Do Not Show Favoritism as Followers of Jesus

Sep 27, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Gold Rings and Filthy Clothes: Seeing Beyond Appearances

James paints a vivid scene: a wealthy man in fine clothes and a poor man in rags enter the gathering. The temptation to elevate the impressive and ignore the broken reveals our divided hearts. Favoritism isn’t just poor manners—it’s a spiritual failure to see others as God does. Every person bears His image, whether polished or ragged. To judge by externals is to adopt the world’s shallow metrics, not Christ’s cross-shaped love. Revival begins when we repent of valuing what God does not. [30:30]

“My brothers and sisters, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. For if someone comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor person dressed in filthy clothes also comes in, and if you give special attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say, ‘Sit here in a good place,’ and yet you say to the poor person, ‘Stand over there,’ or ‘Sit here on the floor by my footstool,’ haven’t you made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2:1–4, CSB)

Reflection: When did you last avoid someone because their appearance or status made you uncomfortable? How might you actively honor them as an image-bearer this week?

Day 2: The Lord Sees the Heart: Resisting Earthly Judgments

Samuel learned a hard lesson: God prioritizes the unseen heart over outward impressiveness. Humans fixate on resumes, wardrobes, and social clout, but Christ’s kingdom inverts these values. Favoritism isn’t merely a social faux pas—it’s rebellion against God’s authority to define worth. Every time we categorize people as “insignificant,” we reject His vision for unity. True holiness means surrendering our flawed assessments to the One who sees eternally. [44:01]

“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or his stature because I have rejected him. Humans do not see what the Lord sees, for humans see what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.’” (1 Samuel 16:7, CSB)

Reflection: What “visible” traits (wealth, style, charisma) most distract you from seeing others’ hearts? How can you practice looking for God’s fingerprints in those you’re tempted to overlook?

Day 3: No Partiality in the God of Gods

Moses declared God’s nature: He cannot be bribed, shows no favoritism, and champions the marginalized. His justice isn’t swayed by power or prestige. When we show partiality, we contradict His character and alienate those He loves. The God who clothes the alien and feeds the fatherless calls us to dismantle hierarchies in our circles. To mirror His heart, we must confront our preference for comfort over costly love. [40:13]

“For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God, showing no partiality and taking no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the resident alien, giving him food and clothing.” (Deuteronomy 10:17–18, CSB)

Reflection: Where do you unconsciously create “insider” and “outsider” categories in your relationships? What practical step could disrupt those divisions today?

Day 4: Holding Faith in Glory, Rejecting Favoritism

James ties favoritism directly to our grasp of Christ’s glory. If we truly cherish Jesus as Lord, we cannot simultaneously cling to human hierarchies. Partiality exposes a divided allegiance—a heart that worships societal approval alongside the Savior. Every act of exclusion betrays a failure to let the gospel redefine our values. To hold faith in His glory is to see every soul as equally desperate for grace. [38:46]

“My brothers and sisters, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.” (James 2:1, CSB)

Reflection: How does your treatment of the “unimpressive” reveal your true view of Christ’s lordship? What would undivided allegiance to His glory look like in your workplace or home?

Day 5: Holiness in the Shadow of Impartial Judgment

Peter links holiness to God’s impartial judgment. To live reverently as “strangers” here means rejecting the world’s obsession with status. We cannot claim to fear God while courting human favor. Holiness isn’t abstract—it’s practical love that refuses to rank souls. When we invite the overlooked to the table, we rehearse the kingdom where the last are first. Revival flourishes where partiality dies. [42:24]

“But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; for it is written, ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’ If you appeal to the Father who judges impartially according to each one’s work, you are to conduct yourselves in reverence during your time living as strangers.” (1 Peter 1:15–17, CSB)

Reflection: What social or cultural “ladders” do you still climb? How can you actively descend them to embrace Christ’s call to holy impartiality?

Sermon Summary

James opens chapter two with a plain command to the church: “Do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.” James chapter one has already called believers to count trials as joy, ask God for wisdom, prepare for temptation, receive the Word, obey the Word, control the tongue, and care for widows and orphans. James chapter two now presses that same obedient faith into the way God’s people look at and treat other people.

God shows no partiality and takes no bribes. Deuteronomy declares that the great, mighty, awe inspiring God executes justice for the fatherless and widow and gives food and clothing to the resident alien. First Peter calls God’s children to holiness because the Father judges impartially. First Samuel reminds Samuel, and every believer, that humans see what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.

James gives a picture that hits close to home. A sharp dressed man enters with gold rings and fine clothes, while a poor man enters in filthy clothes, perhaps carrying an aroma that fills the room. Favoritism gives the rich man the good seat and tells the poor man to stand in the corner or sit by the footstool. James calls that making distinctions and becoming judges with evil thoughts.

