Journal ~ JamesSample

DISCIPLINE

James continues today on the same theme. I must admit it makes me wonder if this was a common problem in the church or if it was so outrageous to James he could not leave it alone. I am reminded of Paul’s confrontation with Peter on the issue of sharing meals, which to many would be considered no big deal, but to Paul was an attack on the fellowship of the body of Christ. 

James goes back to an accepted standard. It was a given that they should love one another, and that loving one another was a primary law of the follower of Christ and of the whole church. (How different would our world be if the modern Christian and the modern Church accepted and lived up to that law!)

By favoring one over another, you were clearly breaking that law. As they all knew from their Jewish faith background (even if they were Gentile converts) if any single law was broken, it was the same as breaking all of them. One trespass is enough to make someone a trespasser. 

In modern terms, we might restate verses 12-13 in this way:

We must accept everyone, and accept them equally, because through Jesus Christ we have been accepted.