A Few Thoughts on the Epistle of James—James 2:8-11

D3 Believers Should Know This Was Taught in the Old Testament James 2:8-11

James 2:8-11 WEL If, however, you fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” You do well. 9 But if you are partial, you commit sin and are exposed by that law as being lawbreakers. 10 For whosoever will obey the whole law and yet fail in one [point] is guilty of all. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not kill.” Now if you do not commit adultery, yet you kill, you have become a violator of the law.

Fulfill=

• The Greek word for fulfill is τελέω teléō. It means
  • To bring to a close, to finish (Matthew 13:53)
  • To do in the sense that something was done and finished (Galatians 5:16)
  • To finish what we commanded or prophesied (Luke 18:31)
• In our passage, it refers to doing something that is now completed.
• If I love my neighbor as myself, then I have done what Scripture has commanded.

Royal law= This is “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” It is the King of Kings’ law.

Partiality=

• This the Greek word προσωποληπτέω prosōpolēptéō. It means to show favor to one person regardless of truth. Often you see this when a pastor or other respected leaders commit credible sin. Instead of believing and helping the victim, people will cover up the sin and then shame/abuse the victim. They treat the sinning leader and the victim differently.
• Bible verses and examples
  • Deuteronomy 1:16-17 NLT At that time I instructed the judges, 'You must hear the cases of your fellow Israelites and the foreigners living among you. Be perfectly fair in your decisions and impartial in your judgments. Hear the cases of those who are poor as well as those who are rich. Don't be afraid of anyone's anger, for the decision you make is God's decision. Bring me any cases that are too difficult for you, and I will handle them.' (See also 2 Chronicles 19:7, Proverbs 24:23-25).
  • Mark 15:15 NLT So to pacify the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.
  • Exodus 23:1-3 GNB Do not spread false rumors, and do not help a guilty person by giving false testimony.  2  Do not follow the majority when they do wrong or when they give testimony that perverts justice.  3  Do not show partiality to a poor person at his trial.

Failure=

• The Greek word for fail, stumble, offend is πταίω ptaíō. It means here a mistake, a failure.
• Just one sin brought curse on the world (Genesis 3:12-19, Romans 5:12, 1 Corinthians 15:22).
• The solution is 2 Peter 1:10 CSB Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election, because if you do these things you will never stumble.

Violator (guilty)=

• The Greek word is ἔνοχος énochos. It means doing something worthy of punishment.
• God’s requirement is absolute perfection to be holy as He is holy. Galatians 3:10 NLT But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, "Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God's Book of the Law.
• In Elliott’s commentary on Ezekiel 18:13, he writes: (13) Hath done all these abominations.—This expression is collective, while that in Ezekiel 18:10 is partitive. This is not because he who commits one sin is considered as having committed all, but because he who willingly commits any sin thereby puts himself into the class of sinners, of those who do not wish or intend to abide by the Divine will, but choose rather to do their own. Such a man places himself among the enemies of God. (Comp. James 2:10.)
• This includes both intentional and unintentional sins whether in thoughts, desires, words, or deeds.
  • Leviticus 4:13 NLT If the entire Israelite community sins by violating one of the LORD's commands, but the people don't realize it, they are still guilty.
  • Leviticus 6:2-5 NLT Suppose one of you sins against your associate and is unfaithful to the LORD. Suppose you cheat in a deal involving a security deposit, or you steal or commit fraud, or you find lost property and lie about it, or you lie while swearing to tell the truth, or you commit any other such sin. If you have sinned in any of these ways, you are guilty. You must give back whatever you stole, or the money you took by extortion, or the security deposit, or the lost property you found, or anything obtained by swearing falsely. You must make restitution by paying the full price plus an additional 20 percent to the person you have harmed. On the same day you must present a guilt offering.

Questions

• Think of some examples of loving your neighbor as yourself.
• How can you love your spouse, child, parents, co-workers, people who meet on the street, shoppers, bullies, etc.?
• Why does God hate partiality?
• If we love our spouse or children more than others, are we guilty of partiality? Explain.
• Why does committing just one sin condemn a person to God’s judgment?