1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Well, hello and good morning friends and faithful listeners, 2 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 1: and thank you for tuning into the Bible Explain podcast 3 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:18,120 Speaker 1: to discuss the Book of James with me. I've been 4 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:20,759 Speaker 1: loving the Book of James so far. It's been very 5 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:24,279 Speaker 1: fun to do these deep dives into God's word and 6 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 1: James Chapter two is a really fascinating chapter. So today 7 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 1: we're going to be talking about how if we don't 8 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:35,559 Speaker 1: love our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, then we 9 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 1: are essentially breaking the New Covenant, the law that you 10 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 1: and I are under right now, I think it's going 11 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 1: to be a pretty interesting episode, so stay tuned. Right 12 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 1: after this quick word from a sponsor. Alrighty, faithful listeners, 13 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 1: let's turn in our Bibles to James chapter two, eight 14 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:58,280 Speaker 1: through thirteen. I'll be reading as usual from the web. 15 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:01,040 Speaker 1: Make sure to grab you our delicious cup of seven 16 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 1: Weeks coffee, the coffee brand that supports life in the 17 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 1: Womb and my favorite coffee brand as well. It's like 18 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 1: the only coffee that I'll drink because it does not 19 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:11,399 Speaker 1: give me heartburn. It is pricey, I will admit that, 20 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: but it is a very good coffee nonetheless, and I 21 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 1: think that you guys will enjoy it. You can find 22 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:18,959 Speaker 1: my link for that linked in the description of this episode. 23 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 1: But grab whatever coffee you're drinking this morning, for you 24 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:25,279 Speaker 1: wonderful coffee drinkers, and for you crazy tea drinkers, grab 25 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 1: your hot leaf juice and join in with me by 26 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 1: reading James two eight through thirteen. However, if you fulfill 27 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 1: the Royal law according to the scripture, you shall love 28 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 1: your neighbors yourself, you do well. But if you show partiality, 29 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 1: you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors. 30 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 1: For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in 31 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 1: one point, he has become guilty of all. For he 32 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:53,400 Speaker 1: who said do not commit adultree also said do not 33 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 1: commit murder. Now, if you do not commit adultree, but 34 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 1: you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 35 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 1: So speak, and so do is. Men who are to 36 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 1: be judged by the law freedom, for judgment is without mercy. 37 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 1: To him who has shown no mercy, mercy triumphs over judgment. Now, 38 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 1: on Thursday, we already discussed what verse eight means and 39 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:18,919 Speaker 1: what the royal law is. The royal law basically means 40 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 1: the law that rules everything just as somebody who is 41 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 1: royalty rules everybody else. So the royal law is you 42 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:28,960 Speaker 1: shall love your neighbor as yourself. Now, the reason James 43 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 1: is saying all this is because of what we discussed 44 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 1: on Thursday, which was Christians showing partiality to other Christians. 45 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 1: So say, like a poor Christian comes into your church, 46 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:41,920 Speaker 1: and also a really wealthy Christian comes in that might 47 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 1: be able to give the church money. A lot of 48 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 1: times the Christians will mistreat the poor man and then 49 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:50,600 Speaker 1: give preference to the rich man, and even act as 50 00:02:50,639 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 1: if the poor man is not welcome in the building. 51 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 1: And James calls this a sin. He says, this is 52 00:02:56,800 --> 00:02:59,920 Speaker 1: breaking the royal law. According to the scripture, you shall 53 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,200 Speaker 1: of your neighbor as yourself. But if you keep this law, 54 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 1: then you do well. However, in verse nine, if you 55 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:09,960 Speaker 1: show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law 56 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:13,960 Speaker 1: as transgressors. And since Jesus has no favorites, he loves 57 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: all of his children, we should also show that same 58 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:20,000 Speaker 1: mindset to our brothers and sisters in Christ. But if 59 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 1: we don't do that, if we show partiality to somebody 60 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:25,840 Speaker 1: over another person, we commit sin, being convicted by the 61 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 1: law as transgressors. Now, when James says this, he is 62 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 1: not saying we are under the Old Testament laws. We're 63 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:35,320 Speaker 1: under a different law that James goes into in verse twelve. 64 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:38,080 Speaker 1: We are under the law of freedom. And I'll go 65 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 1: more into that in just a moment. But just because 66 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 1: we're under the law of freedom does not mean we 67 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 1: can kind of just do whatever we want to do, 68 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: because sometimes we misunderstand what freedom really is. In order 69 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: to be truly free, there has to be some kind 70 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:52,920 Speaker 1: of rules in place. I know that's kind of an 71 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:56,040 Speaker 1: oxymoron in a sense, but if there's no guidelines in place, 72 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 1: like say, you know, a society is kind of like 73 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 1: what is that move? Was it the Purge? I don't remember. 