The contrast between the rich man and the poor man exposes how quickly sinful hearts decide who matters more. Outward appearance, money, clothing, education, melanin level, neighborhood, vehicle, and social standing can become standards that God never gave His church. God sees every human being as an image bearer. The church must see every person as either saved or lost, not as someone worthy of honor or someone to avoid.

Christ’s glorious grace leaves no room for looking down on another person. Salvation does not come because of money, education, good clothes, or a respectable appearance. Christ’s precious blood saves undeserving sinners, and that grace should kill every thought that says, “I am better than them.” The command not to show favoritism is difficult because every believer still battles the sinful nature.

James therefore calls for confession and repentance. God’s people must confess the people they avoided, the judgments they made, and the names they called image bearers of God. Revival cannot come where favoritism remains protected. Christ calls the church to obey His Word, care for the vulnerable, welcome anyone and everyone, and trust Him to save the lost.

Key Takeaways

1. Favoritism contradicts faith in Christ. James joins faith in the glorious Lord Jesus Christ directly to the refusal of favoritism. A believer cannot hold tightly to Christ’s glory while assigning glory to wealth, appearance, or social standing. Partiality is not merely bad manners. Partiality is sin against the impartial God. [38:46]
2. God sees hearts, not outward appearances. First Samuel corrects the human instinct to make quick judgments by what is visible. Clothing, hygiene, height, money, and social respectability may reveal circumstances, but they do not reveal the heart. God’s people must resist treating surface impressions as final verdicts. God sees what human eyes cannot see. [44:01]
3. Every person bears God’s image. The distinction that matters most is not rich or poor, clean or dirty, educated or uneducated. Every person is an image bearer, and every person stands either saved through Christ or lost apart from Him. That truth gives dignity to the person who may be easiest to overlook. That truth also turns ordinary encounters into opportunities for gospel love. [46:14]
4. Grace destroys every claim of superiority. Christ’s blood saves sinners who do not deserve salvation. Money cannot purchase that grace, education cannot earn it, and respectability cannot produce it. The cross therefore tears down the false ladder on which people try to stand above others. Humility grows when grace is remembered honestly. [60:17]
5. Revival requires repentance from partiality. James does not permit God’s people to talk about revival while continuing to avoid or degrade those who do not fit their standards. Confession must name the sin plainly, and repentance must lead to different eyes, different words, and different hospitality. The church must obey God’s Word if it desires God’s renewing work.

## [61:52]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[30:08] - James 2:1-4 Read
[32:56] - James 1 and Obedient Faith
[35:41] - Prayer, Fasting, Trials, and Temptation
[37:28] - The Command Against Favoritism
[38:46] - Faith in the Glorious Lord Jesus
[40:13] - God Shows No Partiality
[44:01] - God Sees the Heart
[45:35] - Image Bearers, Saved or Lost
[48:11] - The Rich Man and the Poor Man
[50:24] - Judging With Evil Thoughts
[54:19] - The Sin of Outward Judgment
[58:41] - Confession and Repentance
[60:17] - Grace Leaves No Room for Pride
[61:52] - Revival Through Obedience

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

James 2:1-4
“My brothers and sisters, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. For if someone comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor person dressed in filthy clothes also comes in, if you look with favor on the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here in a good place,” and yet you say to the poor person, “Stand over there,” or “Sit here on the floor by my footstool,” haven’t you made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” [30:08]

1 Samuel 16:7
“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature because I have rejected him. Humans do not see what the Lord sees, for humans see what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.” [44:01]

Deuteronomy 10:17-18
“For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God, showing no partiality and taking no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the resident alien, giving him food and clothing.” [40:01]

Observation questions

In James 2:1-4, what different treatment is given to the well-dressed visitor and the poor visitor, and what does James call this treatment? [50:02]
According to Deuteronomy 10:17-18, what groups of vulnerable people receive God’s care and justice? [40:52]
What contrast does 1 Samuel 16:7 make between the way people see and the way God sees? [44:01]
What outward measures of a person’s worth were identified as temptations for Christians to use—beyond simply wealth and clothing? [57:01]

Interpretation questions

Why does James connect refusing favoritism directly with holding faith in the glorious Lord Jesus Christ? What does favoritism reveal about what a person may be valuing most? [38:46]
James says that preferential treatment makes people “judges with evil thoughts.” Why is the issue more serious than poor manners or an uncomfortable social mistake? [51:45]
How does God’s care for the fatherless, widow, and resident alien in Deuteronomy help explain what impartiality should look like among God’s people? [40:52]
If God sees the heart while people see what is visible, how should this change the way Christians understand first impressions? [44:19]

