Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment
James 2:9 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 accountable for 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.
12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.
13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy.
Mercy triumphs over judgment.
10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for 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.
12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.
13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy.
Mercy triumphs over judgment.
James starts getting much more direct, using bigger words, words that will be offensive to some people. But they are true words. Nobody likes to be told they’re committing sin, doing wrong. We want to be encouraged and made to feel good about ourselves. Love shows no partiality. If you are, you’re committing sin and are convicted as a transgressor. Whoever keeps the whole law: maybe 700 of them, but if you miss EVEN ONE, you’re accountable for all of it!
Nici used to work for one of the doctors in town, and we used to joke because it’s called a “practice” and you feel like they should know what they’re doing by now, right? They joke though that med school C’s make MD’s. What about when you’re on an elevator – that was built by the lowest bidder. They made shortcuts somewhere. If you get a C on a test, it’s what a 70? That’s passing. And you get excited about that sometimes! We don’t pass this. This says whoever has broken ONE law will be convicted as a sinner and transgressor of ALL THE LAW. Every bit of it. Imagine if you were practicing for your ACT or SAT and if you missed ONE, you got a zero. If you missed anything the whole semester you failed, you were done.
James used the example of adultery and murder. As I study Scripture for the week, I read a couple of study Bibles, commentaries, and look at what other pastors have said about the passage. One example I came across said, Imagine wife or husband, coming home and finding your spouse committed adultery. That’s pretty brutal. What if they said, “Well it was only like 25% adultery, I didn’t do ALL of it!” No, it’s an all or nothing. There’s no such thing as a partial murder. It’s all or nothing. You’re convicted of all of it. You break one law, you commit one sin, you’re guilty of everything. All of it. This is all or nothing. That shows God’s holiness! He can have ZERO sin in him, around him, near him. None. He is all holy.
Nici used to work for one of the doctors in town, and we used to joke because it’s called a “practice” and you feel like they should know what they’re doing by now, right? They joke though that med school C’s make MD’s. What about when you’re on an elevator – that was built by the lowest bidder. They made shortcuts somewhere. If you get a C on a test, it’s what a 70? That’s passing. And you get excited about that sometimes! We don’t pass this. This says whoever has broken ONE law will be convicted as a sinner and transgressor of ALL THE LAW. Every bit of it. Imagine if you were practicing for your ACT or SAT and if you missed ONE, you got a zero. If you missed anything the whole semester you failed, you were done.
James used the example of adultery and murder. As I study Scripture for the week, I read a couple of study Bibles, commentaries, and look at what other pastors have said about the passage. One example I came across said, Imagine wife or husband, coming home and finding your spouse committed adultery. That’s pretty brutal. What if they said, “Well it was only like 25% adultery, I didn’t do ALL of it!” No, it’s an all or nothing. There’s no such thing as a partial murder. It’s all or nothing. You’re convicted of all of it. You break one law, you commit one sin, you’re guilty of everything. All of it. This is all or nothing. That shows God’s holiness! He can have ZERO sin in him, around him, near him. None. He is all holy.
Matthew 5:48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
“You must be decent, as your heavenly Father is decent.”
“Do your best, as your heavenly Father does his best.”
No! You must be perfect! This is not okay, I can’t be perfect! I can’t do this! I’ve already committed these sins! I’m already going to be convicted as a transgressor! Crap!! Now what?! That is why King Jesus who wrote the law left his throne to come live under the law. The conviction that you should be getting, Jesus already paid for. He didn’t do anything. Welcome to Scriptural, Selfless, Sacrificial love. He loved His God with all His heart and loved His neighbor as Himself. Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friend, and Jesus calls us friend. He laid down his life for you.
You see, when we sin, we want mercy. Even if no one else knows about it, you’re asking for mercy and forgiveness. What happens when someone sins against you? JUDGMENT!! Destroy them!! Hold them accountable for all of it!! When we sin, we want mercy. When we’re sinned against, we want justice. We want them to pay. This is what he’s talking about, when he says show mercy not judgment. Judgment is without mercy to those who show no mercy.
Stop focusing on yourself so much that you are losing sight of what it means to love the Lord your God with all your heart and do what the royal law says about loving your neighbor as yourself. (v8)
Who have you sinned against? The Holy Spirit will bring that person to mind, you know who it is. What do you do? You go to them and repent. Some of you have been sinned against, and you’re holding onto it so tightly. You are ready to show judgment, drop the hammer, pronounce their sentence of death right now. You have been sinned against and instead of going to them, you hang onto it. You’re not going to talk to them, you won’t even sit in their row at church. You’re unfriending them! And that person is thinking, “What happened? What did I do?” You’re allowing bitterness to gnaw at you and they don’t even know what’s going on. You’re not hurting them, you’re destroying yourself! Go to them! You’ve been sinned against, you forgive them. “I don’t want to.” I didn’t ask. That’s what this says: you forgive them because you’ve been forgiven.
