For he that said, Do not commit adultery,
said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit
no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art
become a transgressor of the law. So
speak ye, and so do, as they that shall
be judged by the law of liberty. For he
shall be judged by the law of liberty. For
he shall have judgment without mercy,
that hath shewed no mercy: and mercy
rejoiceth against judgment.
James 2:11-13
James who led the Jerusalem Church had a close relationship with the Jewish people, both inside the Church and those who maintained old Jewish theology and traditions and would not accept Jesus Christ or the Christians who followed Him. Jewish people followed an error of division of the law into great and little, and taught that if a man observed one great precept, it would compensate for the many evil actions, and conciliate the Divine favor. I often speak with Jehovah Witnesses who too hold to the need to the doctrine that only Jehovah is the name of God and no other name is to be recognized as to receive divine favor. Many Churches hold to doctrines, as indifferent as they may be, to be the only way that a person is to worship God as in the requirement that wine should not be used for communion while others say that it is alright to be used. This is divisive as it was for the old Jewish people that had divided the law into "great and small." No Christian should hold fast as a law or approved doctrine that is a matter of indifference. In Jesus Christ their is liberty, not without the law, but under the law (1Corinthians 9:21). Yes, we are to be "yoked" to Jesus Christ and to the law, but there is no burden associated, but there is rules to follow. The law is not an obligation in itself, rather it is to lead us to know what sin is and what pleases God for without the law there is no transgression and no need for a Savior (1John 3:4). Now if we give some sort of value: i.e., adultery is a 8, and murder is a 10, and to covet is a 5, etc., as did the Jewish people do to find a way to not feel as a transgressor then the law is invalid and man makes those values to fit their presuppositons and doctrines that may or may not be Scriptural. The Gospel freed us from the obligation of the law, not that we do not keep the law but that we have been freed from the curse of the law. If this was not so then a man or woman, a child, could have will-worship, to have their works be pious when in actuality nothing more than self-conceit.
Understand this: You will be judged by the law of liberty. That is: how you exercise this liberty will be either a judgment to be condemned or to have the Lord says: "well done my faithful servant." Our good deeds will not save us and will not keep us from will not atone for our bad deeds, rather it puts in front of us the atonement, not from some other, rather upon Jesus Christ who paid the debt so that we can receive His atonement.
Mercy, oh, how this word is so misused and misunderstood. Are we to give mercy to everyone no matter the circumstance? No! Mercy means to be compassionate, to be kindly forbearing, it is to be an act of kindness. Now, if a person is say: a drug addict: would it be an act of mercy to let him/her to continue in their addiction? No! Mercy would be to be compassionate and to aid them to receive the needed help, to do anything other is not an act of mercy. In fact it may not be mercy to others who are affected by this person's addiction. We are to use Scripture and we are to be judged by the Gospel. Yes, where mercy is warranted then give it as did Jesus give to us mercy to save us, but if that person will after a strong attempt to be helped, then it may just be necessary to move on and find someone that will receive your help. Yes! We are to be merciful but not at the expensive to be ridiculous when our mercy is not received. God is merciful, but God also judges people according to their works, their beliefs, and how they exercise life. Some will go to heaven, some to Gehenna, God will show those who are His children mercy and by not extending that same mercy to the unrepentant God's children will see the Justice, Love, and mercy of God.
The grace of God is unfathomable and this grace will not be conjoined with sin, this is abuse of grace and then grace will become your enemy. Pray, pray always that God would not deal with us according to our iniquities, our manner of dealing with Him or with men, and let us walk according to the Gospel and our love for Jesus Christ who showed us how we are to walk, and to live in this life. Until we reach heaven we are subject to the sinfulness of our soul, that original sin that plagues us and we fall on our knees before God that He would lead us to the truth and to a life that pleases Him and if we fail in some way that His mercy, grace, and love will give to us that repentance needed and that reconciliation that we need so that we live as Authentic Christians and our Faith is Authentic Christian Faith.
Then Job answered the LORD,
and said, I know that Thou
canst do every thing, and that no
thought can be withholden
from Thee.
Job 42:1-2
Show mercy wisely
Richard L. Crumb
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