Favoritism (Book of James Bible Study Series)

Image Credit:  Steve Halama - Public Domain Image - via Freely Photos

 *The following are my Bible study notes from my pastor's sermon titled "Favoritism" from his Bible Study on the Book of James Series.

We are continuing our Bible study on the book of James.  Today’s topic is “Favoritism.”  Today’s scripture passage is James 2:1-13.

Favoritism

My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes,  and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,”  have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?  Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?  But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? ⁷ Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?

If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.  But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. – James 1:1-13

Favoritism is a shared struggle.   No one is exempt.  We all face this challenge.

We label people by the things we value.  We label people by appearance.  We label according to age, achievements, affluence, ancestry, etc.

Favoritism is a serious sin.

To show partiality is not good, because for a piece of bread a man will transgress. – Proverbs 28:21

For there is no partiality with God. – Romans 2:11 

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7 

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. – 2 Corinthians 8:9

 Favoritism stops when we see:

• our need for God’s mercy.
• others through the eyes of Jesus.

We need to see and treat others as Jesus would.

Net-worth does not equal self-worth.

Faith and favoritism are not compatible.

You'll find all my posts about this study on the book of James here. 

Colors for the Tabernacle (Bible Study by Beth Moore)

Image Credit:  DWilliams - CCO Public Domain Image - via Pixabay

This week in our Beth Moore Bible study, we’ve studied about the freewill offerings and the meanings of the offerings of gold, silver, bronze, and other precious stones.  Today, we studied about the significance of the colors used in the tabernacle.  God commanded that specific colors be used in the building of the tabernacle.  Those colors were blue, purple, and scarlet.

Colors of the Tabernacle

In Biblical times, colors were significant.  The color purple signified royalty and wealth.  In the book of Judges, we learn that the kings of Midian were adorned in purple.  The rich man in Luke 16 was dressed in purple.  Only the wealthiest families could afford purple linens in Biblical times.  At the crucifixion, in a fit of mockery, they dressed Jesus in purple.

The color scarlet represented bloodshed and pain.  Scarlet represents sin.  Beth shares with us the significance of fine linens in ancient times.  Fine linens were worn by royalty and those in leadership positions.  In the tomb, Jesus was wrapped in fine linens.

In 1 Samuel, we read the story referred to as “the great exchange” between Jonathan and David. David, a shepherd boy, was dressed in what was likely old, stinky, dirty clothes.  Jonathan, a king’s son, was dressed in fine royal robes.  He gifted David with his robe.  He removed David’s dirty clothing from him and placed his royal robe on David.  Why is this story significant?  Because it represents what Christ did for us.

Wallowing in our sin nature, our spiritual robes are stained and dirty.  However, Jesus, clothed in scarlet (bloodshed, sacrifice), if we receive Him as our Savior, removes our dirty spiritual clothes, and replaces them with robes of righteousness.  We cease being dirty slaves to sin and we become sons and daughters of the King.  What a beautiful picture of salvation!

To complete the complete, in-depth, study of A Woman’s Heart:  God’s Dwelling Place by Beth Moore, get your copy here.

 Read all posts in this series here.

If you need the entire leader kit which includes the videos, you can get that here.

This item is available here.