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welcome to everyone for our call to worship you can turn in your Bibles to Psalm 84 Psalm 84 Psalm 84 I'll begin reading in verse 1 to the chief musician on an instrument of Gath a psalm of the sons of Korah how lovely is your tabernacle o Lord of Hosts my soul longs yes even faints for the courts of the Lord my heart and my flash cry out for the Living God even the sparrow has found a home and the swallow a nest for herself where she may lay her young even your altars Oh Lord of Hosts my king and my god blessed are those who dwell in your house they will still be praising you say law blessed is the man whose strength is in you whose heart is set on pilgrimage as they pass through the valley of baka they make it a spring the rain also covers it with pools they go from strength to strength each one appears before God in Zion o Lord God of hosts hear my prayer give ear o God of Jacob say law oh God behold our shield and look upon the face of your anointed for a day in your courts is better than a thousand I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my god then dwell in the tents of wickedness for the Lord God is a Sun and shield the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he withhold from those who walk uprightly o lord of hosts blessed is the man who trusts in you amen well please turn in your Trinity hymnal to him number 19 hymn number 19 will stand as we sing together Oh [Music] you [Music] when our time a prayer there are several people that we can remember in prayer in terms of their physical situations problems with their bodies also we can remember to pray for Lucas and Kayla leaving tomorrow to go to Washington it's been good having them with us we'll pray God's blessing upon this new phase in their life so let us pray our God and our Father we gather together on the Sabbath to praise the God of heaven and earth you are most high and most glorious and most worthy to be praised for you God made the world and all things in it you govern all your creatures and all their actions and you are the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has saved his people from their sins we bless you Father Son and spirit for your mercy in your kindness and your goodness to us we confess the the glory of Christ that one who came into this world sinners to save who lived in obedience to the father's law the diet is a sacrifice and a substitute on Calvary's cross and was raised the third day we praise You God Most High for the current session of Christ and for the reality that he will come again in glory to judge the living in the dead our hearts desire and earnest plea is that everyone gathered here tonight everyone associated with this church would be ready to meet him when he does come that we would all be clothed in that righteousness of the Lord Jesus that we would all have received the forgiveness of sins and the imputed righteousness of Christ received by faith alone we pray our God that you would do this for your glory do this for the good of the people in this congregation we ask that tonight as we consider the word of God as we pray to you as we sing to you that our hearts would be drawn out in worship and adoration and praise that you would be the altogether lovely and chief among 10,000 in our minds I and in our hearts tonight and that would not just be in this place but each and every day may we seek you in private may we seek you as families and may you be that that most blessed thing in our lives and may you cause us to walk in holiness and in righteousness to pursue those things that are pleasing in your sight our Father we acknowledge that you are a God of absolute holiness a God of absolute righteousness and purity and justice in light of that we confess our sins to you now for we have broken your law we have done those things which the law forbids and we have not done what is required of us so we confess our sins and unrighteousness and we plead the merit and the mercy in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ we thank you that Paul says in him we have redemption through his blood we thank you for that sacrifice at the cross and we thank you Lord God that you made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him our Father we do pray tonight that you would look with favor upon the various persons in our congregation that stand in need of prayer we pray for Shane and we just commit him to you and ask God in heaven that you would bless him and encourage his heart strengthen him with might and the inner man and cause him to know the goodness and the kindness of God is good we also pray for our brother Daniel and how we thank you that he was not more seriously injured we do pray that as he recovers from the injury sustained that you would encourage his heart she would cause him to heal quickly and cause him Lord God to be looking to you even in the midst of such trials we also pray for the dito family and we ask that you would look with favor upon Jael she goes for surgery on Wednesday we pray that all would go well and that she would be dealt with in a compassionate and loving in a very excellent way there at the hospital we pray that this would indeed remedy her problems and that she would heal and recover and be returned to good health she would thrive and flourish we also pray for Lucas and Kayla we thank you for their presence among us over this past several months and we would ask that you would bless them as they leave Chilliwack we pray God that you would go with them go before them pave their way grant them grace God to find to place and in in Washington and just caused them to thrive and flourish under the the kindness of God as their good we asked you would be with all of the brothers and the sisters in our congregation there are several others that do suffer on a regular basis we pray for dawn we pray for mr. Proctor we pray God for Fran and for Ron we know that you are good and that you do good we commit these brethren into your gracious care we ask that you would indeed send forth your Holy Spirit in this place and in other churches here in Chilliwack and throughout Canada we know there is great spiritual need in the land and we know that politics and economics and all the other things that the persons try to apply to fix problems in society will never solve the issue man is in rebellion against a true and living God and the gospel of Christ is the only hope so we pray that that word would be proclaimed that it would run swiftly and be glorified she would revive your church and cause us to to think your thoughts after you to be a prayerful people to be intercessors and as well God we pray that you'd awaken those who are dead in their trespasses and sins and cause a multitude to turn from their useless idols to the true and the Living God be glorified in the preaching of the gospel be glorified in the power of the Holy Spirit attending that gospel and applying it and causing sinners to come forth out of darkness into marvelous light do this for your glory do this for your praise do this for your great name and also father we pray for the missionary enterprise we thank you for the brothers and the sisters that we pray for regularly we think of China and ask that you would be with our dear brothers there cause them to be faithful and handling