74 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 1: It was like a really dumb movie that came out 75 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: a long time ago that became a cult classic. But 76 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 1: essentially the entire society had a day where everybody could 77 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 1: just do whatever they wanted to do. They could like 78 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 1: kill people and rape people and you know, cause all 79 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:19,839 Speaker 1: sorts of chaos and just do terrible things. But that 80 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 1: wasn't a free society because everybody had to lock their doors, 81 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 1: and you know, people would build these elaborate cages for themselves, 82 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 1: essentially that they could stay in for the entire day 83 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 1: so that they could have safety. But people would think 84 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 1: that ultimate freedom means you can do whatever you want 85 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:39,040 Speaker 1: to do, but in the end, that just leads to 86 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 1: people being caged up because there's no rules in place. 87 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:46,040 Speaker 1: So essentially, there has to be rules in place in 88 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:49,279 Speaker 1: order to truly have freedom. So just because we are 89 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:51,839 Speaker 1: under the law of freedom in Christ, that does not 90 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:54,919 Speaker 1: mean there aren't rules in place. And I will go 91 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,480 Speaker 1: into that in just a moment. But just because we're 92 00:04:57,480 --> 00:04:59,839 Speaker 1: not under the Old Testament laws doesn't mean we can't 93 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 1: take examples from the Old Testament laws, especially considering the 94 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:05,480 Speaker 1: fact that the Old Testament laws are there for us 95 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:08,559 Speaker 1: to learn from and they're all summed up by loving 96 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 1: God and loving your neighbor as yourself. So we can 97 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 1: absolutely go to the Old Testament laws and use them 98 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:18,839 Speaker 1: as guidelines in our own lives. That doesn't mean that 99 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 1: we are bound by the Old Testament laws like the 100 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: people were in the Old Covenant. We are now in 101 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:26,479 Speaker 1: the era of grace and freedom, but we should still 102 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 1: look back at the Old Testament laws and use them 103 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 1: as guidelines in our own life. He says, in verse ten. 104 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:35,599 Speaker 1: Whoever keeps the whole law or the whole Old Testament law, 105 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 1: and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty 106 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 1: of all of it. And that might sound kind of 107 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 1: confusing to you, because you may look at the Old 108 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:46,360 Speaker 1: Testament laws and think of them as separate points. You 109 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 1: might be like, oh, you know, murdering has nothing to 110 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 1: do with stealing from somebody, Committing adultery against your spouse 111 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:56,360 Speaker 1: has nothing to do with envying. But that's actually not true, 112 00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:58,839 Speaker 1: because all of them are related because they came from 113 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:01,919 Speaker 1: the same source, came from God himself. So if you 114 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:03,839 Speaker 1: break one, even if it's something that you consider to 115 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:07,479 Speaker 1: be the smallest commandment, then you are guilty of being 116 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:10,480 Speaker 1: a sinner. You are a law breaker. I guess the 117 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 1: best modern example I can give of this is when 118 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 1: a criminal breaks a law and is thrown into prison 119 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:20,560 Speaker 1: for breaking it, we generally consider that person to be 120 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:23,679 Speaker 1: a law breaker. It doesn't matter which law that they broke, 121 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 1: they are a law breaker. Same goes for the Old 122 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:29,840 Speaker 1: Testament laws. If someone breaks just one of them, then 123 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 1: that means that they are a law breaker, and it 124 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 1: doesn't matter how small that commandment that they broke was 125 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:36,680 Speaker 1: they are a law breaker. They are a sinner in 126 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 1: the eyes of God. And coincidentally, there is an Old 127 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 1: Testament law that the Jewish rabbi is considered to be 128 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:45,479 Speaker 1: the smallest one. It's called the least of all of 129 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:49,360 Speaker 1: the commandments, and that is found in Deuteronomy twenty two 130 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:51,840 Speaker 1: six and seven. So I'm going to read that to you, 131 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 1: the least of all of the commandments. It says, if 132 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 1: you come across a bird's nest on the way, in 133 00:06:57,160 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 1: any tree, or on the ground with young ones or eggs, 134 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 1: and the hen is sitting on the young or on 135 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 1: the eggs, you shall not take the hen with the young. 136 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 1: You shall surely let the hen go, But the young 137 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 1: you may take for yourself, that it may be well 138 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 1: with you, and that you may prolong your days. Now, basically, 139 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:18,680 Speaker 1: that is a law against animal mistreatment. If you are 140 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:21,480 Speaker 1: hungry and you are walking along trying to find something 141 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: to eat, and there is a nest sitting on the ground, 142 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 1: and you see a hen sitting on the eggs, you 143 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:30,680 Speaker 1: decide you want those eggs for breakfast. You are not 144 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 1: supposed to take the chicken along with the eggs. You 145 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:36,640 Speaker 1: are mistreating that mother Hen in every single way that 146 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:39,560 Speaker 1: you possibly can, both by taking her young and also 147 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 1: by taking her as a meal. You should not do that. 148 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 1: God says, let the mother Hen go her way, and 149 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 1: that is called the least of the commandments. But notice 150 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: what it says here in verse seven. This is really interesting. 