Living Out Our Faith Openly - v.7-9
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
We are back to our study of James 2 this evening. So take your Bibles and open them to James 2:7-9. That is our verses for tonight.
As you are turning, let me remind you that we are doing a word by word, verse by verse, paragraph by paragraph, chapter by chapter study of the book of James. So, we are breaking it down accordingly. In this chapter, there are only two paragraphs. This is why we haven’t stopped to review a paragraph just yet. We are still working through first to the two. The first paragraph encompasses verses 1-13. So we are getting close.
So let’s read our text and then we will look at it grammatically.
Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
Now remember the Holy Spirit is still teaching us about partiality versus impartiality to others as believers. So lets do our grammatical breakdown of theses verses.
Verse 7 asks a question. Then verses 8 and 9 are a single sentence.
Here are our...
VERBS
Do…blaspheme – to slander; to charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone.
The which…are called – to be nicknamed; to be or become called something else; whether a surname or an alternative moniker.
Ye fulfil – to satisfy perfectly; to satisfy, conceived of as if bringing something to completion without defect or blemish.
Thou shalt love – agape; to love (care); to have a great affection or care for or loyalty.
Ye do – to do (act); to carry out or perform an action or course of actions.
Ye have respect to persons – to be partial; to be or become partial; showing favoritism for any reason.
Ye commit – to do (act); to carry out or perform an action or course of actions.
Are convinced – to be convicted (state); to be or become proven or shown to be guilty.
Our...
NOUNS
Name – person’s name; any rational entity (human being, God) understood by their name; perhaps understood according to the reputation and character of the person.
The Law – law of God; any representative declaration of God’s legal requirements for His creatures; whether in Scripture or in the conscience.
Scripture – passage (scripture); a section of text from the sacred Scriptures; especially the Old Testament.
Sin – sin (act); an act or feeling that transgresses something forbidden or ignores something required by God’s law or character; whether in thought, feeling, speech, or action.
Law – law of God; any representative declaration of God’s legal requirements for His creatures; whether in Scripture or in the conscience.
Transgressors – transgressor; a person who goes beyond or oversteps a moral boundary or limit.
ADJECTIVES
Worthy – good; having desirable or positive qualities; especially those suitable for a thing specified.
Royal - belonging to or befitting a supreme ruler
ADVERBS
Neighbor – neighbor; a person who lives (or is located) near another.
Well – well (good); in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard; sometimes sarcastically so.
From here we want to ask these two questions...
What is the Holy Spirit talking about?
What is the Holy Spirit talking about?
He is still talking about partiality versus impartiality.
What is the Holy Spirit saying about what He is talking about?
What is the Holy Spirit saying about what He is talking about?
To answer this, we must go back to our text.
Look again at verse 7 which says...
Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
Now, remember this the third question in a series of questions posed by the Holy Spirit. And, we also need to remember that the Holy Spirit often uses question in order to emphasize a point.
The first two questions were in verses 5-6.
Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
Essentially, we know from these verses that God loves choosing the poor to confound the rich. He uses the foolish to confound the wise. He uses the weak to confound the mighty. Additionally, we have learned that often the rich person whom you cater or pander to is often the very same person who will throw to the wolves when you owe them something. Verse 7 continues with that point by stating that these people are also the same people who will often “blaspheme that worthy name by the which year are called?” So whose name then is the One “by the which (we) are called?” Well, without a doubt, the Holy Spirit is speaking to true believers who are called by the name of Christ. The word “blaspheme” is from a Greek word that means “to slander; to charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone.” Thus, we are being warned how that favoring one person over another can clearly backfire. In the Holy Spirit’s illustration, He uses the picture of favoring a rich man over a poor person. This brings us back to verse 1 once again which says plainly...
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
We are to treat others just as Christ treated them. How did He treat them? He did so without partiality. He witnessed to Nicodemus, a respected religious ruler, in the same way He witnessed to the Samaritan woman, an outcast of society. He is our example. We must learn to do the same.
