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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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PARTIALITY
AND THE ROYAL LAW (James 2:8-13) 10-24-12 Grace Bible Church,
Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I. PARTIALITY TRANSGRESSES
THE ROYAL LAW (8-11) A. Partiality is Negated by
the Royal Law (8) 1. In light
of the partiality by which some of these dispersed believers are living (Jm
2:1-7), James continues to teach that it is sin according to the Royal Law. 2. From a positive perspective, “if” (1st
Class, simple condition) these believers are continually “fulfilling” (present
indicative - tele,ō - carry out,
fulfill, complete) the Royal Law,
then they are doing “well’’ (kalōs, adverb - good, well, fitly)
spiritually. 3. James was not speaking of attempting to
keep the Law in order to get to heaven (Ro 3:20). However, he was speaking
emphatically that some of these believers were sinning by showing favoritism
to the rich and slighting the poor (Jm 2:2-4). 4. The relationship of the OT Law to NT
believers is in one sense ended for the believer because Christ took our sin
or violation of God’s Law on the cross (Ro 7:4; 10:4; Col 2:14). The
sacrificial system of righteousness through the Law is ended for those who
have come to Christ (He 10:1, 10, 12, 14). Nevertheless, God’s character,
will, and moral intent of the Law, will always apply to the believer’s
behavior. 5. To show that partiality negates the moral
intent of the Royal Law, James identifies the Royal Law by quoting Le 19:18,
“but you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus said that the
greatest and foremost commandment is Deut 6:5 (You shall love the LORD
your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might)
(Mt 22:37-40). The second greatest commandment is Le 19:18 that James quoted.
These two comprise the Royal Law. It is “royal” (basiliko,s - belonging to a king (basileu,s) because
it was given by the King of kings. It is royal because from these commandments
depend the whole moral intent of the Law and Prophets. In other words,
fulfilling the moral intent of these two commandments is the basis and
inclusion of all other commandments as well as God’s character and will.
Partiality finds no place in the Royal Law or in God’s character and will. B. To have Partiality is to
be a Transgressor (9) 1. To those
who were not convinced that partiality was wrong, James argues that it
transgresses the Law which convicts them of sin. 2. “If” (1st Class, simple
condition) they were showing partiality or favoritism (prosōpolêmpte,ō -
originally to “take the face” as to accept or esteem, but had evolved to show
partial respect or favoritism to someone, verb for of prosōpolêmpsi,a, vs. 1),
then they were committing sin and violating the Royal Law. 3. Though some of the dispersed believers
may not have agreed, James taught that partiality is “committing” (erga,zomai - work, perform, practice, commit, - present
middle - “your yourselves”) sin. In
which case they are being “convicted” (ele,ngchō - to expose, reprove, convict) by the moral intent of the Law. Committing
partiality makes one a “transgressor” (paraba,tês - step or walk over the line) of the Royal Law (cp. also Le 19:15; Deut 16:19).
4. Showing partiality and disrespecting
another is not loving God who made all men or loving others as we would
desire to be treated. C. To Break One Point is to
Break the Whole Law (10) 1. Some of
the dispersed believers may have thought that if they kept the moral intent
of the Law for the most part but violated only the area of partiality, they
were doing well. James dismantles such thinking by reasoning that the Law is
viewed as a unity rather than individual categories. 2. James explains (“for” gar) that if
there is someone who is obeying the “whole” (ho,los - entire, total, all)
Law but breaks one point, they have broken the whole Law. 3. Even if they “stumble” (ptai,ō - stumble or slip, not a complete fall, fig.
slip into sin) in one (ei,s -
numeral one) point, they are in essence guilty of the whole Law. 4. To be sure, one simple act of partiality
makes them “guilty” (e,nochos -
subject to, held by, liable) of the
entire Law itself. 5. To violate God’s character and will means
to violate it whether it is on one point or many. One either obeys God’s will
or he does not. It is also true of God’s Law. One either obeys the moral
intent of God’s Law or he doesn’t. Though downplayed by some, partiality
breaks God’s will and Law. Sin may have varying degrees of consequences, but
there are not varying degrees of sin. All sin and every sin is sin.
