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My Daily Thoughts–James 2:8-13

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James 2:8-13 (NKJV) If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

V8 “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well…” The royal law is “love your neighbor as yourself.” All people love themselves in that we look for our own needs and interests first. It is a royal law because God gave it and is a summary statement of all laws in relationships to others, animals, nature, etc. The quote is from Leviticus 19:18.

V9 “…but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” Partiality is plainly stated to be a sin. Partiality is shown if we favor one over another especially in our treatment of them.

V10 “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” Just one sin? Yes, and the consequence is death. Adam ate a piece of fruit (Genesis 3:6) and the whole universe was cursed (Genesis 3:17-19 and Romans 5:12). Faith in obedience (the proof) results in life. Disbelief in disobedience results in death. No one is able to obey God’s law sinless in thoughts, words, desires, and deeds except Jesus.

V11 “For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.” All sin leads to death–body, soul, and spirit. God is the great King and rules heaven and earth. He gave His laws to Moses, but all people sin (Romans 3:23). We sin because of our sin nature (our sinful heart as in Matthew 15:18-19). Love and loyalty are tested and proven by that test. Adam failed to believe God and failed to obey. He was tested and failed. The whole universe was cursed as a result (Romans 5:16-19).  Adam and Eve being sinners could not have a child who was not affected by sin and so, was born with a sin nature. No descendent of Adam has a sinless nature. Jesus was the Son of God, not Joseph.

V12 “So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.” The Law of Liberty in the Law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). Our actions and words must match. 

V13 “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” Mercy is a judicial kindness. Mercy is not given to most. The reason is because we have not shown proper, consistent mercy. So, God will not show us mercy either. He offers mercy to those who believe and trust in the Lord Jesus.

(Holman Commentary) “James alluded to the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:7 to warn that those who show no mercy will receive none in the final judgment. Stated positively, this means mercy triumphs over judgment. This does not mean we receive mercy from God only when we show mercy to others. If that were true, it would make salvation a matter of God’s payment for our good deeds. For those who have given themselves in faith to Christ, God’s mercy triumphs over our guilt and judgment. If we have received God’s grace, we will stand in the coming judgment. Mercy can rejoice in its victory over condemnation.”

We learn:

  • God has a purpose for His laws
  • God condemns partiality 
  • God does judge even one sin