THE OFFENSE OF RESPECTING PERSONS
James 2: 2-6
A respect of persons is glorying in the flesh rather than God. It is despising what God has chosen. God, who owns all things, chose for his own Son to come in the likeness of sinful flesh through a poor family from a despised place called Nazareth. God, who calls whom he will, chose to call base fisherman and the poor instead of the highly esteemed, mighty and noble men of the earth. God, who is Wisdom, chose for his Son and his vessels of mercy to receive no education or authority from the wise and prudent leaders of the day. God, who could have chosen any means he pleased, chose a cursed, bloody cross to redeem his people. God, who could create children from the rocks, chose to save through the foolishness of preaching through the power of the Holy Spirit. God chose what the carnal religious and wise man esteems as nothing to pollute the pride of man’s wisdom, that no flesh should glory in his presence (Isaiah 23: 9; I Corinthians 1:19, 20, 26-31). The majority whom God chose in Christ before the foundation of the world, he has not given worldly riches or honor, not before calling them or after (1 Corinthians 1:26). But God has made his saints rich in ways the natural eye cannot see: rich in faith, heirs of the kingdom, as a gift by promise to the believer, not by respect of persons.