Some of you can’t grant forgiveness because you’ve never experienced forgiveness. You’re still trying to earn your way into heaven. And you’re thinking that I’m right on about everything I’ve said, but you’ve never made it personal for you. You’ve never accepted Jesus’ gift and asked him for forgiveness. You can’t forgive because you’ve never experienced forgiveness. You’ve never lived in the light of the law of liberty. You’ve never been set free from the sin that is still holding you down. You’re invited to do that today.
You may need to go to someone right now and talk. Apologize, forgive – even if they don’t know why. You may need to pray for that first forgiveness so that you can be set free.
Jesus was a Master Teacher. He taught about forgiveness and did it this way.
“Do your best, as your heavenly Father does his best.”
No! You must be perfect! This is not okay, I can’t be perfect! I can’t do this! I’ve already committed these sins! I’m already going to be convicted as a transgressor! Crap!! Now what?! That is why King Jesus who wrote the law left his throne to come live under the law. The conviction that you should be getting, Jesus already paid for. He didn’t do anything. Welcome to Scriptural, Selfless, Sacrificial love. He loved His God with all His heart and loved His neighbor as Himself. Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friend, and Jesus calls us friend. He laid down his life for you.
You see, when we sin, we want mercy. Even if no one else knows about it, you’re asking for mercy and forgiveness. What happens when someone sins against you? JUDGMENT!! Destroy them!! Hold them accountable for all of it!! When we sin, we want mercy. When we’re sinned against, we want justice. We want them to pay. This is what he’s talking about, when he says show mercy not judgment. Judgment is without mercy to those who show no mercy.
Stop focusing on yourself so much that you are losing sight of what it means to love the Lord your God with all your heart and do what the royal law says about loving your neighbor as yourself. (v8)
Who have you sinned against? The Holy Spirit will bring that person to mind, you know who it is. What do you do? You go to them and repent. Some of you have been sinned against, and you’re holding onto it so tightly. You are ready to show judgment, drop the hammer, pronounce their sentence of death right now. You have been sinned against and instead of going to them, you hang onto it. You’re not going to talk to them, you won’t even sit in their row at church. You’re unfriending them! And that person is thinking, “What happened? What did I do?” You’re allowing bitterness to gnaw at you and they don’t even know what’s going on. You’re not hurting them, you’re destroying yourself! Go to them! You’ve been sinned against, you forgive them. “I don’t want to.” I didn’t ask. That’s what this says: you forgive them because you’ve been forgiven.
Some of you can’t grant forgiveness because you’ve never experienced forgiveness. You’re still trying to earn your way into heaven. And you’re thinking that I’m right on about everything I’ve said, but you’ve never made it personal for you. You’ve never accepted Jesus’ gift and asked him for forgiveness. You can’t forgive because you’ve never experienced forgiveness. You’ve never lived in the light of the law of liberty. You’ve never been set free from the sin that is still holding you down. You’re invited to do that today.
You may need to go to someone right now and talk. Apologize, forgive – even if they don’t know why. You may need to pray for that first forgiveness so that you can be set free.
Jesus was a Master Teacher. He taught about forgiveness and did it this way.
Matthew 18:23-35 23 "Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king
who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, 'Pay what you owe.' 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."
who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, 'Pay what you owe.' 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."
A guy that owed his boss 10,000 talents and there’s no way he could repay it. Let’s just say, you owe somebody $10,000 and you’ve lost your job, there’s no way you can repay it. And you go to them and say, “I’m sorry, there’s no way I can repay this.” Now 10,000 talents would be like $7.5 billion now. You could NEVER repay this!! You owe someone $7.5 BILLION DOLLARS and they say, “It’s okay, don’t worry about it.” You’re walking away completely free, all that weight gone, breathing the free air. Then the guy that owes you comes up and says, “I can’t. I don’t have the money.” $2,000. And you take him by the throat and say, “You will pay every penny or I will own you and your family until it’s paid off.” You’ve just been forgiven $7.5 billion dollars, and you’re holding somebody accountable for two grand. Some of you have never experienced the forgiveness of $7.5 billion. Some of you are trying to hold somebody accountable for two grand after you’ve been forgiven the $7.5 billion. What are you going to do? How dare you accept the $7.5 billion forgiveness and hold someone else accountable for two grand?
Some of you need to have some conversations, because mercy triumphs over judgment. As the Holy Spirit is teaching you through James, your faith should be showing mercy, not judgment. You need to go to others and how mercy. And you need to accept mercy.
Some of you need to have some conversations, because mercy triumphs over judgment. As the Holy Spirit is teaching you through James, your faith should be showing mercy, not judgment. You need to go to others and how mercy. And you need to accept mercy.
“James goes even further, for in the end he says that mercy triumphs over judgment - by which he means that in the day of judgment those who have shown mercy will find that their mercy has even blotted out their own sin.” William Barclay