Studies from the Book of James

James 2:1-13

The Royal law according to the scriptures" This Law is Royal in its Source. It is the Sovereign law of God, which is settled in heaven.

It is the law of Christ’s kingdom and as such, it is to control all the subjects of that kingdom who are in fact royalty.

James highlights a particular portion of scripture, to describe the Royal Law, it’s the command. "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself"

To abide by the Royal Law, we must love our neighbour as we do ourselves.

The Declaration of the Law.

James 2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

James 2:10 for whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

James is saying that if you show favoritism "you sin" and are convicted as lawbreakers. You have offended God by your actions. In God’s eyes favoritism is not a trivial thing, it’s intolerable. We are reminded that no sin is to be regarded as small or insignificant, because God forbids all sin. No Christian can afford to be careless with "The Royal Law of God". James reminds us why we must not be careless with the Word of God.

James 2:12 so speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

This has already taken place in the Past. It’s over. Sin was judged at Calvary when God poured out the fury of His wrath as Jesus hung on the cross.

Jesus gave Himself for our sins that He might deliver us from this present evil age.

Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Rev. 20:11-15. All who are not found in "the book of life" are cast into "the lake of fire."

The Lord will subdue the Gentile Powers. He will rule with a rod of iron and He will judge the Nations.

The peculiar basis of this judgment is the way all nations have dealt with Israel during the Tribulation period preceding the second advent of Christ.

These nations will then be subordinate to Israel as the millennial state merges into the eternal state.

Judgement will come to all. How sad it is that the unbeliever lives from year to year without giving thought to eternal things.

God has forgotten, he will not call me to account. Such are living in a state of delusion.

What a sobering thought! Everything that we say and do leaves its mark in the human make up and it is recorded permanently.

Will God who made these wonderful recording instruments forget what has been recorded? Man likes to think that God has forgotten but the law of God states

Eccl 3:15God requireth that which is past.

The sinner will be judged for God will bring all things to judgment and all will be judged according to the Royal Law of liberty.

The day is coming when every believer will be examined. They will be judged by the law of liberty.

2 Cor 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

This is the day that we must face! There is no question of the believer being shut out of heaven or loosing their salvation.

For the judgement of the believer’s sin took place at Calvary when Jesus paid our dept in full. It is the examination of our service.

It will be a judgement of fire when all the service of wood, hay, and stubble will be consumed and only the true God glorifying service of Gold, Silver, and precious stones will remain.

On that day, it will not be the quantity of a persons service for God that will count but the quality

Beloved, on that day the one whose eyes are like a flaming fire will judge our Words, deeds, and attitudes.

Mat 12:36 But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the Day of Judgment.

Mat 12:37 for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

We cannot sin lightly and serve God Faithfully. We need to be fervent in spirit serving the Lord.

Lord in Thy Name I go-- My daily labour to pursue

Thee only Thee resolved to know

In all I think or say or do

The Law of liberty shall judge us. The law that gives us freedom, as Christians, shall judge us, the law of God’s grace in the Gospel.

The Law of liberty has set us free from the Law’s Covenant, which demanded perfection, but only showed up our imperfection. Paul states--

Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

No one shall be declared righteous in God’s sight by observing the law. It was the Jew’s ignorance of this truth that broke Paul’s heart.

Rom 10:2-4 For I bear them record that they have zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. KJV

The Jewish people, knowing their need to have a right relationship with God, sought to establish their own righteousness, and failed to submit themselves to the righteousness of God. They failed to realise that Jesus Christ is the end of the Law for all who put their trust in Him because he has perfectly fulfilled all the conditions of the law on man’s behalf.

Bless God we are free from the Law oh happy condition, for Grace has redeemed us once for all

The court made its decision and the verdict was read in Japanese and then it was interpreted into Korean. It came across to Bruce Hunt like this "You are without crime"

Hunt then asked if this was a suspended sentence? "No it is not a suspended sentence! It is a suspended judgement". "Why is this" asked Hunt?

The answer he received was " The court did not find you guilty, and if you do not get into trouble for a period of two years, then everything will be alright.

