Mercy, Not Racial Prejudice

Posted on by Pam Larson

Seven Reasons Why We Should Not Show Partiality

The rest of the text is argument. I see seven reasons that James gives for why we should not show partiality. We don’t have time to deal with all of them. So let me just name them and then close by looking at the last, and the first.

1. Verse 1: Partiality contradicts faith in Jesus Christ as the Lord of glory.

2. Verses 2-4: Partiality reveals a judging heart and behind it evil thinking.

3. Verse 5: Partiality to the rich contradicts God’s heart, because he has chosen many of the poor for himself.

4. Verse 6a: Partiality dishonors people created in the image of God.

5. Verses 6b-7: Partiality to the rich backfires and becomes your downfall.

6. Verse 9-11: Partiality makes you a transgressor of the law of liberty.

7. Verse 13: Partiality is not mercy. But if you don’t show mercy, you will perish.

God is so good to us not merely to tell us what to do, as if he were only an authority, but to tell us why. He has reasons. He wants us not only to submit, but to submit with some understanding. He wants us to see the beauty and the wisdom and the goodness of his commands. So he gives us reasons to do what he says.

Mercy, Not Racial Prejudice

So I close by looking more closely at the last and the first reason. In verse 13 he says, “For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” The meaning here is plain. It’s based on the words of Jesus: “ Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Matthew 5:7). If we don’t show mercy, we have not known Christ. A Christian is a person who has seen and tasted, and lives on, the mercy of Christ. If there is no mercy in our lives—if we show partiality because of riches or race and come to no remorse and no repentance—we don’t know him and we will perish. But if we have tasted his mercy and treasure it, and live in the liberty of his love, then we will show mercy and that mercy will be the evidence of our faith which carries us through the judgment.

Christ’s Glory, Not Man’s

This is why James begins where he does in verse 1 in dealing with partiality—he begins with faith in Christ, the Lord of glory. And this is where we will end. He says in verse 1: “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.

The key emphasis here is on the word “glory.” James chose to accent that Christians trust Christ the Lord of glory. Why? Because the origin of partiality is either craving for human glory (so you show partiality to the rich or the powerful), or fear (so you show partiality to the one you think will make you safer).

But James’ point is: if you know Christ as the Lord of glory—if you trust him as the one who is gloriously strong and gloriously wise and gloriously loving—then you won’t be controlled by this craving for human glory or by this fear that uses partiality to be safe. Christ will be your glory—all the glory you need. And Christ will be your security—all the security you need.

So the issue of partiality—because of riches or race—is a huge issue in your life. Are you partial in your attitudes or actions? Or are you trusting Jesus as the Lord of glory? If you are, then his glory will put you in your place and it make you safe. And from that lowly and safe place will flow love, not partiality. Mercy, not racial prejudice.