A Daily Walk through James: Day 4

Don’t Be a Transgressor (2:1-13)

In the second chapter of James, there is an important lesson to learn, Verse 10 says, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” We can keep all the laws, but if we break just one commandment, God tells us that we are guilty of violating the entire law.

Many times, we think that we are good Christians because we don’t commit a certain sin. We think that what we do isn’t as bad as what others do. This verse and passage tells us quite differently. There are no sins to which God turns a blind eye. In fact, the beginning verses of this chapter speak of one sin we would probably overlook or say was “not so bad.”

James tells us that having respect of persons is a sin in which many offend. Now, we may think that this example is a little harsh. We may think “I have to judge the way someone looks, or acts, or talks.” But, especially when it comes to being a good Christian, we must remain impartial in our judgement of others. When someone who is “a little rough” comes to our church, do we treat them differently than someone who looks and acts like a good Christian? Do teens that ride the bus feel left out by the church teens? Do poorer people get treated with less patience than the “big tithers”?

It’s interesting that this is the example God put in His Word for Christians offending in one point and being guilty of all. This is something that we (especially in 2019) mostly feel is acceptable.

I challenge you, don’t be a transgressor. Don’t break even the smallest commandment of the law.

-S.G.