James 2:8-13- James Confronts Sin With The Law

Let’s read James 2:8-13 this morning, “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 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. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

Some of you grew up in churches that used catechisms. When you look through these catechisms it does not take you long to see that they highlight the importance of the 10 commandments. The Baptist Catechism has 114 questions and answers. Can you guess how many of these questions pertains to the Law of God? 50! This means that almost half of the questions are in some way connected to the topic of the Law of God.

After the 10 Commandments are discussed the following questions asked and answered:

• Is any man able to perfectly keep the commandment of God?

• Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?

• What does every sin deserve?

• What does God require of us that we may escape His wrath and curse, due to us for sin?

• What is faith in Jesus Christ?

• What is repentance unto life?

If you know the scriptures and how they answer these questions...

• You will SAY with the psalmist, “O, how I love Your Law! I meditate upon it all day long.” (Ps. 119:97)

• You will PRAY with the psalmist, “Incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end.” (119:112)

If you know the answer to those questions, when the Law reveals your sin you will…

• PRAY as David did in Psalm 51, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!” (51:1-2)

• You will CRY OUT to God, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow...Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” (7,10)

• You will SAY with David, “You will not delight in sacrifices, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (16-17)

In this letter James is addressing a sin- ‘sin of partiality’. (2:1-13) Sadly, in these churches the rich members are being given VIP treatment while the poor are being dishonored.

This sin is contrary to the Christian fellowship that God intends His people to experience with each other. The Apostle John speaks about this type of fellowship in 1 John 1:1-4, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life- the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us...”

As I read these words about the glory that was manifested when Jesus took upon flesh and lived among His people I think about what James says in James 2:1, “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold to the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.”

When Jesus and His glory is manifested to His people what is produced? John continues, “- that which we have seen and heard we proclaim to you, so that you to may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And we write these things so that our joy may be complete.” The effects of faith in Jesus is fellowship with the LORD and with His people.

In 1 John 1:5-10 John says, “This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word in not in us.”

Here John talks about how our fellowship together is maintained as Christians. We are to abide in the light of God’s presence and walk faithfully in His truth. And when we sin Jesus can cleanse us and restore us to God and His people when we confess our sin.

Sadly, the Christians that James is writing to in this letter are not enjoying this type of fellowship but they can if they will repent. To promote this repentance James began to address the rich and the poor in James 1:9, “Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation…”.

At the beginning of this letter James began to prepare to speak to these Christians about this sin by laying down a strong Gospel foundation. As James wrote the words in James 1:9 he realized that his readers needed to understand the importance of those words. The presence of this sin meant that these believers were confused and they were to be walking in a manner that is worthy to the Gospel. This ‘sin of partiality’ reflects a worldly wisdom and NOT the wisdom that is from above. (3:13-18) Therefore,

• James knew that the poor who were being dishonored might ask, “How can a lowly brother, a poor brother, a person who lacks so many of the necessary and practical comforts in this world boast in his exaltation?”

• James also knew that the rich who were being treated so well might ask, “Why do the rich, the wealthy, the affluent, and the privileged need to boast in their humiliation?”

James expounds upon what he has just written when he says, “...because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.” (9-11)

With these words James reminds his readers, especially the rich, that death and destruction comes upon everyone. All people will pass away and perish even while they are in the midst of their grand pursuits and impressive plans. Perhaps because of all of the advantages that they were enjoying they had forgotten that there is a day of judgment coming. (2:12) Therefore, these words should provoke these Christians to ask,

• Why is there death and decay?

• Why do we wither like grass and why does our beauty perish in this world?

• If all of these things are true how should we live and what hope can anyone have?

Solomon was wise when he considered similar things saying, “There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt (James 5:1-6), and those riches were lost in a bad venture (James 4:13-17)…As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind?” (Ecclesiastes 5:13-16)

What wisdom did Solomon gain as he contemplated these things? He concludes his book with these words, “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Matthew 6:33; 3 John 1)

In James 1:12-27, James writes about important Gospel truths which will show so clearly that the ‘sin of partiality’ is contrary to the Gospel and condemned by the Law of God.

James begins in 1:12 to talk about the importance of a steadfast faith in Jesus and His Word. Such a person is blessed if he loves God and continues to hope in the promise that God has given regarding eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD.

James reminds these Christians in 1:13-17 that they need to deal with sin in their lives very quickly because it always leads to death. Sin leads to physical, emotional, and relational breakdown so it should be repented of. When a believer is tempted they are tempted by their own desires; therefore we ought to quickly turn to the LORD who will graciously give us every good and perfect gift that we so desperately need.

One of those good and perfect gifts that God gives is salvation, regeneration, and new life. James 1:18 says, “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.” It is this new nature that gives a believer a new relationship to God and His Word.

• Jeremiah 31:31-34- “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

• Ezekiel 11:19-20- “And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.”

• Ezekiel 36:24-27- “I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you to your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”

In James 1:22-27 James writes about how a believer is to be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only. After speaking of these gospel truths James says in James 2:1, “My brothers, show no partiality, as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.”

