Unifying Factor #4 – We break God’s law completely (v. 8-11)
As we delve deeper into James’ insight, he relentlessly dismantles any semblance of self-righteousness. In verses 8-11, he unveils our fourth unifying factor – the undeniable truth that every single one of us breaks God’s law completely.
“If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of 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 murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.” James 2:8-11
The Roles Have Reversed
A while back Alli and I have watched this interesting show called Instant Hotel, its just ok. But the fun part of the show is that people stay at your house and then give you a rating based on how much they like their experience. What the people doing the judging do not realize is that the person who’s home it is, is also judging them as guests. So after they all pass out their judgements, the host of the show then turns to the owner of the house and says, now it is your turn to judge the guests. And the look on their faces is priceless because the measure with which they judged is now the measure by which they are being judged. James has portrayed us as the judge, and he has shown us how our hearts are corrupt which makes us inept to judge and how our minds are foolish which makes us ignorant in our favoritism. But now the scene is different. You and I are no longer the judge. Now, we are on trial, and God is the judge.
A Different Weight
James accentuates the gravity of God’s law by revealing its distinct weight compared to human laws. Breaking one law in human society doesn’t label you a lawbreaker of all laws. However, in God’s economy, transgressing just one law categorizes us as lawbreakers of the entire law. It’s a binary distinction – law keepers and law breakers. This theological truth shatters the myth of a percentage-based morality. Life, according to James, isn’t graded on a curve. It’s a black-and-white scenario: either you uphold God’s law perfectly or you break it. Our transgressions know no boundaries – from the most severe offenses to seemingly minor infractions, any breach places us in the same category of law breakers.
Conviction
James delivers a blow to the heart of our distinctions and prejudices. This truth pierces through our facade of self-righteousness. Instead of introducing ourselves with prideful titles, we stand before each other, humbled and united by one label – guilty. The playing field is level. Whether rich or poor, accomplished or struggling, we are all transgressors before God. The most unifying factor of all in our churches, which slices through all of our many distinctions and explodes our tendency to favor one person over another is this: that every one of us is categorically a law breaker. This realization, the most potent unifying factor of all, strips away our ability to claim any moral high ground. The doctrine of total depravity stands as the ultimate equalizer, erasing favoritism and judgmentalism. As we acknowledge our shared guilt and our need for grace, our distinctions dissolve. We stand together as broken individuals, in desperate need of redemption. We are finally ready to experience mercy together and our plan will be to explore this next week.
