“Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.

And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

Exhortation is to “strongly encourage or urge someone to do something”

James 2:1-12
2 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 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?

5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the 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 are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

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.10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” 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,

Ephesians 2:14–15:

“For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility... to create in Himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace.”

James 2:1 (NLT)
“How can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?”

James 2:4
“have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”

Leviticus 19:15
“Do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.”

Tim Keller:
“The early church was marked not by social respectability but by a radical inclusion of the outsider.”

James 2:4
“have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”

Faults in our Thinking:
1. We Focus on Outward Appearance

Faults in our Thinking:
1. We Focus on Outward Appearance
2. We Misunderstand Who’s Truly Blessed
3. We’re Thinking About What People Can Do for Us

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

James 2:8
“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right.”

Galatians 5:14
“The entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Romans 15:7
“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”