James 2:1-13 - Mercy Triumphs over Judgment

James 2:1-13

Beware of Personal Favoritism

1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. 2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” 4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? 7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?

8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

James tells us not to be proud in knowing Christ while looking down on others who have less than us.  We are to consider we have nothing apart from Christ and His grace that saves us from our due wrath to come on the day of judgment (Acts 17:31, Romans 2:16, 2 Timothy 4:8) for all we have done and whether we know Him.  If we then have the unthankful attitude devoid of true humility up in having been granted eternal forgiveness to life by our treatment of those we think we are better than, then we are judges who are ourselves facing accountability for such lack of love and mercy shown us.  We do well to take these words to heart as we consider that being poor financially and lower on the social ladder is nothing compared to the true kingdom riches in Christ.  Those He chooses are often poor in spirit as well as in possessions that they may be examples of grace to us all who He has given much.  Are we rich in faith?  Then let us lavish love and care on those lacking other things in this life in true thankful humility and not consider ourselves better than anyone.  The example here reminds us how the rich get richer through lawsuits and oppression as they blaspheme the name of Christ, so why be like them in favoritism and prejudice?  We have been called to love our neighbors in active faith that meets needs with equality and empathy, not with haughtiness or pride.  We do not just give charity to “those people,” but exercise genuine care for those in need as the Lord cares for us in our deepest need of Him and His merciful grace.  We are to keep all the moral Law in doing this to find mercy for ourselves in the freedom we have been given as an eternal inheritance.  Yes, showing true heartfelt mercy triumphs over harsh judgment when we consider our own undeserved mercy from the Lord!  May we therefore have grace and compassion in true love as good neighbors to those in need.