Partiality, Judgment, Mercy, and Sin

James 2:7-13

7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? 8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

• Why is showing partiality a sin?
• How does showing partiality relate to mercy?
• What does this passage say about ranking sins?
• How might you show partiality toward various sins?
• Would you want God to show partiality in dealing with sin? If so, how do you want Him to be partial?
• How does being judged by the law of liberty change how you act or speak?
• What does being merciful mean to you? How do you show mercy?

Harold's Musings:
I'm not sure I ever put partiality, judgment, mercy and sin all together before. At least not all four. I wonder if we really recognize just how much partiality we show. Sure there are the surface items, such as race, gender, economic status, and celebrity. What about always choosing to talk to your friends at church assembly instead of talking with the people you don't like as much? Is that just expressing your preferences or is that some level of judgment? As I think about it, I think I am judging whether or not a person is worthy of my recognition and attention. Now talking with me is not necessarily a reward, but if I am not willing to reach out and approach them, I am judging. "Judgment is without mercy to the unmerciful." Mercy has a range, from forgiveness of major hurts to giving your time to someone. I think this passage says that my sins are connected to my partiality towards others. Ouch. Got to do some more looking in the mirror.

Who has the good seats?

James 2:1-6

2:1 My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, 3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” 4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court?

• Which would you prefer sitting next to you in a church assembly: a well-dressed person or a shabby, dirty person?
• What are some ways you show favoritism between Christians?
• What are some areas where you internally make distinctions between Christians?
• Which are you more drawn to: a rich person or a poor person? Why?
• How do circumstances change how we show our partiality? For example, how do your friends influence your judging others?
• How is your partiality influenced by knowing that God loved the person you judge just as much as he loves you?

Harold's Musings:
As humans, we appear to have a deep desire to be accepted by whatever "in-crowd" we are around. Our society seems to worship the popular. I suspect that if a celebrity entered your church assembly this Sunday morning, there would likely be a rush to greet them. The homeless woman who came in five minutes before could well have been ignored. God has a much different view. The hurting, poor, and unattractive by the world's standards are God's choice for honor. The rich and the popular frequently do not see that they need God; the poor and downtrodden do. Those of us in the middle have to choose whose values we will use. I have found this to be such a challenging passage because I judge people on much more subtle things, lke language, demeanor, likability, etc. While I'm doing better, I've still got a ways to go. Will you choose the (temporary) physical attributes and be partial judges? Will you use God's values and accept equally?

What is your religion?

James 1:26-27

26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

• When is your tongue like a bucking bronco?
• Why is controlling your tongue so important?
• Why is it easy to be deceived about being religious?
• What is your first thought when you hear "religion"?
• What is God's definition of "religion"?
• How religious are you?

Harold's Musings:
I've been trying to figure out what a bridled tongue would be defined as in my life. Is it limited to not gossiping, slandering, complaining, lying or swearing? Does it include saying that I will do something and not get around to doing it? Can it include typed words that suggests that I have it together and am righteous? Is it not talking religion, Bible, church, and judging others when I should be doing? Perhaps many of us like the comfort of limiting our Christianity to the few hours a week in a church building instead of dealing with the hurting people around us. How true is your religion?

Do It

James 1:19-25

19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

• What is the reason for getting rid of wickedness and filth in your life?
• What is able to save your soul? What is the qualifier stated here?
• How does anger and meekness have anything to do with receiving God's Word?
• How likely are you to do what someone tells you when you are angry, especially at them?
• What are you to do when you see sin in your life?
• What do you do to yourself when you hear God's word but don't do it?
• How might the mirror passage relate to verse 21?
  
• What is the mirror you are to look into?
  
• When do you intently look at yourself in a physical mirror? Why?
• When do you intently look at yourself in God's Word?

Harold's Musings:
Definitely a bootcamp passage. Let's listen in...