the word of truth cause them to be under your protection and and having the Liberty to be able to declare the truth as it is in Jesus Christ we pray for the church in Islamabad and thank you that there is a gospel witness in that strategic place we pray that you would prosper that ministry that that word would go forth and that multitudes would come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior send forth your gospel and cause your son to have dominion from sea to sea and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well please turn again in your Trinity hymnals to number 387 hymn number 387 we'll stand as we sing together [Music] you turn to the prophet Ezekiel chapter 47 as we continue our scripture reading through the Old Testament in our evening worship we find ourselves in Ezekiel chapter 48 beginning in verse 1 then he brought me back to the door of the temple and there was water flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east for the front of the temple faced east the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple south of the altar he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east and there was water running out on the right side and when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand he measured one thousand cubits and he brought me through the waters the water came up to my ankles again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters the water came up to my knees again he measured one thousand and brought me through the water came up to my waist again he measured one thousand and it was a river that I could not cross for the water was too deep water in which one must swim a river that could not be crossed he said to me son of man have you seen this then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river when I returned there along the bank of the river were very many trees on one side and the other then he said to me this water flows toward the eastern region goes down into the valley and enters the sea when it reaches the sea its waters are healed and it shall be that every living thing that moves wherever the rivers go will live there will be a very great multitude of fish because these waters go there for they will be healed and everything will live wherever the river goes it shall be that fisherman will stand by it from Engedi to n eglee a gleam they will be places for spreading their nets their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the great sea exceedingly many but it's swamps and Marsha's will not be healed they will be given over to Saul along the bank of the river on this side and that will grow all kinds of trees used for food their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail they will bear fruit every month because their water flows from the sanctuary their fruit will be for food in their leaves for medicine thus says the Lord God these are the borders by which you shall divide the land as an inheritance among the 12 tribes of Israel Joseph shall have two portions you shall inherit it equally with one another for I raised my hand in an oath to give it to your fathers and this land shall fall to you as your inheritance this shall be the border of the land on the north from the Great Sea by the road to hell on as one goes to zidane hey math Berra Thoth sibron which is between the border of damascus and the border of hey math - hates our haddock on which is on the border of powerin thus the boundary shall be from the sea - hates our ain't on the border of Damascus and I asked for the north northward it is the border of hey math this is the north side on the east side you shall mark out the border from between howlin and Damascus and between Gilead and the Land of Israel along the Jordan and along the eastern side of the sea this is the east side the south side toward the south shall be from Tamar to the waters of Meribah by K - along the brook to the Great Sea this is the south side toward the south the west side shall be the Great Sea from the southern boundary until one comes to a point opposite hey math this is the west side thus you shall divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel it shall be that you will divide it by lot as an inheritance for yourselves and for the strangers who dwell among you and who bear children among you they shall be to you as native born among the children of Israel they shall have an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel and it shall be that in whatever tribe the stranger dwells there you shall give him as inheritance says the Lord Amen well let us pray I did want to remain a mention one more brother David Stewart is back pretty severely so he's off work so we'll pray for David as well tonight our God we just pray for your blessing upon our church again there are many that are struggling physically we pray for our brother David that you would watch over him she would strengthen him God give him healing and physical health and the ability to return back to work be with his family and encourage their hearts and strengthen them with might in this time of trial and thank you for your word and thank you for the prophets and the fact that they point us to our Lord Jesus Christ in blessing and Him certainly we see this as backdrop to what John writes in the book of Revelation when he speaks of that new heavens and that new earth that there's such the presence of God and the blessing of God how we look forward to that day we look forward to that time when we see Christ as he is and our Father we pray that you'd even hasten that day we pray that you would look with favor upon the children and the young people in our congregation our chief desire as parents as Grandparents is to see that they walk in the truth we pray that you'd open their ears their eyes their hearts to receive those things that the Word of God sets before sinners caused them in their youth to remember their Creator caused them to be protected by the power of the Holy Spirit and capped by Sovereign Grace and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well please turn with me in your hymnal again to number 451 and we'll use a familiar tune it's not the tune that's written there but number 451 please stand [Music] you [Music] please turn in your Bibles to James chapter 2 James chapter 2 the last time we were in James we saw the prohibition against partiality that's a whole section here in chapter 2 verses 1 to 13 so last time we saw the command in verse 1 the illustration or example provided in verses 2 to 4 and then tonight we'll consider the reasons given in verses 5 to 13 there are three reasons the writer gives us as to help us to guard against the sin of partiality and essentially what that means is the act of showing favoritism to some and neglect of others based on appearance rank race or social status we also spent a bit of time last time to consider James's doctrine of salvation you'll know that there are those out there that seek to pit James against Paul they teach that that Paul taught justification by faith alone and that James taught faith plus works and typically verse 24 in chapter 2 is the go to verse where James says you see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith only so I believe it's important for us to have a proper understanding of James's doctrine of salvation we saw that in