Favoritism

Sometimes we put sins into categories without even thinking:

• Really Bad Sins
• Bad Sins
• Not-So-Bad sins

Sure, I’m a sinner, but none of mine are the really bad ones. I would never commit those, like murder or adultery.

My sins are smaller stuff like sometimes thinking bad thoughts, losing my temper, spreading a little gossip, or being impatient and irritable. Everybody does that stuff, so it’s ok, right?

Sound familiar?

The Christians James were writing to apparently made the same argument, “Sure, we may show favoritism, but at least we’re not murderers or adulterers.”

James didn’t like their reasoning.

“but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” James 2:9–13

Do you see his point?

A sin, by its very nature, is a transgression against God’s will.

For us to try to make some sins not as bad as others betrays a misunderstanding of sin. That was part of Jesus’ point in Matthew 5. Essentially, here’s what he said:

“You know the Law says it’s wrong to murder, but I’m telling you to deal with the anger that leads to murder.”

“You know adultery is wrong, but I’m telling you to clean up your dirty minds.”

In James’ context, favoritism / discrimination / prejudice, or not loving your neighbor, violates the very essence of what God wants in our relationships with one another. In one sense, if we treat one another poorly, we have committed the same sin that leads to murder: disregarding our mutual status as human beings created in God’s image.

So what about us?

It applies to how we treat people. If I disregard someone because for some reason I think he’s less of a man than I am, I have missed the Bible’s whole point about loving people and I have become guilty of breaking all of it.

We would never murder anyone, but would we murder someone;s reputation through gossip?

We would never attack others physically, but would we ignore them, snub them, or mock them?

The gospel calls us to recognize everyone’s equal value before God.

As sinners we are all in the same boat – we deserve the death sentence.

By God’s grace he stepped in and rescued us. Recognizing that ought to remind us to extend mercy and grace to everyone around us.

God did it for us.  Shouldn’t we do the same for others?