Now note verse 8...
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
Here comes another lesson in pure obedience to Scripture. The Holy Spirit brings us back to the “royal law.” The word “royal” meaning “belonging to or befitting a supreme ruler.” Without question, God is the Supreme Ruler of all things.
What is His royal law? We find the answer to that in both the Old and New Testament. However, for the sake of time, we are going to look at Christ’s answer to that very same question in Matthew 22. Look there in your Bibles...
But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Now especially verse 40 which says “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” If you were to go back to the book of Exodus and chapter 20 where God gives the Ten Commandments, you can literally divide them into two categories. There are commandments that deal strictly with “loving” the Lord God. And, there are commandments that deal with “loving” our neighbor.
Note in particular Leviticus 19:18 which says...
Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.
Next to loving the Lord God with all our heart, soul, and mind is the command to love our neighbor. It is repeated in the Old Testament as well as the New. In the New Testament, there is much emphasis on loving one another.
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Later when we get to James 4 we will study...
Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
So clearly the command is that we are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
Who then is our neighbor? Well, right now, your neighbor is sitting in this auditorium. When you leave here, your neighbor is anyone that is around you. It matters not if they are familiar to you or a stranger to you. The command is to love them.
Now, note the promise.
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
Obedience to God always brings blessing. In this case, obedience in loving others and not favoring one over another brings a blessing. “Ye do well.” In other words, God is praising and commending those who practice obedience in this area of their live. The word “well” means “in a good or proper or satisfactory manner.” You want God’s praise? You must be obedient in loving all people.
Now, note verse 9 which says...
But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
This thing of discriminating against people by favoring people of means and status over other is sin. SIN! Note again the emphatic statement from the Holy Spirit - “ye commit sin.”
Listen to these verses.
For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:
These things also belong to the wise.
It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
The bottom line is that favoring one person over another for any reason is sin. When we do, as Jude 16 notes, we are walking after our own lusts.
Note also this phrase from verse 9.
But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
The phrase “are convinced of the law as trangressors.” The word “convinced” means “to be convicted; to be or become proven or shown to be guilty.” The wonderful thing about God’s law is that definitively exposes sin.
Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
No law means we would have nothing to show us how truly sinful we are. The law exposes us for who we really are. If there were law from God, we all would be just living sinful lives thinking that we were okay. In fact, many still do today. However, with the law, our sin is exposed and we stand without excuse before Him. All men are condemned by their sin. The law reveals their sin and their condemnation. And, the end is result is men then knows that are hopelessly condemned with no way of achieving God’s righteousness on their own. Thus, it cause them to realize just how much they need a Savior pointing them to Christ and the cross of Calvary.
Now, for us as believers, there is an additional responsibility. We have the Holy Spirit. We have the means and the ability to know and understand the law as it was given to us by God. Thus, we have a greater responsibility to obey God’s law. When we disobey, we are “convinced” of our transgression. We are “convinced” or convicted not just by the Law but also by God’s own Spirit that lives within us. The law is convicts from without. The Holy Spirit convicts us from within.
And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Thus, when we disobey any command of God we are “convinced…as transgressors.” The word “transgressors” means a person who goes beyond or oversteps the moral boundaries or limits that God has put in place. One of those boundaries is our treatment of those we come into contact with. God says, “Love thy neighbor (all neighbors) as thy self.” When we say to the rich man, “Sit thou here in a good place” and then turn to the poor man saying, “Sit here under my footstool,” we have transgressed. We have go beyond the boundary set by God. We are then convicted as transgressor.
Now, the great thing is that when transgress there is a way back to God. There is way back to the right side of the boundary.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Just this morning in our Sunday School class we were talking about how that God has always promised blessings to those who obey Him and His Word. However, on the other side of that coin, God also promised cursing to those who disobey Him and His Word. Thus, if we want God’s blessings, obedience to God’s Word becomes very important.
I want God’s blessing on my life. I want God’s blessing on our church. So what must we do to get it? We must obey.