8 Indeed, if you keep the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. 9 But if you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the entire law, yet fails in one point, is guilty of breaking it all. 11 For He who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. So if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you are a lawbreaker.
Yesterday, we talked about God being love, and then today, our scripture seems harsh, you are guilty if you keep the entire law, but fail in one point? Why?
John MacArthur’s book on James, states, “The law of God is not a series of detached instructions, but a basic unity that requires perfect love of Him and our neighbors. Although all sins are not equally damaging or heinous, they all shatter that unity and render men transgressors, much like hitting a window with a hammer at only one point will shatter and destroy the whole window.”
God’s desire for us in to be in union with Him and we do that by choosing to love always. When our first thought and attitude toward all people is love, it is hard to show favoritism toward one person over another.
For me this takes practice and constantly being aware and assessing my attitude. Somedays, it may be a minute by minute practice! Who do you need to show love to today?
The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Jas 2:8–11). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
