The Triumph of Mercy
Notes
Transcript
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Opening Illustration:
Maybe Joe Rogan/Wes Huff
I imagine the number is low, but how many of you are familiar with Joe Rogan…
Well Joe Rogan is a former MMA fighter, comedian and podcast host. He hosts the most listened to podcast in the world.
12 Days ago he uploaded to his podcast feed - YouTube and other places - an interview that he did with a brilliant young Biblical Scholar named Wesley Huff… This is a bit out of place for Rogan as he has brought on a lot of advocates of new age belief, mystics, and others with beliefs contrary to Christianity. However, Wes Huff had a now viral video where he had a discussion with one of these new age teachers that was previously on Joe Rogan’s show. Wes Huff in a friendly manner completely dismantles the claims of this teacher very quickly - because the teacher had been lying about some things. In response, Rogan invites Huff on his podcast.
The last I checked the YouTube video had just under 5 million views. Given that many listen on other sources, it has had a significantly higher spread than that. Huff on this podcast defends the truthfulness of the Scriptures, and historical authenticity, he also discusses the teachings of Jesus, the historical fact of Jesus’ life and death, he defends the historical reliability of the resurrection. So on this widely spread show this Christian scholar is proclaim the truth of the Bible and the good news of the death and resurrection of Christ. (which on it’s own is remarkable… but that’s not why I’m mentioning this.)
Now if you’re sensitive to foul language, Rogan uses a lot of that so I’m not endorsing his podcast as a whole - but you can visit Wesley Huff’s website if you want to check that out.
The reason I mention this is a comment that Huff makes on this podcast. He is discussing Jesus’ teachings and how Jesus teaches about the law. Jesus in Matthew 5 is teaching the pharisees about the true purpose of the law.
“The law is a mirror, it shows you how dirty you are. You guys are trying to clean yourselves with a mirror - that’s stupid. If anything that’s going to make you more messy. Get in the shower.
The law is not what cleans you, the law is what reveals that you’re dirty.”
^That whole introduction was to get to get that point.
Remember if you can back to last year when we studied Galatians. Paul argues that the law is a guardian or a tutor. The intention of the law was never to save anyone - but to reveal to them that they need a savior.
James seems to be making a somewhat similar argument here in this text as he discusses the Royal Law and the Law of Liberty.
Last week, I spent a whole lot of time really laying the case for the point that there is no place for partiality of favoritism in the church. It likely felt a little redundant that I said we cannot be partial - what may have felt like 30-40 times. However, that is key to understanding James’ point here in chapter two. It’s okay to have a favorite color, or a favorite food - it’s not okay to choose favorite kinds of people. Verses 8-13 are not a separate argument but continuing on from there.
James’ first argument in this section:
12-13 - The Law of Liberty - the Gospel - The gospel brings mercy. Mercy brings forgiveness - and Mercy Triumphs over judgment. The judgment that the Royal Law gives is triumphed over by mercy.
James refers to 2 laws in this section of text. And by two laws I do not mean two individual “Thou Shall Not Laws”… though he does that as well… what I mean is that he refers to two kinds of law - or two groups. The first is the Royal Law, and the second is the law of liberty. In verse 8 refers to the Royal Law. Then in verse 12 refers to the law of liberty. These are not two opposing kinds of law, but they have different purposes.
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
The Royal Law
The Royal Law
V. 8-9 - If you really keep the Royal Law, the Law of Christ, Love God and Love neighbor - then you are doing well - great job. But if you are showing favoritism, partiality, respecter of persons - then you have broken the law.
A.T. Robertson claims that James is referring to Jesus’ stating of the Golden Rule, Matt 7:12 and the law and prophets hanging on love of God and love of neighbor, Matt 22:40.
Keeping the royal law is a good thing. Loving neighbor, loving God. These are indeed good things. But you cannot place all your hope on how well you have loved your neighbor.
James shows that it is a great thing to love your neighbor… but then he continues to write as if the person he is arguing with is proud that they have loved their neighbor - only to really show them that they have not.
You say you love neighbor - awesome that’s wonderful…
but if you’re showing partiality then you don’t actually love your neighbor…
9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
Partiality fails to love neighbor as self. And not loving your neighbor is sin.
James references both Leviticus 19:15 (no partiality) and Leviticus 19:18 (love neighbor).
Verse 9 shows us that James hasn’t moved on to a different topic than he had in verse 1 - he’s still discussing the sin of partiality. And those who play favorites with people are lawbreakers.
Lit: You are working sin. And if you are a transgressor of the law then you are guilty of all of it.
