Weekly Sermons

Triumphant Mercy

James has been challenging them and us to think about the scorecard we use to evaluate how we and our church are doing in living out THE Christian faith.

James 2:8-17

The Royal law stated both positively (thou shalt) and negatively (thou shalt not)                                                                                                                                                V.8-9

Stated positively, our King’s law is to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Stated negatively, our King’s law prohibits showing partiality to our neighbors based on appearance. 

Pastor James is basically saying, “It doesn’t matter if you are keeping the parts of the faith you like. If you are rejecting the parts of the faith you don’t like, you really are rejecting THE faith itself!”

To knowingly sin against God in any area is to misunderstand the ENTIRE faith                                                                                                                                                   V. 10-11

Because all of our God’s commands reflect our God’s character, any area we fall short of obedience in gives people the wrong idea about our God. (Precept; Principle; Person)

Now do not misunderstand me – Pastor James is not talking about salvation here. He is talking about how every person Christ HAS saved needs to try and do all that Christ commands with the aid of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Those whom Christ has mercifully set free should be known for showing mercy                                                                                                                                                 V. 12-13

Galatians 5:1, 13-15

He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. -Mic. 6:8

THE Pure Faith is seen in faith working through love                                  V. 14-17

They and we like to check off things we have done for our personal faith; James calls them to also express their faith through loving acts toward others.

Galatians 2:6-10

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.            -Galatians 5:6

And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.   -Titus 3:14