Don't just stand there soldier, get to it!! Do you see anger tearing up your life, soldier?!? Get rid of it!! Do you see filth on your soul from your daily choices?!? How do you know it is filth, soldier?!? That's right you looked in a mirror!! Now what are you going to do, soldier?!? Wait until you mommy comes and washes it off??? Do your part, soldier, and let the general get rid of any stains that are left!!

You get the picture, I hope. Can't do the sound effects very well in a text form. The message is clear to me. God's word is how I know what good is. God's word shows me the crud in my life. I have to choose to obey as best I can.

Is it good?

James 1:16-18

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

• What are the good things in your life? [Be complete but brief :-) ]
• What are the bad things in your life? [Be complete but brief :-) ]
• How do you make the distinction between good and bad events?
• If trials are to be met with joy, are trials good or bad events?
• What are the things you desire?
• If you received each thing you desire, where would it come from?
• Which of your desires would not come from God?
• How difficult is it for you to determine whether a desire is good or bad?

Harold's Musings:
Intriguing why this passage about good things from God would lead off with "Do not be deceived." Or why this passage follows the passage about sin coming from our desires. And why it ends with our being created by the "word of truth". I find it difficult to distinguish between truly good things and what I consider good. The same goes for bad things as well. There are a number of things that happened in my life that at the moment I thought were good or bad and only later could appreciate what the results really were. I can say that my 20/20 hindsight sees God's hand in things. Some of the undesirable things of life continue, but I can see how they have been good for me or for others. Satan is the lier and father of lies. God created us, loves us, and wants what is best for us. Do we want what is best for us?

The Core Problem

1 John 2:16

16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.

Genesis 3:1-7

3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

• How did Satan use deception against Adam and Eve?
• What did Satan directly do to Eve to make her sin?
• What did Satan directly do to the fruit to make it a temptation?
• How does Gen. 3:6 relate to 1 John 2:16?
• How effective was building extra rules around eating the fruit?
• How does Satan use deception to get you to sin?

Harold's Musings:
The core problem is stated in 1 John 2:16. We live in a world full of temporary things that we want. Satan did not change Eve. Satan did not change the fruit. He merely pointed out the fruit to the woman with enough dishonesty that her eyes, flesh, and pride took over. If you look at Gen 2, you will find that God did not say anything about touching the tree; yet Eve was under the impression that it was the rule. Perhaps Adam in an attempt to protect Eve made another rule. Regardless the rule did not work. Oh, Adam was standing right there with Eve and did not stop her. When I sin it is because I choose to believe Satan's lies instead of God's truth, but Satan is just using my eyes, flesh, and pride to his advantage. Dying to self has to involve wanting what God has to offer more than what our self wants to get. Watch for the lies today.

Trials and Temptations

James 1:12-16

12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.

• What does the phrase "remain steadfast under trial" bring to mind?
• Why are temptations "necessary"?
• Where do temptations come from?
• What is the difference between wanting and being "lured and enticed" for something?
• Where does the trial come in the temptation-to-sin process?
• Where does deception come in the temptation-to-sin process?

Harold's Musings:
It seems today that if something happens to us, we look for something or someone to blame. The same applies to temptations. In the 70's a popular saying was "The devil made me do it." In Genesis 3:1-7 we see how Satan works in rather clear detail. In 1 John 2:16-17 we see that it is our eyes, our flesh, and our pride that is at the core of sin. Throughout our society we see people making foolish choices because they want something and ignore the consequences. I know I have done this. James is warning us to watch for the temptation before it becomes desire. And the temptations will keep on coming until we die. That's were the remaining steadfast comes into play. Stand firm today, folks.

Opposite View

James 1:9-11

9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

• What is the danger of being rich?
• How often do you want to be rich?
• How often do you consider yourself to be rich?
• What happens to the things you work so hard to acquire?
• What happens to the rich man who is striving to acquire?
• Why is there glory in a humble or low circumstances?
• Which would you rather have: the glory of a low position or fading riches?

