Spiritual Partiality in the Church

God has continued to point me to James chapter 2 when asking for guidance for our church. In that chapter James is warning of being partial to certain people in the church based on wealth and appearances. He then goes on to say that if we judge others under the old law (what they do, their works, how they present themselves), we are then judged by the law and become transgressors of it. But when we walk as those being judged under the law of Liberty and give mercy to those who don’t deserve it, and protect ourselves from God's judgement and are fruitful for the kingdom of God.

Recently the Lord pointed out something to me. Partiality in the church isn't just about the physically rich vs. poor. It's also spiritually rich vs. spiritually poor. Being partial toward those who are struggling in their faith walk and seem to be stuck in a rut. And for me, I have had much less patience for people who are not fully walking with the Lord daily. Those who are not steadily coming to church. Those who seem to keep falling to the same sin over and over regardless of being helped, warned, and corrected. Those who are stubborn to change. I have made quick judgements against them in my heart. While I very much do desire them to truly walk with the Lord and learn to walk in repentance, I have not had the mercy and patience that they really need to fully grow and mature in their spiritual walk. The same mercy and patience the Lord and those who have discipled me have given, I have not given; only a short and small amount.

This caused me to only work and focus on those who are eager and follow the word and quickly repent. Especially when people that have wronged me or hurt me, while I have forgiven them, I have no longer had any patience or mercy for them and have failed to still love them. Doing this causes me to be put under God's judgement, not for salvation, but in my ability for growing the kingdom and being used by God.

For our church I believe each of us need to ask the Holy Spirit if we are being partial against those most spiritually needy among us. Those who need more discipleship and more patience and mercy given to them to grow. Jesus had such patience for His disciples. They sometimes seemed to understand, but they kept going back to their old way of thinking. Even after years of spending time with Jesus every day, being personally discipled by God right in front of them, they often had no understanding. When He was arrested and killed, they ran away and had no faith. But because of Christ's perseverance with them, they became some of the most capable and useful for the Kingdom of God after Christ rose again and released the Holy Spirit to empower them.

All I'm asking is that we all pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal who we are neglecting to give mercy to, and ask God to remove any judgements that are causing a barrier for his Mercy to flow through us to them so we can be more fruitful for the kingdom of God. Look at these two diagrams I believe the Lord wants to show us:

If we are not merciful to those around us, it puts us under a stricter judgement from God. When God’s mercy flows through us, it overcomes God’s judgement. Love covers a multitude of sins, yet we often do not realize how little we are loving others, especially those we have been partial to.

God never intended for us to pick and choose who to love. When we get in the way of His judgement, we are judged and they do not receive the love and mercy of God through us. Let us be known by the way we love one another, not the way we only love some.