8 Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[d] 9 But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.
10 For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws. 11 For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.”[e] So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.
12 So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. 13 There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.
James 2:8-13 (NLT) 中文
Golden rule and favoritism
James continues the message from the last post about showing favoritism. Ultimately, favoritism stems from breaking what King Jesus deemed the 2nd greatest commandment: love our neighbor as ourself (Mark 12:31). But note that, “James did not mean that Christians should avoid honoring the rich but that we should love everyone and treat every individual like we would treat ourselves (Matt. 7:12; cf. Lev. 19:18).” (Constable commentary)
Treat as trivial
It seems James was addressing an objection he suspected would arise to his condemnation of favoritism. Some might say, “But I’m obeying the commandment to love my neighbor by loving the rich man.” While this is true, they are still violating the same command by not loving the poor.
“Our obedience to God’s will cannot be on a selective basis; we cannot choose that part that is to our liking and disregard the rest. God’s will is not fragmentary; the entire law is the expression of His will for His people; it constitutes a grand unity…He who crosses a forbidden boundary at one point or another is guilty of having crossed the boundary.” (Hiebert in Constable commentary)
Law for today
But this in no way means that we are “under the law”, that is, that we are obligated to keep the law as any kind of merit toward salvation. “This section of verses may raise a question in some minds concerning how James viewed the Christian’s relationship to the Mosaic Law. Was he implying that we are responsible to keep the whole Mosaic Code? His own words at the Jerusalem Council show that this was not his view (cf. Acts 15:13-21).
God gave the Mosaic Law both to regulate the life of the Israelites and to reveal the character and purposes of God to the Israelites and all other people. Its regulatory function ceased when Jesus died on the cross (Rom. 10:4; Heb. 7:12). Its revelatory value remains forever: it is part of “all Scripture” that is still profitable (2 Tim. 3:16).” (Constable commentary)
Judgment for all
Of course there is judgment for unbelievers; they will be separated from God for rejecting his Grace. But the righteous will also be judged. And this is probably what James is referring to. God promises reward and treasure in Heaven for followers of Christ. We risk losing (at least partially) when we violate Christ law of freedom (2 Cor. 5:10; cf. Matt. 5:7; 6:15; 7:1; 18:23-25).
RЯeflection
- Maybe because it’s so commonly quoted, we tend to ignore the “Golden rule”. How are you measuring up?
- I encourage you to read the Constable commentary link in the Law for Today section above. You might find it freeing if you struggle with the idea of needing to follow the 10 commandments.
