as it contradicts faith in Jesus and the royal law of love.
Fair Treatment Without Favoritism (James 2:1-13)
- Believers Must Not Show Favoritism: As followers of Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism—treat all equally, without discrimination based on appearance or wealth.
- Example of Favoritism in the Assembly: If a rich man in fine clothes and gold ring enters the meeting, and a poor man in filthy clothes also enters, do not give the rich special attention (good seat) while making the poor stand or sit on the floor—such judgment based on externals makes one an evil-motivated judge.
- God’s Perspective on Rich and Poor: God chose the poor (despised by the world) to be rich in faith and inherit the kingdom promised to those who love Him; do not dishonor the poor, as the rich often exploit believers, drag them to court, and slander Jesus’ name.
- Royal Law of Love: Favoring the rich over poor breaks the royal law: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (from Scripture)—keeping this leads to well-doing, but favoritism is sin, convicting one as a lawbreaker.
- Breaking One Law Breaks All: Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles in one point (e.g., favoritism) is guilty of breaking all; the same God who said “Do not commit adultery” also said “Do not murder”—violating one violates the law’s unity.
- Judgment and Mercy: Speak and act as those judged by the law of liberty; judgment without mercy comes to the unmerciful, but mercy triumphs over judgment—show mercy to avoid merciless judgment.
- Purpose: Avoid worldly standards of judging people by wealth or status, as favoritism is sin; instead, love all equally to fulfill the royal law and receive mercy.
Application
- Treat rich and poor alike without favoritism, honoring God’s choice of the poor; fulfill the royal law by loving neighbors as self, showing mercy to triumph over judgment and avoid being convicted as lawbreakers.