{"id":177,"date":"2025-07-02T02:51:25","date_gmt":"2025-07-02T02:51:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/joc.lukegbrown.com\/?p=177"},"modified":"2025-07-02T02:51:25","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T02:51:25","slug":"the-royal-law-of-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/joc.lukegbrown.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/02\/the-royal-law-of-love\/","title":{"rendered":"The Royal Law of Love"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sermon Link: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=SQdYA3spBOg<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sermon Excerpt from James 2:1\u201313<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before we begin James 2, let\u2019s hear what Jesus said in Matthew 6:33: \u201cBut seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.\u201d That\u2019s a good reminder, isn\u2019t it? Because if this week has taught us anything, it\u2019s this: the Kingdom of God is not some far-off fairy tale. No, brothers and sisters, it\u2019s at hand, and it\u2019s coming quickly. All the things we cling to in this life will eventually rust, rot, or fade into oblivion. And when the dust settles and the lights go out, only one thing will remain: the Kingdom of God. So I pray you seek it first, and even more, I pray you seek the King, with all that you are, in all that you do. James helps us do just that. He shows us how to be citizens of that everlasting Kingdom by calling us to live under God\u2019s Royal Law of Love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

James starts with a hard truth: we all play favorites. He tells the story of the rich man and the poor man walking into the church, and how the rich man is treated like royalty while the poor man is dismissed. \u201cHave you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?\u201d he asks. And then he brings us to the heart: \u201cIf you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, \u2018You shall love your neighbor as yourself,\u2019 you are doing well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now listen to me\u2014James is getting at one of the oldest and ugliest problems in the human heart: partiality. From Adam to David to today, people have loved those who are easy to love and ignored those who aren’t. And before we start patting ourselves on the back and saying, \u201cWell, I\u2019m glad I\u2019m not like that,\u201d let\u2019s be honest, we\u2019ve all done it. We\u2019ve all looked down on people who couldn\u2019t offer us anything. We\u2019ve all chosen who to love and who to tolerate. But Jesus didn\u2019t do that, did He? He didn\u2019t say, \u201cLove the rich,\u201d or \u201cLove the likable.\u201d He said, \u201cLove your neighbor.\u201d Period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And here\u2019s why we struggle with that so much: we forget who God is and who we are. Somewhere along the way, we bought into the lie that God saved us because we were special. Because He saw something in us. But the Bible says otherwise. We had nothing to offer Him but our sin\u2014and He detests sin. Yet, even so, He loved us. He sent His Son to take the wrath we earned so that we wouldn\u2019t have to taste a drop of it. That\u2019s the Gospel. And if that\u2019s the love we\u2019ve received, how can we not give it? If Christ showed no partiality in loving us, how dare we show partiality in loving others!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So how do we live this out? Two ways: 1) share the Gospel with your neighbor through the proclaimed Word of Christ, and 2) show the Gospel to your neighbor through your actions\u2014serving them with the love of Christ. And beloved, because the love that saved us wasn\u2019t selective, GOD doesn’t allow us to be selective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And if you\u2019re still tempted to say, \u201cWell, that\u2019s too much to ask,\u201d then let\u2019s remember Jesus on the Cross. As He hung there, beaten and bloodied by the very people He came to save, He didn\u2019t curse them. He didn\u2019t lash out. He prayed: \u201cFather, forgive them.\u201d He loved His enemies while they were killing Him. That\u2019s the kind of love we\u2019re called to. Why? Because His Spirit now lives in us. Romans 8 says the Spirit testifies that we are children of God. And Jesus said that loving your enemies is what shows you\u2019re a child of the Father. That kind of love is what sets us apart from the world. The world says, \u201cLove those who deserve it.\u201d Jesus says, \u201cLove those who don\u2019t\u2026because that\u2019s what I did for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