chapter 1 verse 18 of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth and then in chapter 2 verse 1 my brethren do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory with partiality so James affirmed Sovereign Grace James affirms the instrumentality of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ unto salvation as we move our way through the reasons tonight we will reaffirm James's position specifically with reference to verse 5 but I do want to start James chapter 2 beginning in verse 1 my brethren do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory with partiality for if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings in fine apparel and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him you sit here in a good place and say to the poor man you stand there or sit here at my footstool have you not shown your a shown partiality among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts listen my beloved brethren as God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him but you have dishonored the poor man do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture you shall love your neighbor as yourself you do well but if you show partiality you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors for whoever shall keep the whole law and yet stumbles in one point he is guilty of all 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 so speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of Liberty where judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy mercy triumphs over judgment what does it profit my brethren if someone says he has faith but does not have works can faith save him if a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food and one of you says to them depart in peace be warmed and filled but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body what does it profit thus also faith by itself if it does not have works is dead that someone will say you have faith and I have works show me your faith without your works and I will show you my faith by my works you believe that there is one God you do well even the demons believe and tremble but do you want to know a foolish man that faith without works is dead was not Abraham our Father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar do you see that faith was working together with his works and by works faith was made / fect and the scripture was fulfilled which says abraham believed god and it was accounted to him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God you see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith only likewise was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way for as the body without the Spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also well let us pray our Father we thank you for your word we thank you for this wonderful book of James and the emphasis on practical religion give us grace and humility to receive with thanksgiving your word and give us the power of the Holy Spirit to put these things into practice help us Lord God to bridle the tongue help us to engage in pure and undefiled religion and help us Lord God to guard against this sin of partiality help us to honor you help us to praise you help us to glorify your most excellent name and even now God as we rehearse practical religion as we rehearse your law we see our own shortcoming and we confess our sins and we would pray that in your faithfulness and justice you would cleanse us from all unrighteousness how we thank you for the gospel of our salvation how we thank you for the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ not as a reason to promote sin but that when we do sin we have an advocate with the father even Christ the righteous be with us now we pray through Christ our Lord amen well as I said a few weeks ago we considered the particular prohibition against partiality God wants his people to be those who are gracious and kind and loving and do not engage in favoritism toward others based on things like a parent's rank race or social status and we see the prohibition specifically in verse 1 my brethren do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory with partiality the illustration in verses 2 to 4 very straightforward very clear very easy to grasp if two men come in one dressed in fine apparel the other not so fine and we say to the fine apparel wearing man sit up front and we say to the dirty man sit in the back we have indeed engaged in partiality and have become judges with evil thoughts now James will offer up three reasons why we ought to guard our hearts against this particular scent or three arguments as to why this is an ungodly activity and we'll break them down this way there's first a soteriological argument in verse five kids soteriology simply means the doctrine of salvation it's an argument based on God's saving purpose and plan that's verse 5 secondly there is a practical argument in verses 6 & 7 and then thirdly there is a theological argument in verses 8 to 13 more specifically we might call it a nomological argument and nam ology is simply the doctrine of below james appeals to the law of god as an argument against our showing the sin of partiality engaging in the sin of partiality we might also call it the DECA logical argument I quite like that one myself the DECA logical in verses 8 to 13 but note in the first place is soteriological argument remember James teaches salvation by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and there is a repeated emphasis of that here in verse 5 listen my beloved brethren has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him God chose the poor of this world to be rich in faith he didn't choose them because they were rich in faith he doesn't look down the tunnel of time and see the faith commitment of Psalm and by foreseeing this God then chooses that no their faith the fact that they believe the gospel our faith the fact that we believe the gospel is B because of sovereign grace it is because of election it is because God has chosen and when he says the poor of this world he doesn't mean every single poor man it is not the case that every poor person out there is elect unto salvation James is speaking in generalities he's also not suggesting that no rich man can be saved or that no rich man has been chosen for salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ James's argument is similar to what we find in 1st Corinthians 1 1st Corinthians 1 the Apostle Paul highlighting the glory of the gospel of free and sovereign grace the message of the Cross that he sets forth in chapter 1 verses 18 to 25 and then he highlights the glory of that message in the recipients notice in verse 26 for you see your calling brethren that not many wise according to the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put the shame the wise and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty this is the same idea they're not teaching that every poor person is saved and every rich person is damned but back in chapter 2 it verse 5 we ought to appreciate the specific contextual argument James's a focus is clear why would you show partiality to somebody that God chose for salvation before the foundation of the world notice the language in verse 5 has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him so he underscores