Do you have a favorite book? Or a favorite outfit, venue, or holiday? We all have favorites; however, when it comes to justice, equality, and love, and you are a believer in the finished works of Jesus Christ, we are not to show favoritism. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves. The second great commandment. This instruction is found in Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22:37-39, Mark 12:30-31, Luke 10:27, Romans 13:9, Galatians 5:14, and the book of James. James’ chapters one and two bring the passage to life and explain it so that anyone can understand it, whether a believer or not. A person is considered in right standing with God not by deeds alone but by their actions, along with faith in the Word of God: all of it.
THE SECOND GREAT COMMANDMENT
James chapter two speaks to believers and explicitly states they “must not show favoritism.” An example he gives is when a man comes to the meeting with fine clothes and a gold ring on, and a poor man wearing dirty clothes. Do you respect one over the other? Then you have decided and become “judges with evil thoughts.” God is the only righteous Judge. He chose those seen as poor in the world to be filled with great faith in His works to inherit the promise of His kingdom because they love Him. But the rich of this world, not operating under the Word of God, have dishonored the poor and despised their existence. This is not a blanket statement but declares what the Lord knows as truth when He spoke to the rich young ruler (see Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-31, and Luke 18:18-30).
“But you have dishonored the poor. It is not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?”
James 2:6-7 (NIV)
The poor are brought before the judgment seat by the rich. How one treats the rich is seen just as much as how the rich treat the poor. You are doing right before God if you keep the foundational “royal law” according to scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” According to the Word of God, respect and honor takes no account and is no respecter of persons. It literally says it this way, if you favor or show partiality to the external condition of a man, “you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.”
No man can keep all of the law. If one fails at just one of them, he is guilty of all. If one says don’t commit adultery and do not kill, yet commits adultery, he is a transgressor and judged by the law.
Believers are to speak and act like someone who will not be judged by this world but by the mercy seat of God, “judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment,” (James 2:13 NIV) every time.
THE FIRST GREAT COMMANDMENT
The first great commandment must be implemented for the second to occur.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’”
Mark 12:30 (NIV)
For true mercy, a person must be willing to love God and give ALL of the battles to Him. From money, station in life, struggles, proclivities, job, and everything under the Sun, He has made a way to endure for a time and overcome. But it is not for ought…a person must also love Him as He has loved us. Is it right to take the blessings bestowed upon us and keep taking and taking without offering something? We must offer a sacrifice of praise. Give ourselves as a living sacrifice, leaving our own fleshly desires, not doing anything out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but valuing others above ourselves in humility (see Mark 8:34; Philippians 2:3). It is more blessed to give than to receive (see Acts 20:35), yet all of this is void if someone performs these deeds without faith in His Word or has faith but has no deeds. (see James 2:14-17). Faith in His Word must cooperate with action to complete the two great commandments.
“You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.”
James 2:24 (NIV)
Abraham believed in God and offered Isaac (see Genesis 22). Rahab believed in God and sheltered the spies, sending them in a different way (see Joshua 2: 6). By faith, they received from God and took action. They didn’t just take; they gave, and in so doing, they honored Him. It is a relationship of both parties participating, and that, in turn, reveals true love.
Be willing to participate in what the Lord wants for your life. Give yourself, your heart, soul, body, and mind, and be filled with the Spirit who was given as a gift to help us all perform the will of the Father. May you always feel God has love for you and bless and minister to the Lord your confession of love for Him. Amen.
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