James continues: \u201cBut if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So let\u2019s get practical. How do you love your sinful neighbor and still hate the sin? Two ways: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, you condemn all sin equally. James says if you break one part of the law, you\u2019re guilty of all of it. That means you don\u2019t get to look at someone else\u2019s sin and say, \u201cWell, at least I\u2019m not doing that.\u201d Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6 that all kinds of sinners\u2014drunkards, thieves, idolaters\u2014won\u2019t inherit the Kingdom. But then he says, \u201cAnd such were some of you. But you were washed\u2026\u201d So remember this: the Cross is not a pedestal\u2014it\u2019s a rescue line. You didn\u2019t earn your spot. You were dragged out of death just like everyone else. So don\u2019t point fingers from a place of pride. Extend a hand from a place of grace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second, adopt Paul\u2019s mindset: \u201cChrist Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.\u201d You know your sin better than you know anyone else’s, and only God knows more than you. Acknowledging these facts helps keep you humble. It keeps you loving. And it keeps you grounded when you\u2019re tempted to turn up your nose instead of opening your arms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, read the following carefully, beloved…. Loving your neighbor doesn\u2019t mean ignoring sin. In fact, real love confronts sin. But it does so with truth, not opinion. Don\u2019t walk up and say, \u201cHere\u2019s what I think.\u201d Say, \u201cHere\u2019s what God says.\u201d Let the Word do the work. Let it cut, convict, and heal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

James is saying: Don\u2019t be a hypocrite. Don\u2019t hold your neighbor to a law you\u2019ve broken yourself. Lead them to the Savior who saved you, not to your corrupt self-righteousness. James closes with this: \u201cSo speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.\u201d Translation: Speak like someone who\u2019s been set free. Act like someone who\u2019s been washed clean. Mercy is your anthem now. Live in it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus said in John 14, \u201cIf you love me, you will keep my commandments.\u201d Not to earn His love, but because you already have it. Grace changes your \u201chave to\u201d into a \u201cget to.\u201d Being allowed to live in mercy, how do you actually do it? He gave you a Helper, His Spirit, to dwell in you, to guide you, and to empower you to obey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But let\u2019s not get it twisted. Jesus isn\u2019t just your Savior\u2014He\u2019s your Lord. That means He gets to rule. He gives the orders. And our job isn\u2019t to debate them; it\u2019s to obey them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said in Luke 6: \u201cWhy do you call me \u2018Lord, Lord,\u2019 and not do what I say?\u201d He told us plainly: if you build your life on His Word, you\u2019re building on the Rock. But if you hear it and ignore it, your house is on sand. And when the floods come, and they will, only one of those houses will stand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So let me ask: are you just talking about Jesus, or are you walking with Him? Are you calling Him \u201cLord\u201d but living like you\u2019re still the boss? Because I\u2019ll tell you, partial obedience is still disobedience. You can\u2019t call Him King and then ignore His throne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

James shows us that the Royal Law of Love is not some lofty ideal; it\u2019s the roadmap to Kingdom living. Love your neighbor through Christ\u2019s love. Hate your sin with Christ\u2019s love. And live your life by the power of His love.  He didn\u2019t just die to save you from sin. He died so sin would die in you. And He rose so you could live, and truly live, by His Spirit, in His truth, for His glory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So here\u2019s my final plea, beloved: Cling to Jesus. Seek first the Kingdom. Love without favoritism. Hate sin without arrogance. Live like someone who\u2019s been rescued by the mercy of God! And let the Word do the work!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grace be with you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sermon Link: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=SQdYA3spBOg Sermon Excerpt from James 2:1\u201313 Before we begin James 2, let\u2019s hear what Jesus said in Matthew<\/p>\n

Continue readingThe Royal Law of Love<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-177","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/joc.lukegbrown.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/177","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/joc.lukegbrown.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/joc.lukegbrown.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joc.lukegbrown.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joc.lukegbrown.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=177"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/joc.lukegbrown.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/177\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":178,"href":"https:\/\/joc.lukegbrown.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/177\/revisions\/178"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/joc.lukegbrown.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=177"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joc.lukegbrown.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=177"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joc.lukegbrown.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=177"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}