10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.
It does not matter how you transgress the law, if you have sinned you have broken the law.
This verse, v 10, is not pertaining to whether or not some sins are worse than others, but rather than all sin warrants judgment. We can certainly make the argument that some sins are worse than others. We can even see that in the manner in which the 10 Commandments are arranged. It’s easy to see how murder is worse than lying. But that’s not James’ argument - what he is stating here is that even the smallest sin is a serious offense. To break the law is an offense against the lawgiver - and that sin deserves punishment.
Therefore, if you have broken the law here - you are a lawbreaker.
And James further references the lawgiver by stating that one God gave the law.
11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
Now it might a bit odd that James links these two sins together - since they are different in scope. However, they are adjacent in their condemnation in the 10 commandments. Additionally, Jesus does something similar in Matthew 5:21-30. And while someone debate James’ relationship to Jesus - it is clear that if nothing else he was a good student of Jesus.
However, James is not just choosing these two commands to no murder nor commit adultery but these are two commands that fail to love neighbor.
However, I would also add that as Jesus taught these are two commands that are broken by the attitudes that we hold in our heart. Have you lusted after someone not your spouse? Then you have committed adultery in your heart. Have you harbored hatred toward your brother in your heart? Then you are guilty of murder. The laws from which Jesus teaches us that we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory are the same laws from which James is making a similar point.
Ultimately the metric that the Bible gives for whether or not we have kept the law are the questions: have you loved God, and have your loved your neighbor?
Or maybe more specifically: How have your failed to love your neighbor?
He shows the reader that they have trespassed the law, and that even that small sin is a sin is deserving of an eternity of hellfire.
But like a good preacher - James does not leave us in the brokenness to knowing that we are law breakers.
But then he brings us to the triumph of mercy over judgment through the law of liberty.
The Law of Liberty
The Law of Liberty
12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.
The law of liberty… while that sounds very American… this is much greater than anything our country could promise us. This law of liberty refers to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament law has been fulfilled in Christ, by his perfect obedience. And the punishment that we deserve that was poured out on Christ on the cross.
And in Christ we have freedom from sin and punishment, but we are also free to obey God and do what pleases him.
Law of Liberty was also referred to back in James 1:25.
25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
James in chapter one makes this law of liberty to be connected to one who hears and does the word of God.
And here in James 2:12 he states that this law of liberty is the law by which Christians ought to be judged.
12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.
Even in the judgment, Christians will be judged. And the manner by which they will be judged is the law of liberty. Christians are still expected to love God and love neighbor - but in the judgment the Christian will be shown mercy and declared forgiven and free in Christ Jesus.
And verse 13 shows us that God will be glorified for his mercy - as mercy will triumph over judgment.
13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
The language here, shows us once again, that James is influenced by the words of Jesus. As in Matthew 5 Jesus during the Sermon on the Mount teaches:
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
James, repeating the same argument as Jesus - those who show mercy will receive mercy. Those who have never shown mercy to others will not receive mercy.
However, those who have received mercy in Christ Jesus ought to abound with mercy toward others.
Which connects back to partiality. You’ve been shown mercy in Jesus - so there is no reason for you to be partial toward others. There is no reason for you to play favorites with others - if you truly believe the gospel - if you understand that you were dead in your trespasses and sins but God being rich mercy made you alive in Christ Jesus.
Conclusion:
There is an often repeated definition for justice, mercy and grace.
Justice is getting what you deserve.
Mercy is not getting what you deserve.
Grace is getting what you don’t deserve.
I can’t find the origin for the structure definition. However, I think it helps to fill out the text as James defines it here.
Justice, this is the judgment that we deserve for breaking God’s law. For adultery and lust, for murder and hatred, for favoritism and partiality, for failing to love our neighbor, and for failing to love God.
Mercy is that those who in Christ, those who believe in Jesus and are born again, though they may have been guilty of those same sins will find their sins wiped away in the judgment because Jesus has taken them on himself.
Grace is that that Jesus not only takes our sins upon himself, and nails them to his cross, but also that his places his righteousness upon then. Christians are conquerers and coheirs with Christ, that a glorious eternity in the presence of God awaits them because of what Christ has done for those who believe.
The royal law demonstrates that you deserve judgement because you are a law breaker. The royal law reveals that you are a law breaker who is in need of a savior.
The law of liberty, is the law of Christ, that though you deserve judgment for you breaking of the royal law, in Christ, you will be shown mercy. The Mercy of God will triumph over the judgment that you deserve.