sovereign election he underscores the gift of faith and he underscores the granting of an inheritance by God to the elect and so James's argument is clear if God has conveyed such blessing upon a poor person in the context of the church why why oh why Jew brethren ever exclude him if he is not good enough for God in the sense that that's why God chose him but God said his affections upon him God chose him unto salvation if that is the case then we must love him too we must approve him too we must appreciate him too and even if he is dressed in dirty clothing he is welcome and entitled to sit in the very front row the contrast couldn't be more stark have you not shown partiality among yourselves verse 4 and become judges with evil thoughts if God said is saving affection upon a sinner then you are to receive that Center you're not to exclude them you're not to put them in the back of the church you're not to put them in a place that does not or that does reflect your sin of partiality John Calvin says as God honors the poor then everyone who repudiates them reverses the order of God so you see it's a soteriological argument do not show partiality because if God has shown mercy if God has shown grace if God has set his love upon them if they are in fact the elect they are chosen to be rich in faith they are heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him if that is indeed the case then you must receive that you must respect them you must love them to see the soteriology here you see the doctrine of salvation we need to keep James 1:18 James 2:1 and James 2:5 in our minds as we specifically approach verses 14 to 26 there is been no little controversy over James 2:14 - 26 all hosts are all sorts of people think that there's some sort of contradiction between James and Paul but if we understand that James's doctrine of salvation is exactly like Paul's if we understand that James says that people are saved because of God's sovereign election if the instrumentality is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ if they have been chosen to chosen a to be rich faith then we cannot believe that James is contrary to what Paul teaches so the first argument by way of application to the whole argument is that we need to consider soteriology if god in fact has saved the poor then we ought to esteem them and care for them and love them not again it's not just the poor could be black if we're all white could be white if we're all black could be Canadian if we're all American could be American if we're all Canadian there's no shortage of ways that we can show partiality there is no shortage of ways that we can keep people at a distance because they're different from us there's no shortage of ways that this sin can be perpetuated in the context of the church now notes secondly the practical argument in verses 6 & 7 but you have dishonored the poor man you see James isn't writing theoretical theology or abstract theology he's not just sort of looking into the context of the church and addressing things that that maybe aren't true but you know we should be on the lookout for no James underscores that this had in fact actually occurred but you have dishonored the poor man this demonstrates the necessity of this whole section in verses 1 to 13 as James is dealing with practical religion he's dealt with the tongue he's dealt with visiting widows and orphans in their distress he's dealt with keeping oneself unspotted from the world all this in the context of being doers of the word so James addresses us into a situation that had been perpetrated in the church do you have dishonored the poor man and then note the comparison comparison he draws out do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts now again I doubt he means every single rich person out there James isn't you know promoting class warfare James isn't promoting some sort of a society where the the one-percenters are hated by the ninety-nine is not doing that he's speaking in generalities and with reference to unbelieving Jews and Gentiles they oppress the church in the first century I mean you just read the book of Acts and you will see that very thing played out time and time again he says you have dishonored the poor man do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts what is James saying you are acting like the unbelievers you are acting like the Gentiles you are acting like the unbelieving Jews you are engaged in conduct that knot is not fitting for a professing Christian when you oppress or when you dishonor the poor or you dishonor the black or you dishonor the white and you dishonor the woman or you dishonor the manner you just dishonor somebody based on something external you are acting just like the unbelievers that persecute you you should know better when this happens to you you don't like it when this happens to you and you're dragged into court and you're oppressed by somebody with means that is not something that is pleasant so why in the world would you do it in the church with the people of God Most High those whom the Lord set his affection on those whom the Lord chose to be rich in faith those whom the Lord chose to be heirs of the kingdom of God Most High why would you take those Kingdom citizens and send them to the back of the church that is not appropriate conduct and then James draws out or teases out what does happen when the rich do this to the people of God verse 7 do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called you see the Christians are called Christians because of Jesus Christ we bear his name and so when the rich oppress the believer of the believer in price that's an act of blasphemy I think Peter illustrates this in 1st Peter chapter 4 1st Peter chapter 4 very clearly notice specifically in verse 14 well verse 12 we should get the flow of the context here beloved do not think it's strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened to you Christians don't freak out or you know you know lose it when bad things happen we do that don't we bad things happen and we just lose it I can't believe bad things are happening to me what if Benny Hinn went that way this past week when the IRS showed up at his house why are these bad things happening to me I'm sure that was a bit of a jolt to his world when the federal agents come looking at your personal accounts or whatever it is that you have to be examined but we're not supposed to be surprised in suffering I don't know where you found it in the Bible that says once I've come to Christ my life is to be hunky-dory my life is to be a better roses I'm supposed to be wafted into the heavenly places bluebirds attending me rose petals on my path no problems no trials no hardships no whatsoever Peter is just the opposite don't think it's strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened to you what do you expect you represent Christ in a world that hates Christ isn't this Christ's argument John 15 if the world hated me they're certainly going to hate you insofar as we're faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ we will find ourselves opposed Paul says in 2nd Timothy 3:12 all those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution so let's change this point with a Peters point with reference to to trial and tribulation you should expect it you live as the blood-bought