Favoritism = Discrimination

“But if you show partiality, you commit sin...”  James 2:9

James 2:1-17    (Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23) Rev. Todd B. Freeman

Bethany Presbyterian Church, Dallas                      September 7, 2003

Last Sunday’s Epistle Lesson came from the first Chapter in the book of James. From the very outset, James emphatically declares that faith consists of not just our religious beliefs, but must also affect the way we live. Verses 22-27 contain instructive and cautionary words of what it means to be a Christian:

But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like.

But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act – they will be blessed in their doing.

If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Throughout the entire book of James, often referred to as the “Proverbs of the New Testament,” the author’s main concern is not so much what webelieve as Christians, but rather what wedo as Christians. He’s moved beyond the issue of salvation to what we call sanctification – the “Now what?” part of being a person of faith; the part where our lives are actually transformed. Head knowledge is one thing, which we as Presbyterians hold in high esteem, but how we demonstrate our faith in Christ is equally, if not more, important!

Today’s Epistle Lesson, from the second chapter of James, wastes no time in illustrating the point he is trying to make. And as we will see in a moment our congregation’s own Mission Statement reflects these goals. James basically asks, How can you hold faith in Christ and behave in a way which discriminates against people?

The answer is: quite easily! It happens all the time. This is why we need this kind of wisdom instruction to bring the obvious connections between religious faith and how we live to the surface, because for many they are not obvious at all.

The concrete illustration of showing more attention and favor to a rich person is straightforward and hardly needs explanation. The point is clear! Any practice that favors the rich over the poor is unacceptable. It becomes evident that even 2000 years ago there was a deep concern that discrimination and social snobbery was invading the church. At one level then, we are meant to reflect upon what happens when people come to visit our church.

If we dig a little deeper we will find a layer beyond our comfortable moral outrage at such discrimination. It is important to do so, because otherwise this passage tends to comfort us by talking about ‘them’, those other people who discriminate. Perhaps you’ve heard the old line that when we point a finger at others, there are three more fingers pointed back at ourselves.

It is James’ intention that we bluntly ask ourselves, Are we ever guilty of showing favoritism – treating some better than others? Especially to those most like ourselves? The answer, of course, is yes.

Verses 8-13 take the author’s analysis one step further; favoritism is also sinful. And this is why. To behave with partiality, showing favor to some people and not to others, is to violate the command to love one’s neighbor. James calls it the “royal law”. There’s not one of us here today who is completely innocent when it comes to playing favorites.

Yet the real problem facing the Christian community of faith, then and now, is not so much showing honor to some people, but rather not showing honor to all people. Yet, we strive to do that here at Bethany. The first of three items listed in our congregation’s Mission Statement, which is printed on the back of the worship bulletin each Sunday, reflects this goal: Demonstrating Christian inclusiveness. It’s our call to non-discrimination!

If the Christian faith, then, is incompatible with favoritism, it is also incompatible with indifference – not caring enough to help. This discussion begins in v. 14 and continues through v. 26, despite the conclusion of today’s reading with v. 17. The passage deserves another reading.

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

In the author’s view, the neglect of doing good works for others arises because of our indifference to human need. The principle revealed here is that faith and works cannot be divorced from each other. The argument is that your and my faith alone does not secure the well-being of those who are in need. Concrete acts are needed, rather than pious benedictions.

To put it perhaps more simply, the work and ministry of the church must deal with issues of social justice. And we are called not just to talk about these issues, but to active engagement in working for social justice for all people. The second of the three items listed in our Mission Statement reflects this goal: Striving for social justice. It’s our call to demonstrate compassion!

If genuine faith, then, leads to faithful action, then faith is much more than our beliefs alone. And on this point, James doesn’t want our agreement - he wants our action. Either we will act or we won’t. This is the straightforward, even abrasive message from today’s text.

So as you encounter people this week, observe your patterns of showing favoritism - especially to those who you’re not partial to. Observe your response to people who are in need of love and compassion.

Treating people as second-class citizens is sinful. The Christian Church throughout it’s history, and to this very day, is certainly guilty of this. The church, however, is to be about belonging. If anyone is intentionally made to feel unwelcome or like they are not really a part of the community then yes, we too have sinned. Again, there’s no problem with treating a friend with respect and honor, we just need to treat the stranger or those who don’t think or act or believe the same way we do, with equal respect and honor – for we are all children of God.

That’s not always easy. We won’t always accomplish that. But again, that’s the ideal and goal that we, as Christians, must strive to meet. Since our faith must be demonstrated in our actions, then may they not be ones of discrimination and indifference.

Amen.