Today was my first day back in the PNW after traveling to Silicon Valley and it was a very busy day here at my desk. However, being close to my family again is so much better. I was able to break away at a good hour this afternoon to prepare for a short trip with the fam easy of the mountains. Looking forward to a couple of days just us all together.
9 But if you show servile regard (prejudice, favoritism) for people, you commit sin and are rebuked and convicted by the Law as violators and offenders. 10 For whosoever keeps the Law [as a] whole but stumbles and offends in one [single instance] has become guilty of [breaking] all of it. 11 For He Who said, You shall not commit adultery, also said, You shall not kill. If you do not commit adultery but do kill, you have become guilty of transgressing the [whole] Law. 12 So speak and so act as [people should] who are to be judged under the law of liberty [the moral instruction given by Christ, especially about love]. 13 For to him who has shown no mercy the judgment [will be] merciless, but mercy [full of glad confidence] exults victoriously over judgment. James 2:9-13 [AMP]
This passage today follows the whole work up of not showing favoritism and you can see here in this first verse today; he revisits the sin. This passage though stands out in a different way for me though. It talks about sin being sin, but the sobering knowledge is that ANY one sin alone is enough to make us deserve separation from an infinitely holy God. This totally throws away the value of that perspective that I am not ‘as bad as THAT guy’. Everyone has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God –
21 But now the righteousness of God has been revealed independently and altogether apart from the Law, although actually it is attested by the Law and the Prophets, 22 Namely, the righteousness of God which comes by believing with personal trust and confident reliance on Jesus Christ (the Messiah). [And it is meant] for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23 Since all have sinned and are falling short of the honor and glory which God bestows and receives. 24 [All] are justified and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favor and mercy), through the redemption which is [provided] in Christ Jesus, Romans 3:21-24 [AMP]
This passage in Romans gives us the HOPE. For the one who believes with personal trust and confident reliance on Jesus Christ is justified and made upright and in right standing with God…through the redemption provided by Jesus Christ.
What is awesome is that now we start to come to the ‘Works/Faith’ portion of James which I need to gird up for.