children of God in a world that is contrary to God you ought not to be surprised when they are contrary to you notice what he goes on to say verse 13 rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings that when his glory is revealed you may also be glad with exceeding joy you see Jane Peters argument is completely contrary don't be absolutely freaked when trials come don't you know go and hide under a rock but rather rejoice exult in it the light in it not because you have some sick fascination with suffering but that acts 5:31 a thoughts when they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus Christ when the disciples were beaten for their Association for their preaching and the doctrine the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ Peter goes on to say in verse 14 if you are reproached for the name of Christ blessed are you for the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you on their part he is blaspheme but on your part he is glorified you see that's the sentiment in James 2:7 when the rich oppress the unbeliever and drag them off into court it is certainly an act of aggression toward the people of God but it's an act of blasphemy it is an act of of absolute arrogance against the high king of heaven so back to James chapter 2 we see the practical argument very clearly very simply is don't act like an unbeliever don't act like an unbeliever you don't like it when they oppress you you shouldn't oppress others especially not that it's okay you know in the City Square but especially in the church remember that's what James is writing to that's his context that's the Assembly that's the gathering together if we can't have solidarity in the house of the Living God if every tribe and tongue and people and nation can't get along out there they most certainly ought to be able to get along in here all our differences notwithstanding the grace of God is sufficient to help each one of us navigate through these particular waters wherein there is differences and different backdrops and backgrounds and ages and you know a whole host of things brethren we are not to function as unbeli who blaspheme that noble name by which you are called by oppressing those in our midst and that brings us thirdly to the theological or the DECA logical argument in verses 8 to 13 and there are five things we ought to appreciate here I know that when I say that you think five things forty minutes probably not first notice the commendation of obedience to God's law now just see how James assumes the validity of God's law throughout this section you know the reformed have identified a three-fold use of the law the first use is what's called the civil or the political use that means that God's law is helpful to creation as a whole to restrain the madness of men the second use is what's called the pedagogical pedagogue meaning child Deuter that means we preach the law to unbelievers to show them their need for the Lord Jesus Christ and then the third use of the law is called the normative use of the law and that simply means this Christ saves us by grace God saves us by grace through faith in Jesus Christ we come to the cross we're forgiven of our sins we are imputed with the righteousness of Christ it is received by faith alone and as new believers Christ points us to the 10 commandments Christ points us to the law as the definition of what God demands from his people not demands so that they'll be safe know we're saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ we're saved at the cross but it's that Decalogue that defines for us what holiness is God doesn't leave us to wonder God doesn't leave us to be creative God doesn't call upon us to be innovative God defines for us that conduct that he requires from his people and James assumes the normative use of the law it should function in the hearts of God's people as a standard to inform them what is pleasing to God what is displeasing to God what we ought to imbibe pursue and what we ought to guard against James utilizes the law here as a means by which the people of God know where they're at relative to the God of heaven and earth now notice the commendation of obedience to God's law verse eight if you really fulfill the Royal law according to the scripture why does he call it the Royal law well the Royal law probably means that which belongs to the King lords it's God's law and this fits well in context because notice in verse five which he has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him so the King has a kingdom and the King rules by a particular law this law is royal because it belongs to the king John Gill defines this law this way or this sort of adjective royal it is the law of Christ who is king of saints and because it is a principle law the chief of laws as love to God is the sum of the first and Great Commandment in the law and may be called the king of laws so love to neighbor is the second and next unto it and may very well bear the name of the Queen of laws and so has royalty in it so if that commandment to love God with all our heart soul mind and strength if that is the king of laws the second which is like unto it is the queen of laws it is a royal law it belongs to the king and he calls us to live in accordance with it verse 8 if you really fulfill the royal law now James is a realist and James is understanding of remaining corruption again James we ought not to press James in a way that James shouldn't be pressed as I said earlier doesn't mean every poor man is saved he doesn't mean every rich man as damn when he says if you really fulfill the law he's not talking about unto salvation he's not talking about justification remember it's in the context of church and professors living in a minute that is pleasing to God so James doesn't think that there's actually some you know being out there that does fulfill the entirety of God's law speaking in generalities but he is speaking using that royal law as the standard by which our conduct is to be informed notice if you really fulfill the royal law according to Scripture you shall love your neighbor as yourself you do well you shall love your neighbor as yourself the content of the royal law for James in this passage is Leviticus chapter 19 verse 18 Leviticus chapter 19 verse 15 is the background for James prohibition against partiality that is a unit there in Leviticus chapter 19 the summarizing statement is verse 18 you shall love your neighbor as yourself the previous verse is probably up to verse there's a beginning in verse 9 all the way down to verse 18 is the concrete application of how we are to love our neighbor as ourself what is supposed to be kind supposed to be generous we're supposed to be giving we're supposed to be gracious we're not supposed to show partiality so James is summarizing that section summarizing the entirety of the law because Jesus says on these two hang the whole law and the prophets oh the Royal law is commended to us and those who obey it do well it's not a beautiful thing you brethren I can do well that's a good thing to hear isn't it I spent you know as Calvinists and reformed people all we're wretches and we are and you know that's that should never ever be forgotten but Christ commends the churches in Asia Minor as much as he condemns them in Christ Jesus because we are clothed