evil partiality

…have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?  James 2:4

There is a natural tendency in humans to evaluate others unfairly using the standard of self-opinion to make wrong judgments. James warns us that we can reason incorrectly. We can adopt wrong standards. We can judge with an authority that we do not possess. We can hurt others and bring judgment upon ourselves by God when we reason our ways into discriminatory and evil distinctions that devalue people and exalt our own standards of importance.

These words were written to Christians seeking to live under love (James 1:8) in the church. But evil thoughts that create an evil partiality can exist among us. The situation that James confronts shows the evil logic of our unholy judgment of other people.

Here is the evil reasoning of partiality according to James:

• We look at outward appearances only — “gold ring, fine clothing” vs “shabby clothing” (James 1:2).
  
• We assign rank or position based on outward appearances — “you sit here” or “you stand over there” (James 1:3).
  
• We ignore the upside-down nature of the kingdom of heaven that chooses to emphasize humility, neediness, and poverty of spirit (James 1:5).
  
• We feed an oppressive cycle by practicing worldly partiality (James 1:6-7).
  
• We sin against humanity and God with our partiality in full practice (James 1:8-12)
  
• We act as if mercy does not exist in God’s gospel-directed order of things in the church (James 1:13).
  

Lord help us! May we learn to love all people… the poor… the despised… the outcasts… the oppressed… as those redeemed by Christ, repentant of sin, to be made new… spiritually enriched… loved by Christ… brought in as kingdom nobles… beloved… and empowered to be used for God’s glory together with us in Christ!

Amen