8 If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

10 Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom. 13 For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Alex Chen

This passage initially looks intimidating: “If you really fulfill the royal law in Scripture,” “keeping the whole law and not stumbling at even just one point” – if you do, you’re guilty. It ends with the message that judgement is coming, and a brief saying about mercy. It’s not an easy read to psych yourself up on a Monday morning.

But this passage in James is an always-needed reminder for our lives in light of Jesus. We know that Jesus was the one who fulfilled the law perfectly and obeyed every commandment. He gave his life in mercy by taking God’s judgement for us at the cross. From this we are called to fulfill the royal law – the law that king Jesus said sums up all of the law: “Love your neighbour as yourself” (see Matthew 22:39). This love is counter-cultural. In our world of marketing, social status, and outward looks, we can stand out by loving the lowly, the vulnerable, the outsider. As we saw earlier in the chapter, we can be counter-cultural by not showing favouritism.

But this reminder about obeying the law – all of it – isn’t just a demand for outward obedience. Instead, we’re encouraged to wholeheartedly love God and act out of that love with all our heart, soul, and strength. We’re encouraged to listen to God’s words of mercy to us in the gospel and live them out, rather than let them sit in us as mere words. As receivers of mercy, let us show mercy to others, not judgement. Mercy triumphs over judgement.

For many of us, Monday mornings mean a lot of thinking about all the things we have to do this week: perform tasks, check in with people, help out where we’re needed, try to keep on top of things. But today, as we listen to this passage from God’s Word, it would be wise to pause and make sure we have the right starting point: Christ’s work for us. It’s good to check whether we’ve got blind spots – maybe we’re doing some good things but ignoring wrongs in other areas of life. It’s good to see who is around us that we can show love to. Who – of my family, friends, or the strangers I meet – can I show mercy to, rather than judgement? Pray that we would not let God’s loving work for us sit idle and inactive, but that we would let it overflow to our neighbour. Let us live in light of Jesus’ mercy to us, knowing that he will return.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alex is one of our Student Ministers.