When Church Looks Like Culture
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?
James 2:4-7
The book of James is one of the most helpful and powerful letters in the New Testament. People sometimes call it the “Proverbs of the New Covenant” because, like the book of Proverbs, it gives a lot of wise advice about how to live for God. James teaches that real faith isn’t just about what we believe it’s also about how we behave.
James, who was Jesus’ half-brother and the leader of the church in Jerusalem (see Acts 15), wrote this letter to help believers live out their faith in everyday life. He spoke with a lot of passion and truth, calling out people who said they loved God but didn’t treat others with love.
Faith and Favortism
James’ letter hits like a group chat message you didn’t want but needed to read. He doesn’t sugarcoat; he speaks straight. Written to early Christians scattered around the world, his words are just as relevant in 2025 as they were in AD 50. James 2:4–7 calls out a problem that’s still alive and well, favoritism, treating people differently based on how much money, influence, or power they seem to have. “Have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2:4)
In James’ day, the early church was supposed to be a counterculture of equality, a community where all found common ground in Jesus. But instead of reflecting heaven’s equality, they were recreating society’s hierarchy right inside their worship gatherings. Wealthy visitors got the best seats and special treatment. Poor believers, often wearing simple clothes or struggling to get by, were told to sit on the floor or stand in the back. Sound familiar? Different century, same mindset.
In our world, favoritism may not look like seating charts, but it shows up everywhere; in who we follow, who we notice, who we platform, and who we ignore. James’ warning is still loud and clear when the church starts acting like the culture, it stops looking like Christ. James doesn’t hold back. He says that when believers show favoritism, they’re not just being rude, they’re judging with evil motives. The Greek word he uses for “discriminate” (diakrínō) literally means to make distinctions or draw lines. It’s when we decide someone’s worth based on surface-level standards, money, style, charisma, or clout instead of their value as an image-bearer of God.
And the phrase “judges with evil thoughts” hits even deeper. It’s not just about what people do; it’s about what they think. Our inner motives matter. When we favor certain people because of what we think they can offer us, we’ve already twisted the gospel of grace into a transaction of gain. James is basically saying: “You claim to believe in a God who shows no favoritism , but you’re acting like a society that worships status.” Romans 2:11 reminds us, “For there is no respect of persons with God.” Faith and favoritism can’t coexist. When we elevate people for their power or possessions, we lower our view of God’s power and provision.
Then James drops a truth bomb that flips everything…
“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?” In other words: God’s value system is upside-down from ours or maybe it’s ours that’s upside-down. During the time of ths writing, the “poor” weren’t just people who lacked money. They were people who lacked power, protection, and privilege. Yet God kept showing up for them throughout Scripture:
He lifted the lowly and brought down the proud (Luke 1:52).
Jesus said the kingdom belongs to “the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3).
He told stories where the overlooked were the heroes and the “important” people missed the point.
To be “poor in the eyes of the world” doesn’t mean spiritually superior it means spiritually available. The poor often had nothing to lean on except God, and that dependency built deep, resilient faith. James calls them “rich in faith” a phrase that reminds us that faith is the real currency of the kingdom. You can have a full bank account and an empty soul, or an empty wallet and a faith that moves mountains. God chooses the ones the world overlooks to show that His grace doesn’t run on status; it runs on surrender.
Then James goes straight for the gut…
In that culture, honor and shame were everything. To dishonor someone publicly wasn’t just rude it stripped them of identity and worth. And when the church did that to the poor, they weren’t just breaking social etiquette; they were breaking the heart of God. When we dishonor the poor, the overlooked, or the underrepresented, we’re dishonoring the very people God delights to lift up.
Think about it: Jesus was born poor. He lived without possessions. He spent His time with fishermen, widows, lepers, and outcasts. So when we dismiss or ignore people because they don’t “look” influential, we’re not just showing favoritism, we’re showing forgetfulness. We’ve forgotten who our Savior actually is. As James might say today: “How can you claim to love Jesus while ignoring the people He’d be hanging out with?”
Favoring the Ones Who Exploit You
James takes it further: “Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?” This wasn’t just a metaphor. In James’ time, the wealthy literally had legal power to oppress the poor. They could sue, seize land, and manipulate systems. The early Christians mostly poor laborers were often on the losing end of those power plays.
So James is saying: “Why are you trying to impress the same people who are oppressing you?” It’s biting irony and it’s not outdated. Today, we still chase validation from systems and people that don’t have our best interests at heart. Whether it’s social status, influencer culture, or brand-driven belonging, the temptation to seek approval from the powerful is real.
