Verse 8
In verse 8, James takes us to the command of God that is the reason why we do not show partiality. Under the Law of Moses, Israel was instructed how to treat people. And in Leviticus 19 Israel is instructed to care for the poor, do not steal, do not lie to one anther, do not oppress your neighbor or rob from him. Do not slander people, Do not treat people unjustly. And then we read these now famous words in Leviticus 10:18 “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”
When Jesus came, he called loving your neighbor the second greatest command behind loving God.
And so James says if you live out the law of God to love your neighbor, you are doing well. You are loving people according to the heart of God. But if you don’t James is going to write, you are a law breaker.
Verses 9-11
We can read these verses and think, “woah, where is James going with all this? How did we get into a discussion about the law and adultery and murder?” And why is James even focused on the law. These are Jewish Christians who no longer live under the law, they live under grace.
James is speaking to Jewish Christians who recognize the importance of God’s moral law and that sin is an offense before a holy God. He gives an example of two sins that everyone would view as serious—worthy of death under the law—murder and adultery.
And James is being a little sarcastic to make a point. He describes someone who says, “I did murder someone but I didn’t commit adultery.” James recognizes no one would say that. Because murder is a serious offense before God. And the point that James is making is no Christian should also say: sure, yes, I showed favoritism but I didn’t murder anyone or commit adultery. Yes, I discriminated in this case but I didn’t kill anyone.
They are both offenses before a holy God. They are both evil. Whether we commit murder, whether we commit adultery, whether we show partiality, they all break the moral law to love your neighbor as yourself. We can’t pick and choose how we love people. We can’t say, “well, I wont murder you but I won’t honor you and treat you with dignity if you come into my home and into my church.”
James says that is not really love.
Verses 12-13
As Christians our lives will be judged not under a law of Dos and Don’t, a law in which we earn salvation but under a law of liberty, a law of freedom, a law of grace.
And so since we will be judged under the law of freedom (it is for freedom that Christ has sent us free; by grace we have been saved by faith), may we act and speak in a manner that reflects what God has given to us – grace and mercy. Not because of anything we earned, but what we freely gave to us.
If we had to earn God’s love and salvation based on what we did, it might make sense that we would in turn make others earn our love.
But when we enter into the Kingdom of God, we enter as people who have received freely God’s grace and mercy. Therefore, the way we love people as people of the Kingdom of God is freely loving them with grace and mercy regardless of any status that they bring.
If we as believers in Jesus Christ receive the grace of God for our salvation and then enter into relationships with people judging them, devaluing them, discriminating against them—loving them based on our standards and conditions—we are making a mockery of who we are as people of grace. We are living contrary to the values and truths of the Kingdom of God.
James is urging us as people of grace living under the law of freedom, to live like it, act like it, speak like it, love and display mercy, grace and justice like it.
James concludes this passage in verse 13 with these words for those who have not experienced the grace of Christ: For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy.
The one who has been born again in Christ demonstrates the love and grace of Christ. It is who we are. We are not people of favoritism and partiality. We love as Christ loved. The one who shows no mercy is the one who has not been transformed by Christ and experienced the mercy of God. And if they choose not to repent, they will not be judged with mercy.
When we show favoritism, we are living like a non-believer who does not understand grace. May that never be.