Faith Shows No Favoritism

Written By Nicole Vollrath

RLC Home Group Handout | April 12th, 2026 

“Grace that Works - Show No Favoritism”  | James 2:1-13

Recap

In James 2:1–13, we are confronted with the sin of favoritism and called to examine how easily our hearts are swayed by the outward glory of people rather than the surpassing glory of Christ. James shows us that partiality is not merely poor behavior but a failure to keep faith in the Lord of Glory, because when we elevate status, wealth, appearance, or influence, we are making judgments based on worldly glory instead of God’s values. We are reminded that God has consistently chosen the weak, poor, and overlooked to display his mercy and power, and that true obedience to the royal law means loving our neighbor as ourselves without selfish distinction. As those who live under the law of freedom and mercy, we are called daily to fix our eyes on Jesus so that all lesser glories fade, and by his grace we learn to love people the way he does.

References 

  • Deuteronomy 10:17-19 – God shows no partiality and calls us to do the same..

  • Psalm 19:1 – Creation declares the glory of God.

  • 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 - God has chosen the foolish and weak things of the world to shame the wise.

  • 2 Corinthians 8:9 - Although He was rich, for our sakes Christ became poor.

Discussion Questions

Head

  • Is there anything that stood out or spoke to you in this week’s sermon?

  • What is glory? What is the difference between the glory ascribed to God and the glory we assign to men?

  • What is worse: treating a person of great status well, or treating a person of low status poorly?

Heart

  • What criteria do I tend to use, even subtly, to categorize people and determine how much value, attention, or respect they deserve?

  • What kinds of people are you naturally drawn toward because of what they seem to offer you?

  • What type of people do you tend to overlook, avoid, or quietly judge?

  • Do I see partiality as a sin rivaling adultery or murder? Why or why not?

Hands

  • With God’s help, what practical changes can I make in the way I view and treat others so that I do not show favoritism?

  • How can I make room for the “least of these” in my church, my home and my life?

Nicole Vollrath
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From Mirror to Maturity