Love Impartially

KEY VERSE: “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’, you are doing right.” —James 2:8, New International Version

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: James 2:1-13; 4:11, 12

THE KEY VERSE directs attention to the law of love, which the Apostle James quotes from Leviticus 19:18. Answering the Sadducees’ and Pharisees’ question concerning what the most important commandment of the Law was, Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with … all your soul and … all your mind’. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’. All the Law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.”—Matt. 22:37-40, NIV

It is important to be alert to the divine principles set forth in these scriptures, and to conform our lives to their teachings. We are admonished to not show favoritism toward those who may be advantaged because of wealth or position.—James 2:1-4

The principle of love must govern our actions at all times, and we should be ready to treat all with equal respect. “Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?”—vs. 5, NIV

The wise and influential in this world are not willing to set aside their own preferences to walk in newness of life. Paul, too, reminds us that God has called the humble and less influential ones, and that few of noble birth respond to the calling. See I Corinthians 1:26-29.

“If you show favoritism,” James warns, “you sin and are convicted by the Law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole Law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”—vss. 9,10, NIV

God’s Law teaches that it will not do to keep one part of the commandment while disregarding other portions of it. Jesus was capable of keeping the whole Law, which requires the full measure of a perfect man’s ability. The Christian must strive to overcome the tendencies of the fallen flesh, while seeking to do God’s will.

We are admonished to act in accordance with God’s laws as to liberty, mercy and judgment. James advises that although mercy is to be extended to others, we must speak and act as if we were being judged without mercy. The proportion of compassion we show to others will be the degree to which we also will be judged. He concludes, saying, “Mercy triumphs over judgment.”—vss. 12,13, NIV

Slander is the misrepresentation or defamation of another person’s character. This is grossly wrong, and in James’ epistle we are shown how easily we can become judges of the Law instead of being doers of the Law. James says: “Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the Law and judges it.”—James 4:11, NIV

God is the great Lawgiver and Judge, and the standard of his law is perfect love. He alone is competent to decide who is striving to keep it. Christians are not at liberty to pass judgment upon each other, to slander them, or to speak evil of them even if the matter were true.

No one but our Heavenly Father can look into the heart of someone and judge that person’s sincerity, or lack of it.

It has been well said, “He who steals my purse, steals trash. But he who takes from me my good name, takes everything I possess.” Slander is a most damaging form of misrepresentation.

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