JAMES 2:8-13 THE TEST OF IMPARTIALITY OR THE SIN OF PARTIALITY PART 2

James 2:8 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.

1.  Faith shows love v8-11

v8 WE BREAK "THE ROYAL LAW"

The “royal law” was given in Leviticus 19:18 and affirmed by Christ (Matt. 22:39): Love your neighbor as yourself. The law is royal or regal (basilikon, from basileus, “king”) because it is decreed by the King of kings, is fit for a king, and is considered the king of laws. The phrase reflects the Latin lex regia known throughout the Roman Empire. Obedience to this law, nonpreferential love, is the answer to the evident disobedience to God’s Law, prejudicial favoritism.^[1]

Which is "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" is quoted from Leviticus 19:18 and is the most often quoted OT command (8 times in the NT) 3 in Mt alone

  This is one of the most fundamental laws that God has ever given!

1. As proclaimed by Christ - Mt 22:36-40
2. As taught by Paul - Ro 13:8-10

.Who is my neighbor: all people whom I come in contact with and have a chance to help spiritually or contribute to their well being.

Phil 2:3-4 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

V9 Showing partiality is sin (to miss the mark) Means if you keep on showing partiality the verb tense is a continuing action

and are convicted by the law as transgressors. A willful breaking of the law

 V10 And, as emphasized by James, by breaking one law, we become guilty of ALL the law!

The Law consists of Ten Commandments and God gave us the Law

To be a lawbreaker one does not have to violate all the laws, but he must keep all the law or be perfect to be saved

Ga 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them." 11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith."

 12 Yet the law is not of faith, but "the man who does them shall live by them." 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

 V11 To show partiality is to make one as guilty as if they committed adultery or murder!

 This illustrates just how terrible any sin is!

2.  Faith will be judged v12-13

This refers to the law of Christ, or the gospel, that sets us free to obey God

But if we: Apply man-made restrictions upon others like showing partiality

Gal 5:13-14 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

1. Or If We Don’t show mercy toward others, then NO MERCY will be shown toward us!

Mt 6:14-15 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. This is an intentional act of not forgiving.

Prov 25:21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; 22 For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the LORD will reward you.

Mt 5 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy

Most likely means they will end up in hell with no mercy being shown since they have never been saved.

Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

Mercy triumphs over judgment. Based on verse above.

CONCLUSION

1. In view of all these things remember James says;

Don’t show partiality

Don’t judge others

Honor the poor and all others

Love your neighbors as yourself

Be forgiving and show mercy by doing so

Fellow brothers in Christ, we serve A GLORIOUS LORD, we serve for His glory; may we NEVER allow the sin of partiality, bias, prejudice, or racism to taint that wonderful glory in any way!

 Lewis Smedes says we put labels on people the way designers sew labels on clothes. And then we let those labels tell us what people are and what they are worth.

Lets honor Jesus Christ  this season by our actions

Now a concluding word for the NON-Christian:

   1) Notice that in our text James speaks of:

1. The terribleness of even one sin (2:10) Sin in one point, guilty of all

DL Moody compared God’s law to a chain of 10 links. If all 10 links break the man falls to his doom, if 5 break he falls to his doom, if any one of the ten fall the man falls to his doom just the same

1. b) The fact of judgment (2:12)

   2) Won't you accept the mercy God offers to you in the gospel of His Son Jesus Christ?

Accept His mercy in obedience to the gospel today!

Acts 3:19  "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord

 

In his autobiography, Mahatma Gandhi wrote that during his student days he read the Gospels seriously and considered converting to Christianity. He believed that in the teachings of Jesus he could find the solution to the caste system that was dividing the people of India.

So one Sunday he decided to attend services at a nearby church and talk to the minister about becoming a Christian. When he entered the sanctuary, however, the usher refused to give him a seat and suggested that he go worship with his own people. Gandhi left the church and never returned. “If Christians have caste differences also,” he said, “I might as well remain a Hindu.”

That usher’s prejudice not only betrayed Jesus but also turned a person away from trusting Him as Savior.

Our Daily Bread, March 6, 1994