A Warning against Favoritism

1MY brethren, hold not the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus shewing a respect for persons. 2For if there come into your congregation a man with a gold ring, and in splendid apparel, and there come in also a poor man in a sordid garb; 3and ye fix your eyes upon him who bears the splendid robe, and say to him, Sit thou here in an honourable place; and ye say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: 4are you not thus partial among yourselves, and form your decision from bad reasonings? 5Hear me, my beloved brethren. Hath not God elected the poor of this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which God hath promised to those who love him; 6but ye have put contempt on the poor man? Do not the rich men tyrannize over you? and they drag you to the tribunals. 7Do they not blaspheme that honourable name by which ye are called?

8If indeed ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: 9but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10For whosoever shall keep the whole law, but offendeth in a single particular, he is chargeable with the breach of all. 11For he that said, Thou shalt not commit adultery, said also, Thou shalt not commit murder. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, yet dost commit murder, thou art a transgressor of the law. 12So speak, and so act, as those who shall be judged by the law of liberty. 13For judgment without mercy shall be on him who shewed no mercy, and mercy glorieth against judgment.

Faith and Works
(Galatians 3:1–9)

14What is the advantage, my brethren, if a man profess to have faith, but hath not works; can faith save him? 15Now if a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16and should one of you say to them, Go in peace, be warm, be replenished with food: yet if ye give them not the necessaries for their body; what doth it avail? 17So also faith, if it hath not works, is dead itself.

18Perhaps a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith by thy works, and I will shew thee by my works my faith. 19Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe and tremble. 20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21Was not our father Abraham justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? 22Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith consummated. 23And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, ?Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness;? and he was called ?the friend of God.? 24Observe therefore that by works a man is justified, and not by faith merely. 25But was not Rahab the harlot in like manner justified by works, when she entertained the messengers, and sent them away by a different road? 26For as the body without breath is dead, so faith without works is dead also.