In this verse we see two points.

• First, the facts regarding the Gospel makes the sin of partiality, or any sin, inconsistent with the Christian life.

• Second, it is clear from everything that James has written thus far that he believes that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone and this same faith sanctifies us too.

After James lays this gospel foundation he is now ready to deal with the ‘sin of partiality’ in James 2:1-13.

• In verses 2:1-7 James boldly calls out this sin, “Have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” (4) James says, “You have dishonored the poor man.” (6) In these verses James puts forward the charge.

• In James 2:8-13 James will allow the Law of God to proclaim the verdict, “You are committing sin and are convicted by the Law as a transgressor.” (9)

If James were to stop after verse 7 some might claim that there is not a sin that needs to be addressed. They might say, “We have not broken God’s Law. It’s not like we murdered anyone!” James knows that if this sin is not seen and repented of these congregations will continue to walk in darkness and they will not enjoy true Christian fellowship. (1 John 1:5-10)

James will use the Royal Law which Jesus spoke of in Matthew 27:37-40 to address this sin, “‘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.”

What evidence will be seen when these Christians express this type of love for God and others? 1 John 5:1-3 states, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.”

We might ask, “Why are God’s commandments are not burdensome to us?” John continues (4-5), “For everyone who have been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world- our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”

They can enjoy this type of fellowship if they will by faith obey the Royal Law. This is the very thing that James begins to speak about in verses 8-13. James begins by saying, “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.”

Notice how James strongly affirms that all who obey the royal law according to scripture are ‘doing well’. This means that they are doing good. It means they are living an honorable and commendable life before God and others. This means that they are thinking and acting rightly according to the will of God. Because of all of this they are blameless and beyond reproach. Those whose lives are characterized by this type of obedience to the Word of God in word, deed and in thought experience health and wholeness in every area of their lives.

In contrast to this, when a person is not fulfilling the royal law according to the scriptures they are ‘committing sin and are convicted by the law as a transgressor’. Sins like these will always lead to relational breakdown, cause misery and pain, and result in death. (James 1:15; Romans 6:16).

Gospel Encouragement: We cannot free ourselves but Paul says this, “Thanks be to God, that we who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which we were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness...For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.” {Romans 6:17-19} Oh, what beautiful fellowship we can share together when we live according to our new natures in Christ and obey God’s Word.

James continues by saying, “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 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.” (10-11)

I recently I watched a sermon by a Jewish Rabbi who claimed to be a Messianic Jew. He was teaching on the 10 commandments and at one point he said, “The Law is not that hard to keep. Who does not have the ability to keep the Sabbath?” It seems to me that this man needed to hear James’ teaching on the Law of God. If you break one command in thought, word or deed you are guilty of breaking the whole Law.

A man who thinks he can keep the Law will not think very highly of Christ who said, “So do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17)

This man needed to heed Jesus’ warning in Matthew 5:19, “Whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven…”.

• The Pharisees weakened the Law like the man I was listening to. They said, “You shall not murder; whoever murders is liable to judgment.” (5:21) Jesus said, “But I say to you whoever is angry with his brother will be liable.”

• The Pharisees weakened the Law and said, “You shall not commit adultery.” But Jesus said, “I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Instead of relaxing the law one ought to look to Christ for His righteousness and for the grace to obey. (James 2:1) Jesus goes on to say, “...but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (19-20) We cannot fulfill the Law of God by depending upon the flesh. No, we must be born-again and live by the Spirit! (Romans 6:8; Galatians 5:16-26)

No person can be justified by the works of the law. If we break just one of its commands we are guilty of breaking the whole Law. James spoke of a mirror in chapter one so let’s use that mirror as an illustration (1:22-25). If someone hits a mirror with a stone the whole mirror will shatter. Similarly, if one sin is committed against the Law the whole Law is broken. It not evident by this that no one will be justified by the Law.

Doesn’t this make the apostle John’s words important to us when he writes in 1 John 2:1-2, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”

When we come to know the LORD as our Righteous Savior everything changes. John writes, “And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. Whoever says ‘I know Him’ but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps His Word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in Him: whoever abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.” (1 John 2:3-6)

Oh, how important it is that we abide in Christ! John 15:4 says, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” John writes in John 15:8-10, 12-13, “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in His love.. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

All of us stand condemned by the Law but the Judge can give mercy to all who repent and believe the Good News. The Good News is that Jesus displayed such a great love for His friends when He laid down His life for you and I. He did this for us when we were weak and ungodly. He displayed this love for us when we were still sinners and His enemies. (Romans 5:6-11)

In this way we have been given mercy. Therefore, James can say, “So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

Because we have been shown mercy we have been set free from the condemnation of sin and from the power of sin. We are made into a new creation, given the Holy Spirit, adopted into God’s family, God’s Law is written in our hearts, and we are enabled to obey His commands and keep His statutes.

• Those who have received such grace love from God will also love God’s people.

• Those who have received such mercy will become a merciful people towards others.

• Those who have such saving faith are radically transformed as we will see in the coming weeks.