Harold's Musings:
Sometimes it is tough being surrounded by the world. Our view of how things are and how things should be are so often tainted by how the world views things. When we see someone with very few possessions, we feel sorry for them. When we see someone with a "reasonable" amount of possessions, we think that they are in good shape. If we are honest, we look at those with more possessions than we have with just a bit of envy. God says we have things upside down. He says we should look at the permanence of our possessions. The world's stuff is just as permanence as that paper napkin you used and threw away at the fast food restaurant. God challenges us to see with His eyes. Hmmmm.... need to find my God-correction glasses.

Wisdom if you want it

James 1:5-8

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

• When has someone asked you for advise but you knew they had already made up their mind?
  
• At what point in your ususal decision process do you get God's input?
• How does doubting have anything to do with asking for wisdom?
• When have you asked God for wisdom, but were not sure you wanted His input?
• How often do you believe that you already have the wisdom you need without asking God?
  
• Why is it important to seek God's wisdom at all times instead of as needed?
• How does doubting God's wisdom affect your thinking and your life?

Harold's Musings:
Every day we are asked to make decisions. Many of those decisions we can confidently make because of training or past experience. In other words, we do not lack the wisdom that we need. The context of this passage is about making decisions about temptaions and trials. Sometimes we have the training and/or experience needed to overcome the situation. Sometimes we are in a trial because of poor decisions on our part. God wants us to be more perfect and complete as His children when we reach the other side. He wants us to ask Him for the input or advice. He also wants us to act on His input or advice. He wants us to trust Him, not merely ask then do what we already had in mind. Too frequently the habits of making "right now" decisions at my job, home, or community take over in spiritual decisions. Then after the decision is made I ask God if it was ok. Hmmmm.... Think I've got things backwards.

God's Boot Camp

James 1:2-4

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

• The book of James has been called God's Boot Camp. Why do military units have boot camps?
• How does this passage remind you of a boot camp?
• Do you struggle with finding joy in trials? If so, why?
• What is there about trials that makes you want to avoid them?
• Why would God allow you to endure trials? What does He want?
• How are what you want and what God wants different in regard to trials?
• What sort of perfection and completeness is this talking about?
• How badly do you want to be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing?

Harold's Musings:
I'm not big into exercise and that sort of thing. I have not been very motivated by the statement: No pain, no gain. As you would expect, I'm not very fond of this passage. Joy in suffering or trial is difficult for me. When I'm honest, it is because I am more focused on self-protection than self-improvement. God knows what is best for me. Do I trust Him to take care of me? Do I believe that His training is going to help later? Tough stuff for me on a Monday.

Words and Holy Spirit

Ephesians 4:29-31

29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

• How might your talk corrupt someone?
• How might your talk build someone up?
• What do you do to determine what is best said for the occasion?
• When have you known that your words gave grace to someone?
• Why would the Holy Spirit grieve regarding your words?

Harold's Musings:
I think I was raised with the view that corrupting someone dealt with drugs, sex, and illegal activities. While those things are obviously not excluded, the context here seems to address something deeper and less obvious. Bitter angry words corrupt relationships. Slander corrupts how people view the object of slander. If you as a Christian exhibit careless speech, it is an example to others. The most troubling part of this passage is that the Holy Spirit can be grieved by our words. He is in the fellow Christian you just slandered. He heard the corrupting words hit like bullets. He likely feels the hurt, anger, and resentment the words produced. All because you and I are careless, shooting from the lip. It is much easier to speak without thinking that to consider what should be said to build up the other person. Watch those lips out there today. Aim carefully. The Holy Spirit could get hurt.

Wise Words About Words

Proverbs 15:1-2, 4, 7, 18 ,23, 26, 28

15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
4 A gentle tongue is a tree of life,
but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge;
not so the hearts of fools.
18 A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.
23 To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,
and a word in season, how good it is!
26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,
but gracious words are pure.
28 The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,
but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.