But James calls that out for what it is, spiritual self-sabotage. You can’t seek acceptance from the world and allegiance to Christ at the same time. When the church starts flattering the powerful, it forgets that the gospel was never meant to be a networking strategy.
The Blasphemy: When Favoritism Defames God’s Name
James finishes his argument with this punch: “Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?” That “noble name” refers to Jesus , the name that defines every believer’s identity. In the first century, being called “Christian” wasn’t cool. It was risky. It could cost you your job, your freedom, or your life.
So imagine this… you belong to the One who was mocked, beaten, and crucified for your sake… and then you turn around and show favoritism to the very kinds of people who mock His name. That’s what James is confronting.
It’s not just hypocrisy, it’s betrayal. When we show favoritism to those who blaspheme the name of Jesus (whether literally or by lifestyle), we dilute our witness. We end up sending mixed messages about whose approval we really seek. Today, this might look like:
Prioritizing popularity over integrity.
Compromising convictions to fit in with people who mock what we believe.
Valuing brand partnerships or social clout more than kingdom impact.
James’ challenge is timeless: “Why would you chase applause from those who mock the One you worship?”
Where Favoritism Hides in Our Generation
You might think, “Okay, I don’t treat people differently based on income. So I’m good, right?” But favoritism today often wears subtler outfits. It hides behind aesthetics, algorithms, and assumptions.
1. Social Media Status
It’s easy to value people based on their follower count or how “put together” their lives look online. We give more attention to those with influence and scroll past those with needs. But the gospel doesn’t care about engagement metrics, it cares about embodied love.
2. Church Cliques
Ever notice how even in church, certain people get the spotlight, the ones who sing well, dress trendy, or seem “cool”? Meanwhile, others sit unseen in the back. But God’s Spirit moves just as powerfully through the quiet, awkward, or unnoticed. The church should be a community of inclusion, not a competition for attention.
3. Economic Inequality
Favoritism still happens when churches cater more to donors than disciples, or when Christians assume financial success equals divine favor. But James flips that script — God doesn’t bless bank accounts; He blesses hearts that trust Him fully.
4. Everyday Interactions
Favoritism sneaks into our choices, who we sit next to, who we listen to, who we defend, and who we ignore. Every moment we choose compassion over comparison, we’re pushing back against that old favoritism reflex.
Faith That Favors No One but God
Here’s the heartbeat of James’ teaching: God doesn’t play favorites and neither should we. The gospel levels the playing field. The cross puts the CEO and the janitor, the influencer and the intern, the rich and the broke on the same ground. Grace is the great equalizer.
So if our faith reflects favoritism, it’s reflecting the wrong kingdom. James’ message is a wake-up call for every generation, especially ours, where image and influence are currency. True faith is not about proximity to power; it’s about proximity to people who need God’s power most.
It’s about reflecting God’s impartial love in a world obsessed with hierarchy.
How We Live This Out: Practical Ways to Push Back Against Partiality
Let’s bring it home. If James were posting this on Instagram, his caption might read: “Don’t play favorites. Love like Jesus. Period.” But what does that actually look like in daily life? Here are a few ways to live out James 2:4–7 in 2025 and beyond:
1. See People as God Sees Them
Ask God to open your eyes to see beyond status and surface. Every person — whether in a designer suit or thrifted hoodie — carries the image of God. Train your heart to notice dignity where others only see difference.
2. Break the Bubble
Favoritism grows in isolation. Spend time with people outside your social comfort zone — those with different backgrounds, incomes, or life experiences. Jesus crossed boundaries daily; so should we.
3. Redefine “Rich”
Being “rich in faith” means measuring your life not by what you own but by Who owns you. Invest in spiritual depth, not just digital display. Chase meaning over materialism.
4. Build Churches That Reflect Heaven
If our churches look segregated by class, race, or culture, we’ve missed James’ point. The kingdom of God is diverse, messy, and magnificent. Create spaces where everyone feels seen and valued.
5. Protect the Poor
Stand up for those who are exploited or ignored. Use your voice, vote, and influence to advocate for fairness. Justice isn’t a side mission; it’s a gospel mandate.
Favor Faith Over Fame
James doesn’t just want to fix behavior; he wants to reshape perspective. His question still echoes: “Have you not discriminated among yourselves?”
If we’re honest, we all have. But grace gives us a second chance to live differently to become people who favor faith over fame, presence over power, character over clout. The kingdom of God doesn’t operate on influence it runs on intimacy with Christ. And in that kingdom, every person has infinite worth because every person bears His name.
So the next time you’re tempted to judge someone by what they have or who they know, remember: Jesus sat with the overlooked, touched the untouchable, and died for the undeserving. Let’s make sure our lives and our churches do the same.
