But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
Yesterday, in verse 8, James quotes God Himself from Leviticus 19: 18b saying, “… love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”
Jesus repeats this when tested by the Pharisees. Jesus says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22: 37b-40)
When James quotes the “royal law” he is on very solid ground. He follows this up with his statement that showing favoritism is a sin. He tells us that God’s words themselves convict the person who sins in this way.
So how does this work? This doesn’t sound like Paul’s letters to the Gentile churches where we learn that we are no longer under the law! (Romans 6:14 for example.)
It helps to keep in mind that the people James is writing to are Jewish Christians. Jewish Christians have one foot in ancient Jewish traditions and the other in the new Christianity.
As Gentiles, we might have the excuse of never having been trained in the laws of God. The Jews know God’s law. They cannot plead ignorance. They know that God wants his people to love their neighbor. If someone knows this, and still chooses to show favoritism for the rich neighbor and dishonor the poor neighbor, they have broken God’s law.
Application: If a person knows what God wants his followers to do and chooses not to it, they are not following God. Choose to follow God and choose to be godly.
Food for Thought: How is what James talks about different than ”works righteousness?”
What James is talking about is how we identify our sin as sin. The law is good in showing us our need. It is not good to make us righteous. That takes Jesus work on our behalf.
Thanks Rich! Your answer is amazingly succinct!
At first glance that seemed like a simple question, but it is actually quite complex. James is directing us into action according to our beliefs, and not to actions that will save us in and of themselves.
When we say we love one another, we shouldn’t just love the rich but should also love those who are poor as well. We are not to choose how we apply the Law, or when we apply the Law.
That being said; Jesus said he did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill the Law.
And I probably rabbit trailed three times on this response…but I tried to keep it under three minutes.
Rob,
I think your response is excellent, rabbit trails and all! It is a complex question. One reason I see it as complex is that it speaks to the heart of the Gospel. In God’s eyes, the Law and Love are one and the same thing.
👍🏻