• What is the connection between the mouth and the heart?
• What impact does the tongue play in relationships?
• How is the tongue a factor in anger management?

Harold's Musings:
The wisest of men spoke a number of things about the tongue. This is from just one chapter. These are so clear that I don't a lot to say, except to point out again the connection between heart and mouth. God knows that our mouth will reflect the contents of our heart. It may be worthwhile to inspect our words to measure the purity of our hearts.

Healing Rash

Proverbs 12:18

18There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

• How can words be like sword thrusts?
• What is the difference between rash words and wise words?
• What does it take to speak healing words?
• Which is more common from you: stabs or healing?

Harold's Musings:
WayneW commented yesterday about "sharpening the tongue". Such a powerful image, especially in light of this passage. The purpose of a sharp tongue is seldom (if ever) to heal. I was reading last night some things to not say when helping people who are in a crisis. Some are things that would never think to be a problem. It takes time and wisdom to select and apply healing words. I suspect that we spend more time thinking about slashing each other than we do about binding each others wounds. Rash word thrusts are generally defensive, motivated by a desire to protect our self. Healing words are about the other person, an act of selflessness. So what are you planning to carry today: a word sword or a word first-aid kit.?

Taming the untamable

James 3:1-12

3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

• How is the tongue like a fire?
• How does the tongue stain the whole body?
• How is the tongue a restless evil?
• What is the core problem behind tongue trouble?
• What kind of fruit does your tongue usually produce?
• Why is it risky to be a teacher, one who claims to know what is right?

Harold's Musings:
Every time I read this passage I think about not teaching any more. I really do try to make sure what I say in a class (or with a keyboard) is true, as far as I understand today. But I can still remember things that I taught with full sincerity that I would not teach today. Scary. And then there is just everyday talk... Talk about scary. How many fires have I started? An angry word here. A misunderstood joke there. An uttered momentary frustration. Our speech does seem to be disconnected from our reason on so many occasions. As God said, "Who can tame the tongue?" Do your best to bridle that tongue today. Produce good fruit with that mouth, not burning cinders. Peace out.

Salty speech

Mark 9:49-50

49 For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
Colossians 4:6

6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

• What is salt valuable for?
• How does salt lose its saltiness?
• What does it mean to have salt in you?
• How does salt relate to peace with each other?
• What does gracious, seasoned speech sound like?
  

Harold's Musings:
Salt-free potato chips, blah! Scrambled eggs without salt, blah! Some foods are just unpalatable to me without salt. Have I forced down the above mentioned foods? Yes, but I did not enjoy them. On the other hand, we were at a fast-food restaurant and the cheeseburgers we were served were so salty that we could not eat them. The amount of salt used determines how good the food tastes. So it is with what we say. We are not called to be bland and unpalatable. Nor are we called to be as salty as the Dead Sea. Our words should bring peace not arguments. Our words should bring salvation, but carefully and graciously seasoned. Listen today and see how your speech tastes to others.

Peacemaker

Matthew 5:9

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

• How would you describe a peacemaker?
  
• How likely is an angry person also a peacemaker?
• What types of peace is this passage talking about?
• Are children of God required to be peacemakers? Why or why not?

Harold's Musings:
A friend at church told me of an experience where he approached a protester in front of an abortion clinic. He does not believe in abortion. He and his wife have been active in adoption programs and have adopted and fostered children, as well as helping in a number of youth programs. He asked the woman if she had adopted any children. She sputtered an offended No. He asked if she had fostered children, receiving the same offended No. He kept asking questions to determine what she had actually done to address the problem, even to just baby sitting a child so a single mom can get out of the house. All the answers were No. He told her she should throw away her sign and go home. It is so easy to be angry and protest. It is much more challenging to look for ways to make peace. It is easier to complaint than to do your part in solving the problems. How much peace have you made lately?