“For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all… So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.” (James 2:10-13)
You can’t pick and choose the laws that you want to follow, and then ignore all the rest. The justice system will not let you get away with that. So you’ve never shoplifted? That’s a good thing. But if you have hundreds of unpaid speeding tickets stuffed in your glove box, you’re going to see the judge! When you break a law, you are a lawbreaker. It does you no good to plead in the courtroom, “but I’ve never committed espionage, or run a Ponzi scheme, or dabbled in computer hacking.” That’s not the issue. If you’ve broken a law, you stand guilty before the judge.
The Law Condemns
James is making this very point in terms of the law of God. The law shows us right from wrong. It demonstrates the holy standard of the holy God. There is no escaping the conclusion that sinful human beings have fallen short of this law in countless ways. But you try to argue your case, “Look, I know I’m not perfect, but doesn’t it count for something that I’ve kept a few of the commands?” You’ve never stolen something that doesn’t belong to you. Wonderful! But have you told a lie? If so, you are guilty before the holy God. You’ve never used the Lord’s name in vain. That’s amazing! But have you coveted your neighbor’s house, or wife, or car? Then you are guilty of breaking the law. The judge doesn’t grade on a curve. He doesn’t say, “choose 3 laws that you’d like to follow and feel free to ignore the rest.” On the contrary, it’s all or nothing. You’re either a lawbreaker or an innocent man.
By the way, do you realize there is more to the law of God than 10 commandments? Ancient rabbis scoured the Scriptures and counted 613 commands in the Torah. Can you name them all? Even if we have somehow, magically, against all odds, managed to keep all the “big ones,” can we really claim to be blameless in the eyes of the Lord?
More than the Letter
Jesus taught the people, during his earthly ministry, that God is not just interested in the letter of the law, but also the spirit of the law (Mt. 5:21-28). Maybe you haven’t cheated on your wife, but have you looked at a woman with lust in your eyes? Then you have committed adultery in your heart. Maybe you haven’t killed that annoying co-worker, but have you told him off in a fit of anger or even wished harm to fall his way? Then you have committed murder in your heart. It’s not so easy as you might think to present yourself innocent before the judge. It’s actually impossible. That’s the whole point of the law, to show us our guilt and need for a Savior (Rom. 3:19-20).
James has more to say on this matter, as does Jesus, and the apostle Paul. There is another law at work, which he calls the law of liberty. Christ came to set us free from what the law never could. The innocent one took our place on the cross and bore the judgment we deserved, so that we could be forgiven. The question is, will you receive his mercy?
Wretched Man that I Am
You have two choices. One, you could say “no thanks, I will rely on my own resume.” But do you really think your best efforts and self-righteous works will be enough to acquit you when you stand before the judge? The other option would be to say, “I confess that I am sinner, and cling to God’s mercy and grace. I know that I don’t deserve it, and could never earn on my own, but I humbly receive Christ’s cleansing by faith and with overwhelming gratitude!” When Paul considered the guilt of his own heart he cried out, “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free?” He goes to proclaim, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
James presses the issue even further to get us thinking about how we ought to deal with others. Speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. In other words, remember the grace and forgiveness you have received, so that you will show grace and forgiveness to others. If you are quick to condemn the people around you, we have to question whether or not you really understand God’s grace. When God looks upon the believer, he doesn’t see the balance sheet with the debt of sin we owe. Our debt has been paid in full by the blood of the lamb. Now he looks upon the believer and sees his beloved child.
Showing Mercy to Others
Those who have experienced overwhelming mercy ought to be willing to extend mercy. If God’s patience abounded towards you, shouldn’t you also be willing to offer patience? Think about your relationships. Are you holding onto any grudges? Do you place people under your law and then cast them aside when they fall short? Is there bitterness in your heart towards another person? Are you harsh and critical and quick to find faults? Bring that to the Lord, and asks him to change your heart by giving you a deeper awareness of his mercy. Praise be God that “mercy triumphs over judgment.”