Song: By Our Love: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEwb51LawAI
I Have a Maker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=warce72GcZI
Change My Heart https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwudqCO7mSQ
Prayer: Father God we bless you this night. We thank you for loving us and leading us “home” into your love. Lord we all have problems. Some big, some small. We have provision issues, health issues, emotional issues, family issues and heart issues. Help us to love you more and obey you more quickly. Help us to be slow to anger and abounding in faith, hope and joy. And for tonight, please help us set aside the cares of this day or this season and simply “be” with you.
In Jesus name amen.
Last week we considered “loving our neighbor as ourself” in the context of loving ourselves. If we have never received God’s love or beleived his Word that tells us who we really are, then it would be very difficult to love our neighbor in the same way we love oursevles.
James goes on in verse 8 along a different tact. Let’s just reread v 5-7 James 2:5-7: Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
Good reason to value everyone the same too wasn’t it?
8 If, however, you are [really] fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, if you have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit]” you are doing well.
9 But if you show partiality [prejudice, favoritism], you are committing sin and are convicted by the Law as offenders.
Dodi note: That is interesting. The “Royal Law” was Love the LORD your God with all your heart, mind and strength AND love your neighbor AS yourself. The Amplified version I quoted elobrates on that. We are to have unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit.
BUT if we are showing partiality…hmmmm prejudice or favoritism… we are comitting sin. WHAT? Sin? Why is that?
James tells us in the next verses:
10 For whoever keeps the whole Law but stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of [breaking] all of it.
Dodi Note: Guess there is no “little sin”. What do you think? Can we justify choosing intentionally to sin, even in small ways?
Like speeding just 5 miles per hour over the limit, because everyone knows you can get away with that.
James then quotes Jesus Himself. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you murder, you have become guilty of transgressing the [entire] Law.
Let’s find where Jesus said similar. It was in Matthew 5, part of The Sermon on the Mount. 27“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
And also along a similar vein, 31“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
And…21“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brotherc will be liable to judgment; whoever insultsd his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the helle of fire. 23So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
All of these started when Jesus was explaining that he did NOT come to abolish (declare null and void) the law…but to fulfill it:
17“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. 18For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19Therefore 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, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Dodi Note:
It seems to me, reading those and reading James that Jesus calls/invites us to not just follow outward laws but to look to our heart motives.
Often when we feel like we are lacking or not measuring up, we will look around us and find someone who is “worse” than we are. We do it because somehow it makes us feel better about ourselves. In fact probaby all of s could look at a murder and say…well I never killed anyone. But what did Jesus say? Jesus took it a step deeper than literally killing someone. He took it to a heart attitude that we were so angry we wanted to HURT them and equated that with literal murder.
So are you thinking, as I am, that treating others the way we would like to be treated, or “loving others as ourselves” is very important for us and to God?
James goes on to instruct us: 12 Speak and act [consistently] as people who are going to be judged by the law of liberty [that moral law that frees obedient Christians from the bondage of sin]. 13 For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; but [to the one who has shown mercy] mercy triumphs [victoriously] over judgment.
Dodi Note: I kind of understood it but I could not explain it so I looked around. I think Godquestions addresses it and ties it back to Chapter 1 where it is also used. A commentary said this term is only used those two time. I am not sure of that but Godquestions explains the concept. Let’s see:
Question: "What is the law of liberty?" https://www.gotquestions.org/law-of-liberty.html
Answer: We find the law of liberty first mentioned in James 1:25, “But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” James here refers to the gospel, which, although it is called here a law, is not, strictly speaking, a law comprised of requirements and enforced by sanctions.
Rather, it is a declaration of righteousness and salvation by Christ, an offer of peace and pardon by Him, and a free promise of eternal life through Him. The juxtaposition of the two contradictory terms—“law” and “liberty”—made the point, especially to the Jews, that this was an entirely new way of thinking about both. Paul uses this same technique when he refers to the “law of faith” in Romans 3:27. “Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith.”
The perfect liberty found in Christ fulfills the “perfect law” of the Old Testament because Christ was the only one who could. Those who come to Him in faith now have freedom from sin’s bondage and are able to obey God. Christ alone can set us free and give us true liberty (John 8:36).”So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
The phrase “law of liberty” is found again in James 2:12. In this portion of his epistle, James is discussing the sin of showing partiality within the church. He reminds his hearers that to show favoritism toward others is a violation of the command to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Jesus Himself reminded us that all of the Law that God gave to Moses could be summed up into one concise principle—to love God with all the heart, soul and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37–40).
God’s Word teaches plainly that all have sinned and stand condemned before God (Romans 3:10, as it is written:
“None is righteous, no, not one; 23; 6:23).
Romans 6:23
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and No one but Jesus Christ has ever fully obeyed the law of God. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
He who knew no sin became sin for us (Isaiah 53:5–6; But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all. 2 Corinthians 5:21 21For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.!
Christ’s sacrifice on the cross has redeemed from the curse of the Law all who trust in Him by faith (Galatians 3:10–14). 10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
Dodi Note: Isn’t this great review of what God has freely given us? And proof also that we are of great value to God? Which, believing we are is part of loving ourselves.
Believers have been justified (declared righteous) by His grace (Romans 3:24–28) 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
and are no longer under condemnation (Romans 8:1). There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
All who have trusted Christ have received the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9). You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
It is His power in us that gives us the ability to please God (Galatians 5:13–16).13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.
Keep in Step with the Spirit
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
Christ’s perfect sacrifice brings release from the eternal death sentence that the Law brings upon all sinners, and it gives believers the ability to please God as we put off the works of the flesh (Colossians 3:1–9),
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices,
put on love (Colossians 3:12–17), Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
and walk in (or by) the Spirit day by day. It is by the Spirit’s filling and control (Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 5:17–21) that we can walk in love and please our Heavenly Father.
Galatians 5:16-2616 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Dodi Note: The Fruit of the Spirit is very much like what we are told to “put on” isn’t it?
And Ephesians 5:17-21….Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Ephesians 5:17–21) that we can walk in love and please our Heavenly Father.
What perfect liberty we now enjoy! What a blessed privilege to have received mercy, to be redeemed (liberated) from the bondage of sin, and to be empowered for service by our Creator! Our love for others proves the reality of our faith (1 John 4:7–11).God Is Love
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. Let us love one another even as He has loved us and (1 John 4:19)We love because he first loved us.
That is a whole lot to remember. Those are GREAT passages to study in depth, expecially the “put off-put one” ones. Next time we will pick up in James about Faith and Works which was alluded to in some of these passages as well.
Have a GRAND week, see you next time.