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A Warning against Favoritism

¹ My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism.² Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.³ 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,”⁴ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?⁵ 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?⁶ But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?⁷ Are they not the ones who blaspheme the noble Name by which you have been called^(a)?

⁸ If you really keep the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,&rdquo^(a); you are doing well.⁹ But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.¹⁰ Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.¹¹ For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,&rdquo^(a); also said, “Do not murder.&rdquo^(a); If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.¹² Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom.¹³ For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Faith and Works

(Genesis 15:1-7; Romans 4:1-12; Galatians 3:1-9; Hebrews 11:8-19)

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?¹⁵ Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.¹⁶ 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?¹⁷ So too, faith by itself, if it is not complemented by action, is dead.¹⁸ 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.¹⁹ You believe that God is one^(a). Good for you! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.²⁰ O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless^(a)?²¹ Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?²² You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did.²³ And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,&rdquo^(a); and he was called a friend of God.²⁴ As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone.²⁵ In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the messengers and sent them off on another route?²⁶ As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.