Justice in Community Life

GOLDEN TEXT: “Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law.” —Romans 13:10

LEVITICUS 19:15-18; JAMES 2:1-9

WHILE the caption of today’s lesson is, “Justice in Community Life,” our Golden Text emphasizes the power of love; and love goes beyond justice. Quoting Moses, Jesus summed up the vital meaning and the great objective of God’s Law, as given to Israel, in two commandments: First, supreme love for God, and second, love for one’s neighbor. On these two, Jesus said, “hang all the Law and the prophets.”—Matt. 22:37-40; Deut. 6:5: Lev. 19:18

Our Golden Text is in keeping with this, for since love would certainly not cause one to injure his neighbor, it would therefore be the fulfilling of the Law. It is evident from this that the complete fulfillment of God’s Law implies more than the practice of justice. For example supreme love for God would lead to a willing, whole-hearted submission to his will; and God’s will for his people in this age is that they lay down their lives in sacrifice. Justice does not demand this, but love induces it.

True, this is a higher conception of the Law than was held by the Israelites during their age, but it was foretold of Jesus that he would magnify the Law, and he did. (Isa. 42:21) Paul understood this, and therefore wrote that love IS the fulfilling of the Law. “Love worketh no ill to his neighbor,” says our Golden Text. If we love our neighbor we will not pass unjust judgment upon him.

“Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people.” Those whose hearts are filled with love could not at the same time be scandalmongers. This is, perhaps, one of the sins most frequently practiced by professing Christians. Love does not surmise evil, and certainly does not circulate evil reports concerning others.—I Cor. 13:5

“Neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor,” the Lord said. (vs. 16) The Hebrew word here translated “blood” is rendered “bloodguiltiness” in Psalm 51:14. Apparently the reference is to a neighbor who is guilty of shedding innocent blood. To stand “against,” or “above,” as the Hebrew word here used is often translated, apparently means to hide, or conceal the neighbor’s guilt. This would be an injustice to the community.

“Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart.” (vs. 17) When the heart is filled with love, there is no room for hate.

“Thou shalt not in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him,” or, as the marginal translation states, “that thou bear not sin for him.” This is an obscure scripture, but the meaning seems to be that although we are not to hate or in any way injure our neighbor, we should, nevertheless, not ignore his wrong toward us, but endeavor to correct him. Jesus expresses it thus: “If thy brother trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.”—Matt. 18:15

“Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people.” “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Rom. 12:19) A neighbor may do wrong and need punishment, but we are not to take matters into our own hands, but leave this aspect of the case with the Lord.

James’ application of the principles of justice and love in dealing with our brethren is to the point. He concentrates particularly on the matter of showing partiality, which, he emphasizes, is contrary to the “royal Law” of the Scriptures, which he says, is the command, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”—James 2:8

James uses the illustration of two individuals who may attend our meetings, one rich and the other poor. To favor the rich man because he is rich, and show little consideration to the poor man, would be wrong, he explains. Then James asks, “Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?” (vs. 5) Some might infer from this that the church of Christ is made up entirely of the poor, and that all rich men are evil. But this is not the case. To favor the poor and snub the rich would also be wrong, Those whom God calls and enlightens with the truth are all our brethren, and they should be accepted and loved as such, and not because they are either rich or poor. Otherwise we will be committing sin.—James 2:9

QUESTIONS

What two commandments express the essence of the whole law of God?

Why is love the fulfilling of the Law? Give scriptural examples.

Should we be partial either to the poor or the rich among our brethren?

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