Friday, September 23, 2011
12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
James 2:12-13
James tells us to behave in the way someone would be have who will be judged by “the law of liberty.” Why is he calling it the “law of liberty”? We have the law, and if we break God’s law we know there will be consequences. That being said, if I only keep the law because I fear consequences, I’m not really growing into maturity. We need to get to the place where we keep the law because we get to keep it. God has given us wisdom in the law and how to live and what to do. God’s law brings life when it is kept. God’s law is also liberty, because I know that I’m saved apart from it. I don’t have to keep it to be saved, I get to keep it once I am saved.
Also, James says that we should reflect the mercy and grace that has been given to us by God to those around us. The person that demonstrates mercy shows that they are ready to be judged themselves, because they understand the mercy that they have been given.
Application:
People that do not show mercy have a “you owe me” kind of attitude. Is there someone in your life that you feel “owes you” for something? Do you find yourself having imaginary conversations with them where you tell them how wrong they are? Don’t carry that any more. Release them from that debt. Forgive them! Maybe today you should make a phone call, make a visit, or write a note to that person asking for and giving them forgiveness.
Study the Scriptures with Ben Jennings 
I have heard of tht term and I have used it and my brothers have too. I would ask toby for an lollipop and he said fine but u owe me. So then he was expecting something in return. I feel like an ex-friend of mine owes me something. We have been bff since like 4th grade. And in 7th grade she just wanted to throw it all away. I felt like she owed me for being her friend and she never was. But great message today and I have an update on my great grandmother. She isn’t doing well she had a stroke and fell out of her hospital bed. And they toke x-rays of her they think she could have broke a couple of bones. So thts not good. But thanks for all ur prayers I love u guys!! 🙂
This passage is saying that….. i dont get what the passage is saying.
Wait I get it now…like everytime I ask my mom for money shes always like oh you owe me back sk she wants me to give her the money I asked for at one point like to pay her back and stuff. I don’t really have someone that owes me anything well I did but then I forgave her and that was like a hard thing for me to do and we are like kinda beccoming friends again cuz I’m nice to her at lunch and in the halls and everything!!! 🙂
With the “you owe me” thing, I’m not necessarily talking about people that owe you money from like some kind of business transaction.
What I’m talking about is when you are holding something against someone that they did, or said. Do you feel like they owe you an apology, or need to give you something for what they did to you?
Many times, when we feel this way, the other person doesn’t even know it. It’s better to forgive them, and move on.
Does that help Mafalda?
Okay yea that helps thnx pastor ben!!! 🙂 I don’t really have people who owe me anything and I don’t fell like they owe me anything so I’m good!!! 😀
Same here Mafalda! If i want 2 buy something w/ my money and i don’t hv enough my mom gives me money and says i have 2 give her how much she gave me. There isn’t really any one that owes me something. Praying 4 ur great grandma tristi!! hope she gets better!!
Thanks ally! 🙂
yea hope she gets awesomely better!! 🙂
Thanks guys! 🙂
I have a few different friends who I have felt like they owed me an explanation for their behavior. I had to come to the point of forgiving them and show them grace and mercy even though I had no answers. I still wish I knew the answers but I don’t hold that against them. They are responsible to God for their own behaviors. I just pray that they make it right with God someday. I am not always great at showing mercy and grace but I am trying. 🙂
This passage is cool! I think that when it comes to Gods law, we should obey it! Not because we feel like we have to, but God sent His ONLY son to die for you and me, I think at the very least we can try and keep His commandments! I know some are harder than others, but I know God would be very proud if we at least try to keep them! 🙂
A lot of times I’ve felt like someone has owed me something, so I can relate to what Tristian was saying. One time I felt like my best friend owed me for not being a good enough friend! But as it turns out I was just as bad of a friend to her too! I’m soo glad I’ve grown since then, but I still struggle with it! & I’m so thankful that God have that kind of attitude towards us! Imagine if God felt like we “owed Him” because He had to send His son to die for us?! That would stink! But God’s merciful, and doesn’t have that kind of attitude! So I think showing others mercy or forgiveness is just bringing us closer to God, and helping us to be more like Him! And that’s awesome! 🙂
