Thursday, December 29, 2011

LIBERTY

"So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty" (James 2:12).
 
In this verse, the words, "speak" and "act" are imperatives--they are commands.  We MUST speak and act (i.e. treat others) in the same way that God is treating us--not by judging and condemning, but rather by releasing and freeing.  In Christ, we are no longer under the law that condemns, but rather we are under the law that frees--the law of liberty.  If we are released from the penalty of sin and offence--then we must also release others from the penalty of their sins and offences against us.  God has given us His ministry to the world of, "not holding their sins against them" (2 Cor. 5:19).
 
Today, who are you keeping imprisoned?  Who are you bitter towards?  Why not release them today even as the Father has released you?  "Speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty" (James 2:12).  When you forgive someone for an offense, you are letting someone up--yourself!

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

LOVE

"For He who said, 'Do not commit adultery,' also said, 'Do not commit murder.'  Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law" (James 2:11).
 
James is making the point that partiality (to make a judgement of someone based on appearance) is a serious sin.  You may need to read the first ten verses of James 2 again to remind yourself of the context of this verse.  The Lawgiver (God) has both said "Do not commit adultery" and "Do not murder".  By the way, there are eight others that are listed in Exodus 20 that James could have used to make his point as well.  What do murder and adultery have in common?  They are both violations of the rules of living that God has given to us for our benefit.  To do either (or any of the other eight) is to put yourself on the wrong side of God's fence and to make yourself a trespasser.  The law of the kingdom is to love each other (James 2:8).  Neither murder nor adultery is an expression of love.  Rather these are expressions of self-interest.  To make a judgement of someone's value based on appearance is also not an expression of love but rather an expression of self-interest.  It is tresspassing.
 
Today, let us attempt to live by the rule of the kingdom--love.  As you make decisions today (and judgements)--see if you can saturate them in true godly love.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

JUDGING

"For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all" (James 2:10).
 
The futility of trying to establish our own righteousness is stated in this verse.  You can live perfectly and yet make one small mistake--and to God it's as if you broke every one of the ten commandments.  This is, of course, in the context of committing the sin of partiality--making value judgements based on appearances.  So, what it means is, you can be a saint by all practical appearances, and yet if you prejudge people, you have become the same as the greatest sinner among us.  This is meant to emphasize the severity of partiality.  In other words, "don't do it!"
 
Today, let us both trust Jesus for our own righteousness . . . and trust Him as well for each others.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

TRESPASSING

"But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors" (James 2:9).
 
"Partiality" carries the idea of giving preference based on appearance.  It is to base one's value on what is on the surface--face value.  James says that to do that is sin.  Partiality is in opposition to the way that God operates and the way that he sees us.  The word, "convicted" is a legal term that implies a conviction with overwhelming evidence.  Note that the conviction is that of being a transgressor--literally a boundary jumper--a trespasser.  When we make judgements based on appearance, it indicates how very far we are from the heart of God--we're trespassing (walking in a place where we do not have the right to walk).
 
Today, let us look past appearances and take the time to get to know hearts.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

LOVE

"If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing well" (James 2:8).
 
The "royal law" is the law of the Kingdom of God.  The royal law is very simple: LOVE!!!!  The word, 'love", here is the Greek word, "agape".  It is the highest form of love--a sacrificing Godly love.  Who are you sacrificing for?  Those that you sacrifice for are the people that you truly love!  Those that merely benefit you are not the objects of your love--they are merely the objects of your comfort--very different.  Love is not a feeling--it is an action--a sacrifice!
 
Who will you love today?

Monday, December 12, 2011

WORSHIP

"Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?" (James 2:7)
 
James says that it is the rich (those who have no needs) that blaspheme (slander) the name of Jesus.  Most of us can relate.  In those times that we have no needs--we tend to wander away from the God of our salvation.  But take away our job, our health, our family, or our emotional stability, and we come sprinting back to Jesus.  You see, you don't have to say a word to blaspheme Jesus--you need only ignore Him.  And ignore Him we do, when we think that all is well and that we have no needs.  The opposite of slander is praise.  One way to insure that we're not slandering God is to saturate our conversations with words of worship.
 
Today, let us worship God whether we have a little or a lot.  Find a way to publically express your love for Jesus.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

FRIENDS

"But you have dishonored the poor man.  Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court?" (James 2:6).
 
James is reminding the church of a reality in his day--that it is the rich and influential who oppress them the most.  It makes no sense to try to gain favor with the rich and as a consequence dishonor the poor.  Relationships are messy.  It is possible, in an attempt to gain influence with someone whom you believe can help you, to leave behind those who have already helped you--to dishonor the poor man.  There is certainly nothing wrong with befriending the rich--building new relationships.  Just make sure that you're not dishonoring the poor in the process--leaving behind your old friends.
 
Today, reach into your past and bless someone who has blessed you!

Thursday, December 1, 2011

POOR

"Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?" (James 2:5).
 
The problem that we face when we make judgements based on appearance is that we completely miss the heart of God.  So often, our values are in conflict with God's values.  Our ways are not His ways!  We see a rich person come into our group and we begin to think about how they can benefit us.  Of course, God doesn't need anything and so He doesn't think like that.  James declares that it is the poor of the world that God has picked to be rich in the realm of faith. Jesus said a similar thing in Matthew 5:3, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven".  God's Kingdom is inherited by the poor.  The poor are the faith-filled ones.  The poor are the true citizens of the Kingdom.  The poor are the true lovers of God.
 
Look to bless the poor today and you just might find the poor blessing you!