Greater Than One, Part 1 – February 20, 2022

Greater Than One, Part 1 – February 20, 2022

Greater Than One, Part 1 – February 20, 2022
Intro: Addition through subtraction
James 2:1 (NIV2011) 

1 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 

Christians must not show favoritism
Impartiality lends credibility to your witness
James 2:3-4 (NIV2011)
3  If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,”
4  have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
Example: Basketball game
Application: Politics
Impartiality is Christlike
James 2:8-9 (NIV2011)
8  If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9  But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
John 15:12 (NIV2011)
12  My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
Impartiality is Christlike
Impartial Christians love like Jesus 
Application: Transactional relationships
Application: There’s Hope for the Hungry
James 2:12-13 (NIV2011)
12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Impartiality is Christlike
Impartial Christians love like Jesus 
Impartial Christians show mercy like Jesus
Romans 3:10-12 (NIV2011)
10  As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;
11  there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.
12  All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
Romans 3:22-24 (NIV2011)
22  This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24  and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.