A Warning against Favoritism
My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism. Pro 24:23Jas 2:9Deu 16:19Lev 19:15Deu 1:17Pro 28:212Ch 19:7Mat 22:16
Suppose a man comes into your meeting 1wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. Est 3:10Luk 15:22Est 8:2Gen 27:15Mat 11:8-9Zec 3:3-4Isa 64:6 If you lavish attention on the man in fine clothes and say, “Here is a seat of honor,” but say to the poor man, “You must stand” or “Sit at my feet,” 2Co 8:9Jas 2:6Luk 7:44-46Isa 65:5Jud 1:16 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Jhn 7:24Job 34:19Mat 7:1-5Jas 4:11Mal 2:9Psa 58:1Psa 82:2Jas 1:1-27
Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him? Mat 5:3Luk 6:20Rev 2:91Co 1:26-282Co 8:9Luk 12:21Heb 11:261Pe 1:4 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? Pro 17:5Pro 14:311Co 11:22Psa 14:6Jas 5:4Act 13:50Act 16:19-20Act 17:6 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the noble name by which you have been called? 2 Php 2:9-111Ti 1:13Act 11:26Eph 3:15Psa 111:9Rev 13:5-6Act 26:11Act 4:12
If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” 3 you are doing well. Lev 19:18Gal 5:14Mat 22:39Jas 2:12Rom 13:8-9Gal 6:2Lev 19:34Mrk 12:31-33 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. Lev 19:15Jas 2:1-4Jhn 8:91Jn 3:4Jhn 16:8Jhn 8:46Rom 3:201Co 14:24
Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. Gal 3:10Mat 5:18-19Deu 27:26 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” 4 also said, “Do not murder.” 5 If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. Exo 20:13-14Mat 5:21-28Deu 5:17-18Rom 13:9Luk 18:20Mat 19:18Mrk 10:19Psa 130:3-4
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom. Jas 1:25Jas 2:82Pe 1:4-8Php 4:8Col 3:17 For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. Mat 5:7Mat 6:15Pro 21:13Luk 6:37Eph 2:4-7Mat 18:28-35Psa 18:25Mat 7:1-2
Faith and Works
(Galatians 3:1–9)
What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Mat 7:26-27Mat 7:21-23Jas 1:22-25Luk 6:49Tit 1:162Pe 1:5Jas 2:261Co 13:2-3 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. Luk 3:11Mat 25:35-40Isa 58:7Isa 58:10Job 31:16-21Jas 2:5Heb 11:37Mrk 14:7 If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that? Pro 3:27-281Jn 3:16-18Mat 25:42-45Rom 12:92Co 8:8Mat 14:15-16Job 22:7-9Mat 15:32 So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, 6 is dead. Jas 2:262Pe 1:5-9Jas 2:19-20Jas 2:141Co 13:131Ti 1:51Th 1:31Co 13:3
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. Jas 3:13Jas 2:141Ti 1:5Gal 5:6Tit 2:11-14Tit 2:71Th 1:3-10Mat 7:16-17 You believe that God is one. 7 Good for you! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. Luk 4:34Mrk 1:24Mat 8:29Act 16:17Deu 6:4Act 19:15Gal 3:20Isa 44:8
O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless? 8 Jas 2:17Jas 2:26Pro 12:11Rom 1:21Gal 6:3Psa 94:8-111Co 15:35-361Ti 1:6 Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? Gen 22:16-18Gen 22:9-12Jhn 8:39Mat 12:37Rom 4:16Act 7:2Isa 51:2Jas 2:18 You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did. 1Th 1:3Heb 11:17-191Jn 2:5Gal 5:61Jn 4:17-18Jas 2:18 And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” 9 and he was called a friend of God. 10 Gen 15:6Isa 41:82Ch 20:7Gal 3:6Rom 4:22-24Exo 33:11Rom 4:3-6Jhn 15:13-15 As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone. Jas 2:15-18Jas 2:21-22Psa 60:12
In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies 11and sent them off on another route? Heb 11:31Jos 6:22-25Jos 2:19-21Jos 2:15Jos 2:4Jos 2:1Jos 6:17Mat 1:5 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. Jas 2:20Jas 2:17Jas 2:14Ecc 12:7Act 7:59-60Job 34:14-15Psa 104:29Luk 23:46