Application questions

Think back over the past week. Was there a person you avoided, dismissed, or judged because of appearance, hygiene, income, education, neighborhood, race, or social standing? What would confession and repentance look like in that situation? [59:06]
When a newcomer enters the church or small group, what subtle signals can communicate, “You are welcome here,” or, “You do not really belong here”? What is one practical way the group can grow in sincere hospitality? [51:25]
Are there certain people you find easier to approach because they seem likely to benefit you socially, financially, or professionally? How does the grace of Christ confront that instinct? [55:56]
Christ’s blood saves undeserving sinners; no one earns salvation through money, education, appearance, or respectability. Where does a sense of superiority most often show up in your thoughts or words? [01:00:17]
What labels or quick comments—such as assuming someone is lazy, strange, irresponsible, or not worth the effort—might need to be removed from your speech? How can you speak about image bearers with greater truth and compassion? [59:38]
What would it look like this week to move toward someone who is easy to overlook rather than simply feeling sympathy from a distance? [57:29]

Sermon Clips

46s

#NoFavoritism

“So that person we drove by this past week, you drove by yesterday, you drove by this morning. They're either saved or lost. They're an image bearer of the Lord Jesus Christ. And if they're lost, he wants them to be saved. So as we live for the Lord Jesus, we must practice this practical theological truth. Do not show favoritism. They're image bearers of the Lord, and God wants them to be a child of him. That's his design. That's his prayer. And we need the Lord's wisdom, James one five, to be able to do this. We need the Lord's wisdom and guidance to be able not to show favoritism.”

46s

#SavedOrLost

“Spiritually speaking, for the church, there's only two types. Those who are bought by the precious blood of the lamb and are saved, or those who are lost in our own Satan's team and are headed for hell. That's how we at the church, in the church, as followers of Jesus, should look at every single person. I don't care what their melanin level is. I don't care what their education is. I don't care if they live on this side of the tracks, that side of the tracks. I don't care if they have the latest clothes or the worst clothes. They're either saved or they're lost. And they're image bearers of God almighty.”

66s

#GodSeesTheHeart

“We've decided who is more important by their outward appearance. Remember first Samuel 16 verse seven? Let me read that just one more time just to remind us. First Samuel 16 verse seven, but the Lord said to Samuel, do not look at his appearance or his stature because I have rejected him. Humans do not see what the Lord sees, for humans see what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart. How quickly we do what Samuel did multiple times in the day. try to rewind your last seven days. I know it's hard, but try to rewind your last seven days. How many times did you do what Samuel did in first Samuel sixteen seven? When you saw someone who didn't quite look the way you look, didn't match up to the standard. Right? We're being ungodly then.”

42s

#GraceOverJudgment

“We need to see people differently because we are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have been saved by his precious blood, by his amazing grace. You realize none of us deserve that. I don't care how much money you have or don't have. I don't care how much education you have or don't have. You do not I do not deserve salvation. But the precious grace of Jesus has he given it to me. Wow. I should never look at anybody like I'm better than them.”

54s

#ConfessAndRepent

“It is ungodly. We are sinning against the holy god when we do that. We need each other to help not do that. We need to be accountable to one another. The invitation is to confess and to repent of the people we avoided this past week. You know who they are. I know who I avoided. We all need to be in this altar confessing to holy God. I've avoided such and such, because they didn't look like me. They didn't smell like me. They didn't dress like me. Let's confess and repent of not seeing them as image bearers of the Lord. That's what they are, remember.”

57s

#SeeAsJesusSees

“We see folks through the power of the Holy Spirit, no matter how they're dressed or not dressed at all. Yes. I know that's crazy, but that does happen. We're to see them as Jesus sees them. Whereas, remember now, there's only two types of people, lost or saved. That's only two. As a Christian, that's all we should see, lost or saved. gotta be careful and ask for the Lord's help to not see folks as rich, poor, beautiful, not so beautiful. Right melanin level. Right education. Right vehicle. Right community. These are the folks we want at Berkemont. Right? We must every day ask the Lord to guard our hearts, our minds, and our eyes against this.”

44s

#ImageBearers

“Let's confess and repent of calling them wackos or saying, get a job. Maybe they've tried. I don't know. Maybe they haven't. Is that for me to judge? No. Once again, I gotta battle that sinful nature just like you. Some of you look at me like, yeah, I said that this week. I have said it as well. We're all in the same boat here. I need to confess that before God. That's an image bearer of him. We need to see people differently because we are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

38s

#GodShowsNoPartiality

“Our God, the one we've been singing about this morning, the one you have given to financially to this morning, the one you studied about in Sunday school, he does not show partiality. does not receive bribes. So if he is our God, as that song we just sang, children of God, if we are a child of God, in order to display godliness, in order to be more like God, we cannot show favoritism.”

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