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“So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. (James 2.12-13). The groundwork for understanding this passage has been laid in the previous 20 installments. The problem with this text is not the text; it is our understanding (or more properly lack of understanding) of the text. The final13 installments will attempt to lay out clearly what James and the Holy Spirit of God wanted us to get from this passage and its surrounding context.

The most intriguing…  ( Click for more )

Alliteration is sometimes a game with me. I try to see how many relevant phrases I can string together, all beginning with the same sound or letter and making some degree of sense. Wednesday Wisdom is an example. In the past I have written Friday Flyers as well as Monday Miscellany. This is the first of subsequent Wednesday’s Wisdom articles.

Just so you will know what to expect, I will share with you a picture of what I wish to achieve by these articles. First, they will be “stand alone” articles; they will not be continued from week to week. Secondly, they…  ( Click for more )

A paradox is similar to an absurdity. In the minds of some, James 2.12 goes beyond an absurdity or a paradox; it is an out and out contradiction! We shall quote the verse here and then address its meaning. “So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.”

First, notice that James’ instructions involve both word and deed (speaking and doing). This tandem admonition is consistent with Paul’s command to the believers at Colossae when he wrote, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks…  ( Click for more )

Reason originates with God! Unlike how we sometimes view Him, God is not a God of randomness with illogical thoughts and deeds; He is a God of reasoned thought and deed. Our focus today will be on this fact as we view two verses that form the “heart” of James’ argument against partiality. “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 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…  ( Click for more )

The Royal Law (James 2.8) is inextricably linked to the Golden Rule (Matthew 7.12). If I love my neighbor as myself, I certainly will treat him as I want to be treated. The desire for mercy on my behalf likewise would mirror my desire for mercy on my neighbor’s behalf. When love for neighbor is equal to love for self, crime disappears, gossip ceases, and hatred becomes a relic of uncivilized times. The concept of the Royal Law is not new but it is revolutionary!

James continues his practical application of the Royal Law principle by stating, “For whoever shall keep…  ( Click for more )

James, from the standpoint of biblical phrases, coined the term Royal Law. Citing a couple of relevant verses, he said, “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” (James 2.8-9).

It is my purpose as a writer to demonstrate that the Royal Law implies mercy. To state this another way, any and every person who understands and embraces the Royal Law is a person who is indeed merciful towards…  ( Click for more )

James wrote to believers in order to wake them up to the spiritual realities that formalism and legalism totally miss. He stressed the fact that the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ cannot be held with respect of persons (James 2.1). Respect of persons is a disease of the heart and not just one of actions. Under the Old Covenant one might could argue (though I believe incorrectly) that sin was committed only by overt acts of disobedience. This was the fundamental error of the Pharisees during Jesus' earthly ministry. We will notice how James meets this error head on in reprimanding…  ( Click for more )

The manifestation of the disease is always different from the disease! Symptoms are just that, symptoms; they are not the disease. James identified a symptom of spiritual illness among his brethren, but he was not content to merely identify the symptom; he wanted to identify and eliminate the disease. The symptom: Partiality and favoritism (James 2.1-4). The disease: Failure to recognize that willful partiality and favoritism is tantamount to rejecting the Lordship of Jesus Christ!

I hope you followed the opening paragraph. The sin of partiality that existed among the believers…  ( Click for more )

Almost every worthwhile activity in which a person can engage stresses the basics (fundamentals) of that discipline. Beyond the fundamentals, a person expands on these basics, and continues to honor these fundamentals as long as the discipline is practiced. Consider how this principle applies to math, science, grammar, cooking, football, fishing, etc., etc. What we learn of math in the second grade isn't thrown away in the third; it is honored and expanded upon. The good things that young cooks learn from older mentors is but a means to an end as they apply these basic lessons to…  ( Click for more )

Yesterday's devotional closed with three questions for your consideration; here they are again: 1) Is the perfect law of liberty a law of the letter or a law of the spirit? 2) Is it possible for people who follow this law to become legalistic and nullify a portion of its effectiveness? 3) Is there a way to prevent and/or deal with legalism that might derive from following the perfect law of liberty? Today's message will end our three part sidebar on the Perfect Law of Liberty.

First, we address the question, “Is the perfect law of liberty a law of the letter or a law of…  ( Click for more )

The title passage from which this series gets its name is James 2.12-13. It reads: “So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment." This text contains the expression Mercy Triumphs over Judgment as well as another phrase of interest, the law of liberty. Yesterday, we noted that this latter phrase is contained in James 1.25 except it is amplified by the addition of the word perfect before it such that it reads the perfect law of liberty. This somewhat paradoxical…  ( Click for more )

What is a paradox? That's easy; two docs in a row! OK, I admit it is a groaner! However, the text which we are considering in this series (James 2.1-13) is based on a paradox. Today's message along with the next two will take a brief look at this paradox and some lessons that should be derived from it. First we will quote the foundational verse of which we speak. “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” (James 1.25; emphasis mine, jb).

