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Lesson 7 |
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| A Study of James - Lesson 7 - James 2:8-13 |
The Unyielding Requirements of the Law (2:8-13)
If you really keep
the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you
are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted
by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles
at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, "Do
not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit
adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. Speak and
act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,
because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been
merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!
The excellency of the "law of love" is taught by Moses (Lev 19:18), Paul, James and our Lord. James refers to it here as the royal law —meaning "the King's law", or "the law of the kingdom". Jesus called it the second greatest command (Mt 22:39; Mark 12:31)—second only to the law to love the Lord with all your being. Paul said that "the whole Law is fulfilled in [it]" (Rom 13:9; Gal 5:14).
This "royal law" is so excellent because it governs one's motives, not merely his outward behavior. It reveals to us the nature of God—a nature that ought to be reflected in us—a nature that the Holy Spirit is forming in us through sanctification, as we become progressively more conformed to Christ's perfect image.
Without love, even right behavior is worthless…
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 – If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.When one's motives are right, they lead to proper behavior. One could make an endless list of proper behaviors that naturally flow from love. This is why the entire law of God (toward our fellow man) is summed up in the "simple" command to love your neighbor as yourself.
Romans 13:10 – Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.The irony is that this "simple" command is anything but simple! Fallen man is, by nature, a selfish, unholy creature devoid of true love for man or God. It is true that the unsaved often demonstrate various kinds of love—love toward family members, benevolence, love of country, etc.—but they are not ruled by the law of love. The unsaved man still shows favoritism, he often seeks advantage for himself at the expense of others, and his "love" for others can quickly be transformed into anger or hatred if he is provoked.1 Corinthians 13:4-7 – Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
What we need is a new heart that throbs with love—we need the divine life that only God can impart. This requires the profound transformation called "regeneration"…
Ezekiel 36:26 – Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.Even we who have received this new heart still need to be commanded to have love for others. This is because our sanctification is not complete—sin is still present within us, resulting in a great spiritual conflict in our hearts…
Romans 7: 21 – I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers – Showing favoritism is not expressly forbidden in the Ten Commandments, but it is in clear violation of the law of love.Galatians 5:16-18 – But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. – The law requires of us perfect, unbroken obedience. This is true of human law as well—if you are caught speeding, it will do no good to plead that you have never robbed a bank. To break any part of the law makes you a law-breaker, and subject to whatever penalties are prescribed for your offense.
Galatians 3:10 – For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM."This is why the law cannot make anyone righteous. The self-righteous Pharisees vainly supposed that, by trying extra hard to obey God's law, they would be considered righteous by God. Yet, even if they had perfectly kept the law, stumbling only once in their whole lives—this would have been sufficient to condemn them as lawbreakers.
It is foolish to think that we can somehow treasure up "merit" for ourselves by doing good deeds. We are obligated to do good, and there is no merit merely in doing what you are required to do. Even if someone were to perfectly obey God's law, he would simply be an unprofitable servant.
Luke 17:10 – So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.'Of course, no human (Christ excepted) has ever come remotely close to keeping God's law perfectly. We sin daily, and so the law cannot be our savior, but is instead our judge and executioner.
Romans 3:20 – because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom – The law governs two aspects of our being—our speech and our actions—and James has had much to say on both counts. When we are genuinely motivated by love, both our speech and our actions will be brought into conformity with God's law.Romans 7:9-11 – I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.
2 Corinthians 3:7-9 – But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory.
Galatians 3:21-22 – Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
judged by the law – James speaks here of judgment. As believers in Christ, we know that we have been eternally saved from God's wrath and will never perish. Yet, there is a future judgment of believers and rewards to be received if we have been faithful…
2 Corinthians 5:10 – For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.James tells us that, even in this judgment, we will be judged by the law. That is why we ought to examine ourselves in the mirror of God's law (1:22-25)—judging ourselves now, so that we can take corrective action and avoid suffering loss at the future judgment, or experiencing God's discipline in this life…1 Corinthians 3:14-15 – If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
1 Corinthians 11:31-32 – But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.Yet, we must be careful to use the law properly. Here are some key facts to understand about the law…
| 1. | It is the indwelling Spirit alone who causes us to grow in holiness.
2 Corinthians 3:6 – who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (see also 2 Cor 3:7-9) |
| 2. | The Law cannot make us more righteous—not even in our walk.
Galatians 3:3 – Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? |
| 3. | The Law can only show us where we fall short of righteousness.
Romans 3:20 – because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. |
| 4. | We should "look intently" into the Law of God to identify areas where
we fall short.
James 1:25 – But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. |
| 5. | Once we identify a fault, we should confess it and ask God for His
cleansing grace.
1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. |
Here are some illustrations that help to explain the role of the law
in our sanctification…
| 1. | A fuel gauge – Reveals the condition of the tank, just as the law reveals the condition of the heart. But you cannot refill the tank just by pushing the needle over to the "F" mark. When you see the tank is empty, you have to fill the tank. |
| 2. | A fence – One that encloses a field of sheep with the Shepherd in the center of the field. These sheep are not normally preoccupied with the fence, but with the Shepherd, and they seek to stay near Him. The fence keeps them from straying too far away from the Shepherd in times of weakness when they are distracted by the cares of the world. |
| 3. | A sales brochure – Describes the distinctive features of a particular automobile, but it is not a blueprint telling you how to build such a car. Likewise, the Law describes the righteous man, but is incapable of producing genuine righteousness. |
| 4. | Symptoms versus disease – The law describes the outward evidences of spiritual health, and can therefore reveal the symptoms of an underlying spiritual problem. If you merely treat the symptoms, you will be like the self-righteous Pharisees who could put up a good image of piety and righteousness but were still inwardly corrupt. We must go to the source of the problem, which requires God's healing grace, rather than settling for a superficial solution. |
the law that gives freedom – This is the second time that James describes the law in terms of freedom (see also 1:25). As we use the law properly to identify sin in our lives and to receive cleansing from God, we find the freedom to become the people He designed us to be, as well as freedom from sinful habits and from the guilt and destruction that results from sin.
judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful – This is a solemn warning that we must be merciful people. An unmerciful Christian is a contradiction!
Matthew 6:14-15 – For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.James and our Lord are not teaching that we are saved because we are merciful, but rather that God gives us a tender, forgiving heart when He regenerates us. Faith, repentance, humility, gentleness and compassion are the fruit and evidence of the new birth.
Galatians 5:22-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.If anyone is devoid of this fruit, he should seriously question his salvation and flee to the Savior seeking mercy!Matthew 5:3-11 –
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
Mercy triumphs over
judgment! – Mercy triumphed over judgment
in the cross of Christ. In our passage, mercy triumphs over judgment because
those who are merciful demonstrate by the mercy they show to others that
they themselves have received mercy from God.
| 1. | Obey the royal law to "Love your neighbor as yourself." This "simple" law keeps the whole law. |
| 2. | Realize that nothing we do is truly good if it is not motivated by love. |
| 3. | Acknowledge the coldness of your heart and pray to God that He would set your heart ablaze with genuine love. |
| 4. | Never suppose that there is any merit in keeping part of God's law. Any violation makes you a law-breaker. The proper use of the law is to show you where you fall short. |
| 5. | Let your words and actions be governed by the thought that we will someday be judged by God's Law—not for salvation, but for rewards. |
| 6. | Remember that the Law, properly used, gives freedom—from sinful habits, guilt and evil. |
| 7. | Recognize that it is the Spirit, not the Law, who creates true righteousness within us. |
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Lesson 7 |
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