Although the court has not found you guilty, it has not declared you "Not guilty" this is a suspended judgement. If you do anything to offend the authorities during the next two years then judgement will be executed.

Friends, the Believer is not under a suspended judgement, because Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law, becoming a curse for us.

There is not a suspended sentence or a suspended judgement hanging over our heads because of our sins and our transgressions. The judgement for our sin was meted out in full measure in the death of Christ.

The Wrath of God that was our due- Upon the Lamb was laid—

And by the shedding of His blood the dept for us was paid.

The Christian is free from the Covenant of the law and free from the Curse of the Law. His suffering brought our release. His death is our life and His hell is our heaven.

Because my sinless Saviour died

My guilty soul is counted free

For God the just is satisfied to look on Him and Pardon me.

Having received the law of liberty through the gospel we are to live by and to obey this Royal law. We are to love God with all our hearts and our neighbours as ourselves.

James 2:12 so speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

We are to speak and do as those who are going to be judged.

It is consistent of James to bring this in first, for already he has touched on the use of the tongue. Now he is writing in the context of the day of judgement. What we say to people and how we say it will come up before God. All our careless words will be judged and every idle word.

Not only will those careless and idle words be judged on that day, those words that were carefully and deliberately chosen will also be judged. Including those hurtful words of criticism, those words of slander and deceit, and those words of flattery and folly.

The Apostle John wrote words which summarise what James is saying.

I Jn 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. (KJV)

We need to practise what we preach. This was the desire of James for the Lord’s people. They were not only to be hearers of the Word but doers also. He stresses the importance of this by placing this in the context of the Judgement to come.

How important is this phrase " so speak and so do"

We must ever speak and act as those who are going to be judged at the judgement seat of Christ.

The fact that God is going to take every word and action into account on that day, then surely we should take this into account today.

James 2:12 so speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

3. A Danger that we must Forsake.

James 2:13 for he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

James is telling us that not only will our words and works be judged but

The way we treat others will be judged. Our attitudes will be judged. As someone has said, "what we weave in time we shall wear in eternity".

James says in verse 13 if we have shown mercy to others in our speech and in our actions, we will triumph at the judgement seat of Christ.

James 2:13 for judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. (NKJ)

What a startling thought! What a reality check! How we ought to live in a way that will not cause us to be ashamed at the judgment.

It's a Royal Law, a Required Law that the Christian shows mercy. The man who has shown no mercy shall be judged without mercy. If we have been mercifully toward others, God can be mercifully to us.

Now I am not saying that mercy can be earned, because it is impossible to earn mercy. I am saying that the Christian, who shows no mercy, shall have judgement without mercy. He will not loose his salvation but his rewards.

Those Christians who live selfishly, showing no love or mercy to poor and needy men and women, will be shown no mercy when rewards are given. James is applying what our Lord taught in

Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

Mat 7:2 for with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

Mercy triumphs over Judgement. Receiving mercy from Christ saves us, and as we have received His mercy then we should show mercy to others.

If we show mercy to others then we will triumph at the Judgement seat of Christ. A heart that is full of mercy will have no fear on the day of judgement.

James is teaching in this whole section that there must be no discrimination, or favouritism based upon one's appearance, income, or influence.

May we realize that from God's standpoint, favouritism is ungodly, favouritism is unreasonable, and favouritism is unlawful!! In light of the Royal law. It is Unmerciful.

The Church is to reach out in mercy to all, as Jesus reached out in mercy. He was no respecter of persons. He reached out to the richest and the poorest in society. He did not discriminate because of race, respectability, or religious beliefs.

He displayed His love and Mercy for all, when he went to Calvary to lay down His life a ransom for many. At Calvary the ground is level for rich and poor alike. It is level for all the people of the world.

May we ever remember "Mercy Triumphs over Judgement"? The reality of our faith is displayed in how we treat others.

May the Holy Spirit help us to show mercy to others, that we might rejoice in the mercy of Christ, as we stand before Him at the Judgement Seat?