James 2:10 "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."

Partiality is sin and cannot be excused because it may be regarded as a lesser offence than adultery or murder (James 2:11 ). Sin is sin - one sin being as positively sin as another. And one writer is quoted as saying

"A garment is torn, though you only take away one piece of it. A harmony in music is spoiled if only one voice be out of tune". Starke

Disobedience to any part of God's Word and will is to be fully disobedient. We are to hold "the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ" (James 2:1 ) who was completely and delightedly surrendered to the Father's will.

Philippians 2:8 "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

When you fail His standards, confess it to Him (1 John 1:9 ). Receive His forgiveness, renewal, and He will make you triumph in showing your faith in your actions and obedience.

James 2:12 "So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. "

The strong emphasis is on both our speaking and our actions, as is made clear by the double "so." Christians will have their words and deeds judged and are to speak and act in the light of judgment.

2 Corinthians 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."

We shall be judged by "the law of liberty" (James 2:12 ). The teachings of Jesus given to us with the power to do them. The law of liberty commands the things we delight to do if we are born again. Works that are His works and in His likeness will bring their reward. Works in us that are not His, nor according to "the law of liberty", will bring loss in that day of accountability (1 Corinthians 3:13-15 ). The law of freedom is so because it is the word of Jesus in us, in which we delight, and which we can fulfill in the power of the Holy Spirit which He has given to us. Living in that law of liberty we can look forward to being judged by it.

Matthew 5:7 "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy."

Those who don't live by the law of liberty are described by James:

James 2:13 "For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy ..."

Such are known by their fruit (Matthew 7:15-23; Luke 6:43-45 ). The one who has no mercy for others, shows that he has not obtained mercies through faith in the Lord Jesus, and will not know mercy because he has by unbelief shut himself off from the fountain of mercies (Isaiah 55:7 ). The glorious, positive note struck by James in 2:13 describes our triumphant salvation

James 2:13 "... Mercy triumphs over judgment."

To be recipients of mercy we must first plead guilty to being sinners.

1 John 1:8 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."

(Ecclesiastes 7:20 ). Then we received Jesus, believingly relying on His substitutionary death on the cross as our sin bearer (Isaiah 53:4-6 ).

1 Peter 2:24 "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: ..."

Now we are pardoned sinners through the shed blood of Christ (Romans 3:25; 1 John 1:9 ).

Hebrews 9:22 "... and without shedding of blood is no remission."

We are said to be justified (Romans 4:25 ):

Acts 13:39 "And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses."

Therefore mercy triumphs over judgment.

John 5:24 "... and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life."

All this is of great comfort to us, yet the warning is to be heeded. We are to live according to the Word, by which everything we say and do is to be weighed with care.

James 2:14 "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?"

To both questions James expects the answer "No." Faith that is not action has no saving value. To assent with the mind to Jesus being the Saviour is not enough. The action of genuine faith receives Him personally as Saviour (John 1:12 ) and then actively follows Him as Lord in a life of obedience. Paul's apostolic aim was to have people of all nations "for obedience to the faith" (Romans 1:5 KJV). Those who by faith hear Christ's voice, with the obedience of faith follow Him (John 10:4,27 ). The faith that saves is a believing that obeys (Romans 16:26 )

James 2:15-17 "If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."

The illustration of one who claims to be operating in the faith, yet takes no action to meet the need of a destitute brother or sister, is shown by James to be putting up a worthless pretence. James pictures one who intellectually acknowledges "the faith" that includes caring for those who are of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10 ), but denies the need to put into deeds the faith. Therefore no good comes to the needy ones and his lack of action betrays the absence of the faith in his life. It is just the same as the one whose false love withholds from meeting his brother's need. There is an absence of the love of God in his heart.

1 John 3:17 "But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?"

James is establishing that a living faith is actively a doing faith, producing the fruit of good deeds. A mere profession of faith with no practice is a dead faith, therefore unproductive. Neither is it a case of faith and deeds existing independently of each other.

James 2:18 "But someone will say, 'You have faith, and I have works.' ..."

The truth is, a claim to faith is only demonstrable by action. It is not possible to see faith without deeds.

James 2:18 "... and I will show you my faith by my works."

Faith revealed in good works is commanded because it glorifies God (Matthew 5:16 ), and will affect the unsaved (1 Peter 2:12 ). Faith works are a demonstration of love to Christ (Matthew 25:35-36 ). Works are produced by faith (1 Thessalonians 1:3 ). As those saved by grace through faith, though not saved by works (Ephesians 2:8-9 ) show evidence of God's workmanship, by works.

Ephesians 2:10 "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

Faith that saves is manifest in a life of good works fulfilling the intention of God. The deeds of a changed and useful life evidence faith.

James 2:19 "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble."

To believe in the one true and living God and live as though there is no God is the kind of faith demons have. They fear and tremble at the knowledge of God's sure judgment, but it does nothing to change them. True saving faith embraces the salvation provided by God in Christ and evidences that life-changing faith as "the just" living by faith in the presence and power of God, under the smile of His approval (Romans 1:17 ).

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QUESTIONS FOR GROUP INTERACTION

Do you accept that a mere profession of faith without the practice of faith is dead faith? What would be a good illustration of your opinion? (James 2:14-20 ).