Boy are these verses important! I did th opposite of what these verse are saying for a long time. A little over a year ago, I was in my very first relationship. I was new to the “dating scene” and very vulnerable. I tried to impress my boyfriend all the time because he was my world at the time. My parents saw that I was slowly going downhill in this relationship, because it was very unhealthy. They gave me some restrictions on my relationship with my boyfriend. They didn’t want me too wrapped up in him, when I was shutting everyone else out, or doing things I shouldn’t. At the time, I was like, “I’m Melanie! I haven’t changed and I won’t so don’t worry.” Lindsey often asked me who was more important, her or him. I always would say her because in my heart she was more important of course, but honesty then she wasn’t more important because I put him before everything and everyone. I didn’t see any of this while I wad in the relationship, so I thought my parents rules were dumb, but I was afraid of the consequences. I was afraid of what would happen if I got caught breaking a rule, but sadly that didn’t stop me from rebelling. I wasn’t doing what they had asked and I paid the consequences for sure. This ties along in our spiritual lives. We know there will be consequences when we commit sin, but does that always stop us? If it did then we’d be doing great wouldn’t we? It doesn’t always stop us. We all, or we all should fear God, and we should fear the consequences given to us from our sin, but like Pastor Ben said, if we’re only not committing sin because of the fact that we fear the consequences, then we don’t really care about why God has asked us to obey the laws He’s given. We’re just being fearful in the flesh. I lost who I was a year ago. I lost my morals essentially, and I let some boy take God’s place.. How dare I. I cared more about him then God. More about what my boyfriend thought of me then what God did. That has been the biggest mistake I’ve ever made, and I learned my lesson the hard way. As Christians, we are Christ followers, and we are to keep His commandments because we love Him, not just because we fear Him. We need to grasp why God designed the laws in the first place. For our own good! Something we all have and will struggle with, but something we need to get right.
Back to my relationship story, I was thrown under the bus. I stayed faithful to him, and he did not stay faithful to me. He broke my heart and I was pretty crushed for awhile. The one person I cried so many tears over, fought with my love ones over, lost who I was over, and most importantly, traded God over for.. Betrayed me. I was mad at him for awhile until I finally forgave him in my heart. I thought he owed me for what he did. I thought he owed me for being so true to him, when he was untrue to me. When I forgave him, I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders and I felt as though I could finally move on. I turned to God, and He turned me around and really showed me what life’s all about and what He created me for. Forgivness is a hard thing to do.. Trust me I know! But it’s the RIGHT and GODLY thing to do! Don’t live your life stuck in a position where you can be 10 steps forward! Let God be in control!
This is amazing stuff right there! Isn’t the bible neat? 🙂
Of course it is Mel! The bible has so many different things tht can blow ur mind!!!! It’s so amazing!!! 🙂
I agree 100% Tristian! 🙂 it helps me everyday!
Really transparent Mel. I hope others can learn from what you’ve said.
Well there has been a lot of instances in my life where i have felt someone owes me some kinda of explanation for things. Like Mel, Tristian, & Alexis have said, friends have betrayed me, and most of them for no obvious reason. I lost my bestfriend in 8th grade because she got mad at me for praying for her. That killed me.. It kinda still hurts now thinking about it. I’ve lost friends over the years & i really sometimes wish they wouldve explained themselves, or that i couldve talked to them! But you know, i forgave every person that i’ve had major problems with in my heart, and i’ve told them i forgave them. I always find myself having fake convorsations to myself, acting like i can try and get an answer from them. But like P Ben said, we need to release the hurt, and just forgive them. James is a veru insightful, wise man and i love that every verse in this book are ones everyone can relate to 🙂 i find myself in a place where i need major improvement in the way i act with my friends and how mu relationship with God really is. Proud of you guys for getting on & being so honest! Its hard but it helps to talk about our struggles & celebrate the good things in our lives 🙂
another thing that this reminds me of is that nobody “owes” u anything.Whats the point of giving somebody something or being friends w/ someone if all u want is something back.That wouldn’t be a very good relation would it? If something like that ever happens 2 u just reject it! Like Mel said isn’t the Bible neat and how it helps us in our everyday lives? Do what Jesus would do!! 🙂
Great point Allie…That is so true!
I am so glad that we don’t have to earn our salvation, because if we did we would be in serious trouble. Obeying the law that God has set in place at first seems like a whole bunch of rules and regulations but actually by following these rules they improve your quality of life, it’s crazy! But it can be very hard to do what is right because it is right and notthe attitude of I don’t want to get in trouble with the consequences. Through prayer and wisdom you can over come anything.
Ryan- I’m learning more and more the importance of prayer. Thanks for the great comment man.