If there is one thing, maybe 2 things, that God wants you to focus on in your life what are they? If there are 2 things that He wants you to give your attention to then what would they be? If everything else in life pales into insignificance compared to 2 things do you know what they are? If every dispute and every division that has ever been created by Christians went through the filter of just 2 things then there actually would be no hurt from disunity ever. Of course you know what I am thinking of. Here it is, the royal law.
“And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:28-31)
Love God alone. Don’t give your allegiance to other gods and idols that demand your time and energy. God deserves your best, your total love. This love is not emotional only but it is an action word that demands loyalty and faithfulness. Love needs action for it to be love.
Moses led God’s people with laws based on our love for God. These laws which were primarily about order within community were not trying to earn God’s favour but a demonstration of our love for Him. That’s why Jesus said the second important commandment is to love others.
The 2 things. The Royal law is to love the only one God alone and to make a commitment that you will demonstrate your love for Him by your love for others.
James speaks into this:-
“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbour as yourself,”you are doing right. But if you show favouritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”also said, “You shall not murder.”If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.” (James 2 v 8-11)
James says partiality, showing favouritism, is sinful.
Moses said, “Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike.” (Deuteronomy 1:17)
The Jewish Christians would have been so familiar with this.
Partiality/favouritism is a sin, and we can’t be excused from breaking one part of the Royal Law because we are keeping all the rest.
The Church can be so quick to show favouritism and partiality by marginalising people, when James tells us, if you fail at this, you’ve failed at all of it.
How many times do we hear belittling comments from a Christian about another Christian or about the Church across the town or even their own Church and their Pastor? For some it just flows as natural as any words. They don’t realise that it is stopping the blessing that comes from the Royal Law.
James’ words are strong. If you do not love others within the family of God (even if they are different to you, culturally and in practice) then you are sinning and breaking God’s Law. You may not have murdered anyone or even got angry with anyone; you may not have stolen and you may be a great giver; you may not have committed adultery and in fact your eyes are pure with that regard; but if you are not loving others like you love yourself then you are not only not loving God but you are breaking His Royal Law for your life. The 2 major things that He is expecting you to do in this life. The only 2 things that really matter are being broken.
Now you can disagree and you may not have wonderful feelings towards that individual, but the love within the Royal Law is bigger than that.
That’s what God wants. This is not a Church’s position. This is God’s desire. Let us do all we can to please Him today.
Missions Paul 