with a righteousness an alien righteousness imputed to us received by faith alone because the Holy Spirit is at work in us both to will and to do for his good pleasure when we obey those principles set forth in the Decalogue expounded throughout the rest of the law we do well you want to do well in your Christian life do what God sets you want to do well in your Christian life obey God's law note the second thing we ought to draw out the condemnation of those who transgress God's law verse nine but if you show partiality you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors now this is interesting because if you go back to James's example in verses 2 to 4 quite feasibly it could happen that a rich man and a poor man could enter into the Assembly it could happen that the ushers see the rich man in the front row it could happen that the Usher seat the the poor man in the back row and for the most part most of us may not even know to such a thing unless you know it's our day to watch the ushers and see how they operate which I don't think that would be the case but it is intriguing God sees it isn't it God knows what's happening in the assembling of his people together God knows when partiality is being perpetrated in his churches God knows our hearts God knows the conduct God condemns it verse 9 if you show partiality you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors the laws function or one of the laws functions is to convict the partial man as a transgressor of the law in the hopes of course that will repent and flee to Christ and find mercy in that fountain that is open for sin and uncleanness now notice thirdly in terms of this dekha logical argument the indivisibility of God's law in other words it's indivisible you don't pick and choose you don't say well I want these Commandments but I'm not so into these notice very specifically in verses 10 and 11 for whoever shall keep the whole law again James does not see a preacher out there that's doing this he's he's speaking as a pastor he speaking as a as a theologian he's speaking as a man dealing with sinners for whoever shall keep the whole law and yet stumbles in one point he is guilty of all James is pointing ought not to be for a moment you mean there's somebody out there who keeps the whole law he is pointing to the integrity and by that I mean the whole nets and the completeness of God's law the indivisibility the emphasis is not there are persons who keep the whole law but it's a prohibition against picking and choosing see I don't want to commit idolatry and I don't want to commit blasphemy and all have a meticulous Sabbath ethic and I won't be insubordinate to my parents or the governing authorities and I won't murder and I won't commit adultery and I won't steal and I won't lie and I won't covet do you know when it comes to that poor man I don't want to sit next to him I much prefer that the ushers do their job and keep him in the back keep the riffraff out of my Pew well that is actually a violation of the sixth commandment it is to murder someone again not physically or not cutting his throat putting somebody in the back of the church ought not to be seen as an act of violence upon them but in terms of the law James says there is an indivisibility to the law and integrity of the law whoever shall keep the whole law and yet stumbles in one point he is guilty of all Galvin says God will not be honored with exceptions nor will he allow us to cut off from his law what is less pleasing to us the one who keeps the law but transgresses in one point it says he is guilty of all and then notice that integrity of the law or the indivisibility of the law hinges upon the law giver that's the emphasis in verse 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 that's again not to suggest that if you commit adultery you've murdered somebody you've murdered somebody who committed adultery the point is the Decalogue stands or falls as a whole let's just say you went out for supper and you ordered the salad and you took your fork and you dove in and you found a slug in the salad how many of you would take the slug out and eating the salad now there might be some of you you might want to keep your hands down because the rest of us might think wow that's kind of bizarre that one slug ruins the salad you take a dropper a drop of poison and put it in a glass of water you try to drink around the poison no the water's integrity has been compromised you may not commit adultery but if you commit murder you've broken the law that's the point of James in this section the integrity or the indivisibility of the law hinges upon the law giver because the one who said don't commit murder also said don't commit adultery and if you commit one or the other you are guilty of violating the law giver so don't be partial towards others because it shows disdain for the law giver it shows a rejection of and the rebellion against the one who has spoken his law Alec motor says the thing which gives the law its indivisible nature is the character of the God who spoke it the argument is tight the argument is beautiful and the argument ought to hold with all of us 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 you can't congratulate yourself or pat yourself on the back for having kept nine of the ten commandments that one means you're guilty of all again I hope your understanding conceptually not everything you you know not every act has been perpetuated by you but the integrity of the law if I break the mirror and you see that one crack in the mirror the mirror is broken isn't it I mean it might be a crack that big in an otherwise big mirror but it's cracked right those of you who ever drive on the highway and you get a little rock pebble in your in your wind she and it might be that minuscule your eye tends to find it you know continuously the windshields cracked we don't say well 99% of it is intact no the windshield is cracked the mirror is broken the cup is poisoned the salad had a slug in it we're not going to eat it the integrity or indivisibility of god's law is an argument to us all as to why we ought not to be partial because the God who said do not commit murder do not commit adultery also said do not commit murder I don't think it's any accident that James uses this particular analogy because this this statement you shall love your neighbor as yourself ultimately comes back to how we treat others it is a murder issue we are guilty if we are engaged in that sort of partiality and then notice fourthly the regulation of our conduct by a consideration of God's law now certainly we ought to think about we want to please God in our Christian walk we want to honor Christ who loved us and gave himself for us that will you know guilt grace gratitude dynamic that the Heidelberg catechism so beautifully presents guilt grace gratitude we are guilty vile helpless sinners God's grace finds us out delivers us and gratitude is the appropriate response so love to God love to Christ gratitude for our God but James actually says that the law is useful as well for a believer to keep in mind when they conduct themselves in this world notice verse 12 so speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of Liberty it's a beautiful statement isn't it this isn't a different law James has been speaking in context of the Royal