The Royal Law
Opening Prayer
Lord, help me to see other people with the eyes of Jesus.
Read James 2:1–13
My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?
8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Meditate
“We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that everyone may receive what is due to them for the things done… whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10).
Think Further
What an awesome day when we will stand in the presence of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 25:31–46)! Don’t you long to hear him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matt.
25:21,23)?
The sober anticipation of that future event impels us to live godly in the here and now. To share in Christ’s glory, we must first be conformed to his likeness. Our glorious Lord is exalted forevermore, but he avoided riches or power or glory on earth. He chose a humble and despised path instead (Phil. 2:6–11). He had no home, no wealth, nothing that could provoke anyone to jealousy. He spent time with the deranged, the destitute, the desperate and the dissolute. He dispensed costly love. Jesus taught that the greatest commandment—the royal law, as James describes it in verse 8—is to love the Lord our God with our whole being and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves (Mark 12:29–31). Jesus will judge his saints by this law, the law he perfectly fulfilled.
Favoritism—selecting whom to befriend as my “neighbor” (8) and whom to ignore—is self-seeking and short-sighted, not to mention sinful. James rebukes believers for behaving exactly like the unbelievers: grasping for honor, cultivating only advantageous relationships, despising the poor, ignoring injustice. We judge people according to their worth in our eyes rather than God’s (1 Sam. 16:7). We avoid the lonely, needy, awkward, poor—those who require compassion and love but cannot give anything back. Jesus will judge us on the love and mercy we have shown to the least
and the lowliest (Matt. 25:31–46), and he will judge the motives of the heart (1 Cor. 4:5). Sadly, the world’s values creep into the church: they influence how and for whom we offer friendship, hospitality, time and resources.
Apply
Reflect on Christ’s judgment and how it impacts your life. Allow him to refine your motives and actions. Let his “Well done” inspire your
love, mercy and good works.
Closing prayer
Lord, prepare me for the final examination before a judge from whom I can hide nothing.
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