Therefore, partiality causes one to break the whole Law. D. Example Between 6th
and 7th Commandments (11) 1. To
illustrate this, James gives an example between the 6th and 7th
Commandments. It is a futile notion to say you are keeping the whole Law but
breaking the 6th Commandment. 2. James states that the One who “said” (eipōn
fr. legō - to say or speak) in Ex 20:14, “Do not commit adultery” (7th
Commandment) is also the same One who “said” (same word) in Ex 20:13,“Do
not commit murder” (6th Commandment). 3. It is not acceptable to say I may have
committed murder (6th) but I have not committed adultery (7th).
Neither God nor anyone else (including these dispersed believers) would agree
with such absurd reasoning. 4. Everyone would agree that a violator of
the 6th Commandment is a Law breaker just as much as a violator of
the 7th Commandment. 5. Either case, they have “transgressed” (same
as vs. 9) and stepped over the line of the Law. The same absurd reasoning
would apply to anyone who would justify their partiality. II. BELIEVERS ARE JUDGED BY
THE LAW OF LIBERTY (12-13) A. Live as Being Judged by
Law of Liberty (12) 1. What
follows is the application of James to these believers. He tells them that
because partiality is sin and transgression of the Law, they were to speak
and act with the same understanding. They were to live as those being judged
by the law of liberty with which partiality is not acceptable. 2. “So” (outōs - in this manner or
way, thus, so; used twice in an emphatic construction), as a spiritually
logical response, they were to live accordingly to the reasoning of
Scripture. 3. They were to keep on speaking (present
imperative - lale,ō - to speak) and keep on acting (present imperative - poie,ō - to do or act) with the understanding that partiality breaks the
whole Law. 4. In addition, they were to live this way
realizing that they will be judged by the law of liberty. a) The only
judgment that James could be applying to believers was the Judgment Seat of
Christ (2Co 5:10). This is not a judgment of sin or for salvation (Ep 1:7; Ro
8:1). Rather it is the judgment of rewards in heaven (1Co 3:11-15). Some will
be burned up (1Co 3:15) and some will stand the test (1Co 3:14). Living
according to law of liberty will be one of the criteria by which (“by”-
dia, - through or by, can be the idea of agency) believers will be judged
(rewarded or not). b) The “law of liberty” or the “law that
gives freedom” correlates with the “royal law” in Jm 2:8. It would include
the “law of Christ” (1Co 9:21; Ga 6:2) which is Christ’s law to “love one
another as He loved us” (Jn 13:34; 15:17; Ro 13:8, 10). The believer’s life
is to exemplify these laws of love. But also the believer’s motivation of
love for Christ in obedience and service will be weighed at the Judgment Seat
of Christ. B. Know that God Judges
Impartially (13) 1. James
concludes that the presence or absence of love, mercy, and impartiality
reveals whether or not a person has been saved by faith in Christ. It will
also reveal whether, as an unbeliever he will receive no mercy, or as a
believer, God’s mercy in Christ will triumph over judgment. 2. The unbeliever’s life is characteristic (present
tense) of showing no mercy (e,leos
- mercy, compassion, grace). That
one will be without mercy (aneleos) in judgment. 3. However, the believer’s life will be
characteristic of showing love, mercy, and impartiality. God’s mercy and
grace in Christ on the believer’s behalf will be revealed and “triumph” (katakauchaomai
- exults over, be victorious) over judgment. III. OBSERVATIONS AND
APPLICATION A. All believers no matter
what circumstance or what person ought to be impartial in extending the law
of Christ. The believer should habitually display this behavior not only for
rewards but also because it coincides with the moral intent of God’s royal
law. B. Christians must be careful not to fall
into partiality even though at times it has become culturally acceptable,
ecclesiastically acceptable, and politically acceptable. The impartial law of
Christ must prevail in showing our citizenship from heaven and our Great
Commission for earth. |
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