law identified with the sixth and seventh commandment so that brings us to Decalogue how can the law be a law of Liberty well think about it this way God's law is a reflection God isn't it and we as image bearers are supposed to reflect God if we as image bearers were doing what we were supposed to do the law of Liberty would be our joy and delight it would be the way that we image God the way that we reflect his glory the way that we do what we're supposed to do you see the law of Liberty for the believer who has been freed from bondage and the tyranny of sin and Satan brought into the light which is Christ given a new heart given the holy spirit having that law now written upon his heart it is our delight isn't it to do what pleases God no I don't know yes it is our delight to please God this is why it's a law of Liberty we don't want to have any other gods before God because we have God we don't want to commit idolatry because we have God we don't want to blaspheme that holy name by which we've been called because God saved us we don't want to you know desecrate a Sabbath day because it's a blessing it's a it's a Liberty God commands me to rest I don't want to dishonor the parents oh oh whom God put over me no it's my liberty and joy to submit to their rule and their government I hope all you kids say that it's my my liberty and my joy to submit to you father and mother kids if you want to make your parents pass out try that sometime it is my joy and liberty to do it you say father and mother try it you ever wanting to see that the results there it's our joy and Liberty not murder people isn't it our joy Liberty to not commit adultery against people isn't it it's our joint and Liberty not to be thieves it's our joy and Liberty not to be you know liars or covetous you see it is a law of Liberty those who have taught that the law is just as burdened you know sort of thing that that it's a holdover and reformed theology but it's better confined to that old covenant dispensation no the law of God transcends whatever covenant is in place it strands a trans covenant oh that's the word right so what I was searching for trans covenantal doesn't matter what covenant is in place the law of God applies isn't this Jeremiah's point in Jeremiah 31 well he says and I will write my law on their heart is that to be a burden is that to be a drudgery is that say oh man how I hate your law how does David say oh how I love thy law is my joy brethren if you don't look at the laws a law of Liberty you've got a different perspective not only from James but from Paul what's Paul saying Romans 3 after declaring the doctrine of justification by faith do we then nullify the law may it never be rather we establish the law again not as a covenant of works not as a means by which we try and approach God there is an unlawful use of the law of God but there are lawful uses and if the believer understands that and uses it lawfully that is a blessed and wonderful thing so James says so speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of Liberty and then notice the final observation in this Decca logical argument is the certainty of judgment in accordance with God's law verse 13 for judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy I think that's pretty obvious judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy you're a merciless wretch guess how you're going to be judged on the day of judgment it's going to be strict and it's going to be severe now there it's not talking about you know remaining corruption those who are without mercy those who have no compassion all of us struggle I doubt there's anybody in here saying man I'm actually good at this one did anybody say that when we talked about bridling the tongue did anybody pat themselves on the back and say man I've mastered the top again don't raise your hand please because I don't want to say well I don't know we can discuss that one later did anybody hear pure and undefiled religion in the sight of God and the father is this visit widows and orphans in their distress and to keep oneself unspotted from the world and say yeah I'm doing good with that can any of us say wow I am the most impartial man that I know I am no respecter of race or a gender of color or of social status I have mastered this know we all struggle that's why it's written in James too that's why the New Testament epistles continue to tell us things because we've got hard heads we've got remaining hard hearts and the Lord God speaks truth to us to help us to sanctify us the Spirit uses the data of God's Word he writes it into our heart he brings conviction for sin he brings us to that place of repentance and confession and owning it so none of us masters this but with reference to this truism in verse 13 a for judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy and God's just universe in God's moral government a merciless man will not find mercy on that day of judgment keep that in mind we can you don't show mercy in the church so that you'll receive mercy if you show mercy in the church it's because God has saved you it's because God has chosen you to be rich in faith it's because God has chosen you to be an inheritor of the kingdom of God it's because God's grace is operative in your heart so the absence of mercy argues the absence of grace and in that case judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy and then 13b is a tough one I'm going to just give you the two positions here actually here's what Manton says concerning that statement mercy triumphs over judgment that's the proper rendering some translations putting yet in there or they might put in and it's sort of connected to it really is that terse mercy triumphs over judgment does that mean I mean on the let on the you know the the surface yeah mercy always triumphs over judgment mercy always wins but if judgment here is the judgment of God and if mercy in context is our expression of kindness to others what what's happening and this idea of triumph is literally written choisi mercy with choices over judgment it's a tough passage Manton says this latter clause have been tortured and vexed with diversity of expositions just want to say that so that you don't think i'm weaseling out it really is a tough phrase you may figure it out and that quick please send me an email and tell me what it means but he says some take mercy here for God's mercy others for man's mercy now John Gill takes it as man's mercy man's mercy triumphs over judgment I think this is legitimate context Gill says that is merciful men who have shown mercy to the poor Saints will not be afraid of the awful judgment but rather rejoice or glory as the word signifies in the view of it since they will obtain mercy at that day and here calm be blessed of my father and then he cites Matthew 25 write those in Matthew 25 who had done those gracious things to the least of these my brethren here come ye blessed of my father it's a legitimate interpretation others understand it as the mercy of God will triumph over the judgment of God that even believers deserve I gotta say it a particular level I much prefer this interpretation moti r explains practical and loving James directs us at the end away from self questioning to the one thing that is eternally certain in the cross of Christ justice was fully done its