James 2:10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

Perfection?

What is perfection in your eyes? Does your standard for perfect even fit what God would call perfect. We are so flawed, can we even think of what would be perfect in God’s eyes? I would say no, not even close. Can you even go ten minutes without thinking a bad thought? I know I struggle. This is because we are so intertwined with the flesh, and the flesh always wants us to seek out the pleasurable stuff in life. Pleasurable meaning that which makes it feel good. This is usually things that are sinful.

If we cannot even go short amounts of time without thinking bad thoughts, then how can we keep the whole law? If we cannot keep the law, then we are guilty as charged! Yes, in other words we deserve the punishment that God will demand when He decides the time is right. But Jesus loves us so much that He came to receive the punishment we deserved. Even if we do not think of what He went through once in or life. This is true love.

Reinforced

James 2:11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

This is a point that James reinforces about sin. We become so infatuated with someone else’s sin that often times we fail to see the sin we struggle with. We point fingers and talk about that person. But do we ever stop and think just how many times a day we break one of God’s laws? Jesus even took it a step further when describing this. He said, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.”

Now we know that Jesus was speaking in terms that implied He was God. He just wanted those around Him to realize that fact. But it drives home the message. The standard of the law is too high for us. We are born into sin and will die in sin, unless we have a Savior. Again, Jesus is that Savior. We are so flawed that most of us do not even acknowledge this fact.

No Mercy

James 2:13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. We are being molded each day into the mold of Jesus if we are saved by His grace. Judgement is God’s and not ours. We are to have mercy on those who sin just as He did and does. But also, people need to know there will be a time if they have not accepted His grace and acknowledge Him as Lord, that judgement will come without mercy.