Lesson 5 for November 1, 2014

James 2:1-13
The commandments
of the law of love

1. James 2:1-4.
You shall be no
respecter of persons.
2. James 2:5-7.
You shall not offend
the poor.
3. James 2:8-9.
You shall love your
neighbor.
4. James 2:10-11.
You shall keep the
Law.
5. James 2:12-13.
You shall have mercy.

My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of
glory, with partiality. 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, 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, have you not shown
partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
(James 2:1-4)

We tend to respect those we think are

above us in our social scale.
Meanwhile, we tend to look down on
those below us.
We are all equal in the eyes of God.
Therefore, we shall show the same
love and justice to everyone as
Christians.

Never are we to be cold and unsympathetic,

especially when dealing with the poor. Courtesy,
sympathy, and compassion are to be shown to all.
Partiality for the wealthy is displeasing to God. Jesus
is slighted when His needy children are slighted. They
are not rich in this worlds goods, but they are dear to
His heart of love. God recognizes no distinction of
rank. With Him there is no caste. In His sight, men are
simply men, good or bad. In the day of final reckoning,
position, rank, or wealth will not alter by a
hairsbreadth the case of anyone. By the all-seeing God,
men will be judged by what they are in purity, in
nobility, in love for Christ.

E.G.W. (Counsels on Stewardship, cp. 33, pg. 162)

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? But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the
rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme
that noble name by which you are called? (James 2:5-7)

The poor

who are
rich in
faith

will inherit
the
Kingdom

The rich

who
oppress
the poor

blaspheme
the name
of Jesus

If a brother or sister uses his wealth or position to

profit from others in church, he is blaspheming
the name of Jesus. He or she is humiliating Jesus
before others.

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, You shall love
your neighbor as yourself, you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit
sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. (James 2:8-9)

James is talking about the

Ten Commandments, as
stated in verse 12. That is
a royal Law, because it is
the law of the KING OF
KINGS.
James explains the commandments on how to
treat others, like Jesus did in the Mount of
Blessing. Those commandments are summed up
in a single commandment, you shall love your
neighbor as yourself.

When we have respect of

persons or we dont loving
them, we are sinning against
the Law of God.

For whoever shall keep the whole law,

and yet stumble in one point, he is
guilty of all. 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.
(James 2:10-11)

We are not exempted from keeping the

Law just because we love our neighbor.
On the contrary, we dont really love our
neighbor when we break any of the
Commandments.
I cannot love my neighbor and lie to him
(Exodus 20:16). I cannot love my
neighbor and insult him (Matthew 5:22)
Transgressing the Law of God damages our relationship with
Him and with our neighbor.

So speak and so do as those who

will be judged by the law of
liberty. For judgment is without
mercy to the one who has shown
no mercy. Mercy triumphs over
judgment. (James 2:12-13)
If we sincerely love God, we will
necessarily love our neighbor. Thats a
result of accepting the salvation Jesus gives
as by the cross.
Anyone who does not love will confront a
merciless judgment.
But those who love will have a blessed
assurance in the judgment. They know that
God is merciful to those who love.

E.G.W. (SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, on James 2:13)

Justice and Mercy stood apart, in opposition to each

other, separated by a wide gulf. The Lord our Redeemer
clothed His divinity with humanity, and wrought out in
behalf of man a character that was without spot or
blemish. He planted His cross midway between heaven and
earth, and made it the object of attraction which reached
both ways, drawing both Justice and Mercy across the gulf.
Justice moved from its exalted throne, and with all the
armies of heaven approached the cross. There it saw One
equal with God bearing the penalty for all injustice and
sin. With perfect satisfaction Justice bowed in reverence at
the cross, saying, It is enough.