claims were fully met and God's mercy to sinners triumphed in the provision of a complete forgiveness and a full salvation so what he suggests is that James has been hitting us pretty hard these deckle logical arguments for as to why we ought to show mercy to those in the church but James being a Christian being a pastor being a theologian being a student of the heart knows good and well then none of us will ever show the kind of mercy and impartiality that is fitting and so James ends this brief section with mercy triumphs over judgment now that shouldn't promote license well if God's mercy is going to triumph over his judgment it doesn't matter how I treat the miserable wretches are up no but it is a reminder after having discourse on the law that there is gospel there is good news there is Christ there is a fountain open for sin and uncleanness again at a particular level I appreciate that God's mercy triumphs over judgment contextually I think Gill might have the edge but I leave it with you and I again don't like to weasel out and give you two positions and not take one but such as exegetical task well in conclusion the doctrine of soteriology in James as we approach 14 to 26 let us never forget that James affirmed that sovereign grace James affirmed election unto salvation James affirms that faith is a gift given by God faith is the instrument by which we come into saving union with Jesus Christ so whatever James 2:24 means it does not mean that we're saved by our works secondly we ought to appreciate James condemnation of the sin of partiality it was practiced in James's day it was an abstract theology here James is dealing specifically with an issue that was in play most likely its practice today as well it is characteristic of unbelievers verse 6 and it is a means by which Christ is blaspheme by unbelievers I mean right there that practical argument should cause us to guard our hearts against such a thing if my treatment of a believer is similar to the way a nun god we man treats believers I should repent because in that ungodly man's treatment of unbelievers he is blaspheming the name of Christ if my conduct can be seen that way then God forgive me for my sins as well it is a violation of the royal law the royal law is identified with the Ten Commandments the sixth and the seventh word it's called the law of Liberty as well as well I would argue and submit that this sin of partiality is probably more likely to be committed in the church than overt violations of the sixth and seventh word in some sense James uses the biggest sort of external sins of the Decalogue most of us as we gather here on the Lord's Day are probably not guilty of having cut someone's throat last night or having had relations with a woman or a man that was not our spouse now I'm not saying that that never happens if you are inching close to such things in the use of pornography or looking at things that you ought not stop deceased and it do not pursue such wickedness but for the most part the violation of the 6th and 7th word will not be as overtly demonstrated in the context of the church this in a partiality however probably goes on unchecked all the time we are partial or respecters of persons in a way that we are not murderers and adulterers it is a violation of breaking the entire Decalogue it is a rejection of the law giver himself and it is an evidence that the one committing it may indeed be a stranger to the grace of God because if God has saved us God has called us with a holy calling God has given us life eternal what's one of John's sort of tests that we know if we pass from death to life if you have love for the Brethren that's a beautiful thing it's in it if I have love for the Brethren I mean I got issues got problem to get this I get that but if at the final analysis we can say I love the Brethren it doesn't mean I'm going to always pal around with the brethren doesn't mean mean the Brethren are going to go to the mall together it doesn't mean that but I have a love for the Brethren the Brethren don't all get into my card you know all of us go that's not the concept in view love for the Brethren is measurable it's demonstrable Romans 13 you love the Brethren by not murdering the Brethren you love the Brethren by not committing adultery with the Brethren spouses you love the Brethren by not stealing from the Brethren it's objective obedience to God's law that is the evidence that we love the Brethren that doesn't mean you know hey we can go to them all together and enjoy a coffee or whatever you know let's not treat each other I haven't murdered you so I love you okay you know but a coffee wouldn't hurt either you know what brethren it may be the case the absence of this may be an evidence that the one committing it is a stranger to the grace of God because those who have been called by God out of darkness into marvelous light love the Brethren and then finally we ought to appreciate the normative use of the law that third use of the law Christians ought to be aware of that threefold use of three uses of the law the Royals royal laws applicability to the church is assumed by James it's assumed by James he doesn't say well you know just for the purpose of illustration I'm going to point you back to the lot Sinai but you know it has no validity for us only insofar as it's a as an example now James uses the law just like Paul uses the law as well the reference to the sixth and seventh Commandments identify what royal law is in view the usefulness of the law in convicting persons is underscored the law is the law of Liberty in John chapter eight verse 34 Jesus says whoever commits sin is a slave of sin John 8:36 he says therefore if the son makes you free you shall be free indeed and that freeness indeed ness means the blessed privilege to obey god's law the gospel does not nullify the law of God our confession says the moral law does forever by and all as well justified persons as others to the obedience thereof and that not only in regard of the matter contained in it but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator who gave it neither does Christ in the gospel anyway dissolve but much strengthened the obligation and if there is that normative use there is that pedagogical use if you are here tonight and you have not come to Christ you have not believed the gospel this law finds you out there's not a one of us in this place that can say I've kept the whole law perfectly we haven't that's why we need the gospel that's why we need the Lord Jesus Christ that's why we need to come to the cross and believe on him well let us pray our Father we thank you for this section in James's epistle we pray that you would help us to guard our hearts against the sin of partiality caused us not to be respecters of persons caused us not to function based on externals but God help us to value to prize to love the people of God and grant us grace to esteem the the Saints of Christ we ask that you would go with us now we pray that you would guard us and watch over us in this coming week bless again all those in our church that are struggling physically bless all of us as we struggle spiritually grant us help from on high and the power of the Holy Spirit and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen we'll close with a brief time of meditation and then be dismissed