The Merciful Royal Law | Sermon 04/17/12022

James 2:8-13

James continues his admonishment on partiality in believers. The law of the King has been given and its authority is derived from Him. He says, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” This is right and good. And it is the opposite of personal favoritism because favoritism in the end seeks to gain personally from their partiality. It is self-love. It is making oneself a god before God.

Therefore, it transgresses the law: the first and second tables of that glorious law. Just as God is not made up of parts as if His attributes are separate; the law is a reflection of His very nature. To disobey one precept is to be in full transgression against the whole of that law and the Lawgiver behind it. So as Christians we keep speaking, we keep acting, as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. It is the law of liberty because Christ saved us from the bondage and slavery of sin.

The observance of that law is not meritorious but true freedom as people made in the image of God come into harmony with commandments also made in His image. So, we are to be merciful and not partial towards either the rich or poor. How can one say he’s received mercy from God when he extends none to others? The merciful one shows he’s tasted mercy and is eternally grateful and that spills over into extinguishing favoritism. Because in the end, the mercy of God in Christ triumphs over judgment.