Law…  ( Click for more )

“If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” (James 2.8-9).

Jesus did not come to destroy the Law; He came to fulfill it (see Matthew 5.17). In other words, He came to live it perfectly, an example of holiness that can never be repeated. In that same way, believers have the capacity to “…really fulfill the royal law.” Not that we will or can live it perfectly, but we…  ( Click for more )

The rich perpetually persecuted believers; it had been that way from ages of old and it was still that way during the early days of the New Testament church. In word and in deed, the rich proved to be adversarial to believers at every turn. This background prompted James to ask the third of his rapid-fire rhetorical questions. “Do they [the rich] not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?” (James 2.7).

First, we need to understand the word blaspheme. Literally the word simply means “to speak reproachfully, rail at, revile…” (On-Line…  ( Click for more )

In a context all its own, Solomon asked, “Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?” (Proverbs 6.26-27). Such rhetorical questions go back ages in time and literary usage. Our study of James 2 revealed three rhetorical questions (James 2.5-7) We are looking at these questions systematically and our focus today is on the second of these great attention getters.

“Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts?” (James 2.6). Everyone knew this to be the case! For almost…  ( Click for more )

Three rhetorical questions form the heart of James’ straightforward approach to challenging the actions of believers in showing partiality to the rich and dishonoring the poor. Today’s message will begin a three part look at these questions and gather practical lessons from each of them.

Here are the three questions: “Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? (James 2.5) “Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts?” (James 2.6). “Do they not blaspheme…  ( Click for more )

Common sense is not always a good guide, but most of the time it is. However when one has to go against common sense, against the reality of the present, and against God, his chances of being successful are less than slim to none! Yet, that was what the believers to whom James was writing were doing. Their actions in favoring the rich while denigrating the poor made no sense at all!

To preface our study, try to recall a time when one of your parents, or someone else in authority prefaced their mini-sermon with the words, “Listen to me!” Usually when a speech begins…  ( Click for more )

Showing partiality to someone due to factors which are spiritually irrelevant is sinful! This is the essence of James 2.1-4. Lest someone think that such a sin is relatively minor, James explained that the sin of partiality was as grave as any other sin (see James 2.5-11). In fact, in this very context, he said, “Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2.10).

But what does it mean to show partiality? James answers this question by a straightforward example; here it is: “For if there should come into your…  ( Click for more )

“For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, 'You sit here in a good place,' and say to the poor man, 'You stand there,' or, 'Sit here at my footstool,' have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2.2-4).

The rhetorical question posed by James, as all such questions do, has an obvious answer. It is as if he had said, “When you show favoritism…  ( Click for more )

God speaks through James: “My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, 'You sit here in a good place,' and say to the poor man, 'You stand there,' or, 'Sit here at my footstool,' have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?” James 2.1-4).

The entire text quoted…  ( Click for more )

Practical Christianity is the only Christianity that exists. If one's religion isn't practical, it isn't Christianity. Conversely, if one's religion is practical, it is Christianity.

Like many, many authors before me, I see the book of James as the quintessential example of Practical Christianity. I see it as ironic and naive for someone as studious as Luther to have referred to one of God's inspired books, and especially the book of James, as “...a right strawy epistle in comparison with them [the epistles of Paul], for it has no gospel character to it.” I would claim…  ( Click for more )

Although an astute Bible student could literally write hundreds of messages on The Love of the Truth, this particular message will conclude this series for now.

Paul wrote that the coming of the lawless one would be “...according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the…  ( Click for more )

Delusions are damning deceptions that occur in ill-prepared minds. I remember an old adage that says, “An idle mind is the devil's workshop.” While that is not scripture, it reflects a biblical principle.

Paul said “...The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they…  ( Click for more )

A favorite ploy of modern deceivers who are self professed healers is to postpone the healing of some diseases due to their nature. In reality, they put them off because they have NO POWER to heal anyone, and that lack of power becomes all the more obvious as the symptoms of the disease become more obvious. In other words, the immediate restoration of a missing leg is hard to fake just as the instantaneous healing of a leper's decaying flesh is something that cannot readily be palmed off on intelligent audiences. For that reason, those who seek to deceive pick and choose the diseases…  ( Click for more )