James 2 is about whether your claim to belong to Jesus actua

James 2 treats favoritism and “faith without works” as the same sin: a desire for the benefits of belonging to Jesus without the costly reordering of your honor system and budget around the poor. In James’s logic, a faith that won’t risk status or resources isn’t merely immature—it’s a corpse, and it will be judged with the mercilessness it practiced.