Favoritism Violates Kingdom Law

Introduction

As we enter Chapter 2, we’re looking at our faith in action.

Last time we saw that Favoritism, prejudice, partiality, or respect of persons is a sin. You can’t hold faith and biases together. If you claim to have faith in Christ, you can’t also treat people different based on external or surface reasons.

James previously taught us that favoritism toward the rich at the expense of the poor is wrong because it violates God’s choice of the poor who are rich in faith.

Now he will tell us that favoritism is wrong because it violates God’s law of love and this law of love rules His Kingdom.

James 2:8–13 AV

8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: 9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. 10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

1. The Test of the Royal Law

vv. 8-9

James is going to get at the heart of his main point here, right away in these verses. He is going to emphasize that this issue of favoritism and prejudice is a problem with the law and that later we’ll find consequences for that.

A. We Should Fulfill the Royal Law

verse 8

James begins insisting that we have a community shaped the a creed of the OT that has later been fully shaped by Jesus Christ.

Leviticus 19:18 AV

18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

James has already introduced this, but let’s go back and see this again and see where James is coming from.

James 1:25–27 AV

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

This command was fully expanded by Jesus Christ, and thus he calls it the royal law. It is the law of the kingdom (Title: Favoritism violates kingdom law).

Matthew 22:37–40 AV

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

This royal law, this kingdom law, this perfect law of liberty is the sum total of God’s commands to his subjects. The whole law is fulfilled in this.

It’s a pretty simple comparison that James has setup: if you keep the royal law, you are doing well; but if you show favoritism you sin.

This law had it’s impact on early Christianity too.

Galatians 5:13–14 AV

13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Romans 13:8–10 AV

8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

The royal law forbids Christians from discriminating against anyone - no form of prejudice, favoritism, racism, respect of persons, ageism, etc is allowed.

This royal law is the preeminent command; it is the fulfillment of the law; and provides the proper environment for the Christian community.

B. Favoritism Transgresses the Royal Law

In verse 8 we saw the need to keep the royal law but now in v. 9 we’ll see how favoritism impacts the royal law.

This is an old commandment.

Leviticus 19:15 AV

15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

Violating this command in verse 9 has a very clear consequence - we become transgressors.

Transgressor is specific when it comes to sin - it’s not just sinning - but a distinct violation of God’s law.

Christian should have a culture that is counter to the world - expressing His kingdom values.

Galatians 3:28 AV

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

The act of transgressing is the same as the workers of iniquity here:

Matthew 7:23 AV

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Discriminating against people, whether on the basis of their dress, nationality, social class, or race is a clear violation of the love to which Jesus calls us - TNTC

Point regarding Identity vs Kingdom Citizenship. We tend to take all kinds of labels - they can be cultural, political, career, but ultimately we are only one thing - citizens of a heavenly kingdom and there are no other distinctions among us - rich or poor, black or white, republican or democrat - we only have one label here - Christian.

Young people - let me encourage you to be careful of the trends of these labels - finding a ‘group’ that is my identity. Older folks be careful of thinking your label or group is better or has arrived - any identity that is not based on God’s kingdom and his principle of royal love is a lesser and faulty identity.

2. The Keeping of the Law

In these next 2 verses, James will make the point that but committing just one sin, like favoritism, makes one a ‘lawbreaker’ because the law is a united whole.

A. One Violation is Enough

verse 10

To be a lawbreaker it only takes one sin - one transgression. Therefore, by that definition all parts of the law are equally important.

Galatians 5:3 AV

3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

Matthew 5:18–19 AV

18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Those that thought, well this is not as big a sin as others, have been reminded of this important truth - all are equally important.

This offend means to stumble or be tripped up. Those that have a difficult time with this or think it’s a small think are wrong.

To call these Jewish Christians transgressors is a big deal.

B. A Helpful Example

v. 11

Now James will give an illustration to show that the law is an indivisible unit.

Here’s the important point. The law is not just a list of rules, but are the words of someone speaking.

It’s easy to see the law as a list of individual rules - I’m good at that one, not good at that one.

But guilt in one commandment is guilt of all because all the ‘individual’ laws come from one Lawgiver.

Each violation of the law is disobedience to God. The reality is that the law is entirely broken when we violate just one point of the law.

To show this, James chooses two commandments that in their choice can seem rather odd…adultery and murder.

These two are seen in

Romans 13:9 AV

9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

But James is likely setting up his readers with something they don’t do (adultery) with something they are doing (murder).

Really, murder? Well, look at these verses.

1 John 3:15 AV

15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

Matthew 5:21–22 AV

21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

In the previous verses, mistreating a brother through hate and anger is equated to murder. Likely James is saying that mistreating a brother through partiality and prejudice has the same significant impact.

This ‘murder’ is one of removal from the community, ostracizing them, and a hateful treatment. How many times have you seen people angry at the poor?!!?

So yeah, they may have been living ‘pure’ lives, but their hatred and mistreatment of the poor was like murder in the Kingdom law of love.

3. The Judgment by the Royal Law

vv. 12-13

In these last two verses, James tells the people that there will be an accounting, a judgment, a reckoning for how we as Christians have treated people in our community.

A. Act As If You Are About to be Judged

v. 12

He uses the phrase here, speak and do. See:

1 John 3:18 AV

18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

James wants us to constantly speak and act a certain way - that we are to regulate our conduct with a view of the judgment to come. And that judgment will be of the perfect law of liberty.

2 Corinthians 5:10 AV

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

We will be judged on how we have lived out this kingdom law - you’re not sure what’s the basis of judgment at the Judgment seat of Christ - this is it. Did you love your neighbor as yourself.

Following Christ’s commands, show that we truly dwell in him. Speaking and doing his commands are vital for Christian life and fellowship.

1 John 3:24 AV

24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

The engrafted word of James 1:21 gives us the power to fulfill that same perfect law of liberty. And this performance of the law should be habitual.

To love one’s neighbor is the highest form of freedom exercised, and ends in the fulfillment of the law - WBC.

B. The Basis of Judgment

v. 13

Finally we see the corresponding relationship in the judgment. How we’ve loved, will be how we are judged.

Mercy is the key word here - actively reaching out to show love to others. These readers were doing the opposite - withholding mercy, and love.

Therefore, their judgment will be without mercy too.

This has always been a concern of God’s.

Zechariah 7:9–10 AV

9 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: 10 And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.

Matthew 5:7 AV

7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

They therefore have two options - experience the merciless judgment of God, or enjoy victory in the judgment by acting mercifully. Repent from your prejudices and turn to a life of mercy.

Thankfully, we’re told that mercy wins - human mercy. James is making a point about the way in which we show mercy to others and how it shows our desire to fulfill the royal law of the kingdom. It shows that we’ve had a heart made right by the grace of God.

These acts of mercy and love to our neighbor are evidence of the presence of Christ within us.

This idea here is one of victory, of triumph - rejoicing against.

The faith that you claim to have ought to have an evident outpouring of love and mercy.

Faith should be seen on the outside and should be seen in action.