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Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
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 create their own signature dishes. We all build upon these foundations in order to achieve our goals. What has this to do with James 2.1-13? Much in every way as the upcoming devotional messages will demonstrate!
There are foundational principles that are contained in James 2; these foundational principles, by definition, are the bases upon which other doctrines, practices, and beliefs are be based. Throw away these principles, and the rest of the house comes tumbling down. This lesson about the necessity of strong and resilient foundations is the very principle that Jesus honored during the delivery of the world’s best known homily, the Sermon on the Mount. “The wise man,” says He, “built his house upon a rock, while the foolish man built upon the sand.” This theme is so familiar that it is recognized in just about all cultures and among all ages. Regardless of how old one gets, how wise he gets, how much money he accumulates, or what social or political status he achieves, he must honor this principle. Nothing, absolutely nothing, will allow a person to neglect the principle of the solid foundation without exacting a gruesome toll upon the builder, his work, and as often as not, those who are close to him.
The first of these fundamentals is stated this way: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (James 2.8). We have looked at this verse before but not in the light of foundational principles. Regardless of the immediate source from which James quoted, the ultimate source of this principle was and is God Almighty. Jesus cited this principle during His earthly ministry when He was asked by a lawyer, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Without so much as missing a beat, Jesus responded, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22.36-40). In this response, Jesus explicitly assigned a hierarchy of significance to these two commandments from the Old Covenant.
The true significance of the principle that James cited (i.e., loving one’s neighbor as oneself) is seen in the fact that Jesus paired it with the commandment to love God supremely and said, “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets (emphasis mine; jb).” The word translated hang is used but seven times in the New Testament; it literally means to suspend or to hold up. Four of these seven usages allude to the cross of Jesus and the fact that He was hanged (suspended) there. Get this mental image! All the Law and Prophets are suspended upon or from these two great commandments. Here is the hierarchal relevance of these great commands. In other words, there is a direct connection between the entire Old Testament (the Law and the Prophets) and these two great commands! What is that connection? The entirety of the Old Testament is supported by these two principles!
Talk about foundational principles; we certainly have one from James’ writings! And how does it fit in with his theme? Simply by directly forbidding the showing of partiality that he introduced in James 2! But, there is much, much more as we shall see. (Continued)
Questions:
1. Why are true fundamentals never to be forsaken in any discipline (science, math, sports, etc.,)?
2. Who determines if there are any fundamentals to serving/pleasing God? Is something fundamental because I say it is? Because you say it is? If the pope says it is?
3. What significance did Jesus assign to the principle of loving one’s neighbor?
4. What relationship does the Old Testament have to the principles of loving God and loving one’s neighbor?
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