151 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 1: You shall surely let the hen go, but the young 152 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:57,679 Speaker 1: you may take for yourself, that it may be well 153 00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:02,920 Speaker 1: with you, and that you may prolong your days. There's 154 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:06,280 Speaker 1: one other time we see that phrase, that it may 155 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:08,320 Speaker 1: be well with you and you may prolong your days. 156 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:13,040 Speaker 1: And that phrase is found in Deuteronomy chapter where was 157 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:18,560 Speaker 1: it Deuteronomy chapter five sixteen. Honor your father and your mother, 158 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 1: as Yahweh or God commanded you, that your days may 159 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 1: be long, and that it may go well with you 160 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 1: in the land which Yahweh or God gives you. That 161 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: is one of the ten commandments, by the way, So 162 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 1: how can we say that respecting the mother hen is 163 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:34,199 Speaker 1: the least of all of the commandments. In the eyes 164 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 1: of God, every single one of these commandments is a 165 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:40,560 Speaker 1: big thing. It's a big deal. That's kind of what 166 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:45,560 Speaker 1: Jesus alludes to in Matthew twenty two thirty six through forty. 167 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:49,400 Speaker 1: A pharisee comes up to Jesus, it says in verse 168 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:52,720 Speaker 1: thirty five. One of them, a lawyer, asking him a question, 169 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:56,040 Speaker 1: tested him, teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law. 170 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:58,600 Speaker 1: Jesus said to him, you shall love the Lord your 171 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:00,720 Speaker 1: God with all your heart, with all your soul, and 172 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:03,000 Speaker 1: with all your mind. This is the first and the 173 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:06,839 Speaker 1: greatest commandment. A second, likewise is this, you shall love 174 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 1: your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets 175 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:15,600 Speaker 1: depend on these two commandments. Jesus himself said. The entire 176 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 1: law and the prophets depend on those two commandments, love 177 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 1: of God and love of your neighbor. The commandments depend 178 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:28,800 Speaker 1: on your love. And that is what James is getting 179 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 1: at here in verse two. Even if you break the 180 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 1: smallest commandment, the least of all of the commandments, then 181 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:41,079 Speaker 1: you are breaking the entire law. You become a law breaker. 182 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:46,200 Speaker 1: Jesus says something similar in Matthew chapter five, his famous 183 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 1: Sermon on the Mount. Here's what Jesus says in Matthew five, 184 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 1: starting in verse seventeen. Don't think that I came to 185 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:55,559 Speaker 1: destroy the law or the prophets. I didn't come to destroy, 186 00:09:55,679 --> 00:09:58,720 Speaker 1: but to fulfill. For most certainly, I tell you, until 187 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:03,480 Speaker 1: heaven and earth p not even one smallest letter or 188 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 1: one tiny pen stroke, shall in any way pass away 189 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 1: from the Law until all things are accomplished. Therefore, whoever 190 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 1: shall break one of these least commandments and teach others 191 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:17,840 Speaker 1: to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom 192 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:21,040 Speaker 1: of Heaven. But whoever shall do and shall teach them, 193 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 1: shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. For 194 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:26,559 Speaker 1: I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of 195 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:29,480 Speaker 1: the scribes and the Pharisees, there is no way you 196 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:33,720 Speaker 1: will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. So Jesus tells 197 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:36,200 Speaker 1: the entire crowd that he did not come to destroy 198 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:38,960 Speaker 1: any of the law or any of the prophets, but 199 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:41,480 Speaker 1: to fulfill all of these things that the Law and 200 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:46,079 Speaker 1: the prophets said about the Messiah, and also that until 201 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:49,960 Speaker 1: the end of the earth comes, so until Jesus comes 202 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:53,160 Speaker 1: again the second time, not even the tiniest pen stroke 203 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:57,320 Speaker 1: from the Old Testament law is going to pass away. Therefore, 204 00:10:57,360 --> 00:11:01,840 Speaker 1: because of this, whoever breaks the least commandment, And maybe 205 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 1: Jesus was thinking of that hen on the eggs. It 206 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:09,480 Speaker 1: could be whoever breaks the least commandment and teaches others 207 00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 1: to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom 208 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:15,400 Speaker 1: of Heaven. But whoever shall do and teach these commandments 209 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:18,960 Speaker 1: shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. And 210 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:20,840 Speaker 1: then he throws a little jab at the end against 211 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:24,920 Speaker 1: the Pharisees. But yeah, what Jesus was saying there was 212 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:29,400 Speaker 1: that you can't break any of the Old Testament laws 213 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:33,560 Speaker 1: without becoming a law breaker. Now does this mean that 214 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:36,760 Speaker 1: Christians are still under the Old Testament laws? Well, no, 215 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 1: because we've gone through the Book of Galatians, and Jesus 216 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:42,439 Speaker 1: even said it himself. He fulfilled the Old Testament laws, 217 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 1: and he fulfilled the prophets. But like I said at 218 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:48,080 Speaker 1: the beginning of this episode, we still have the Old 219 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:52,520 Speaker 1: Testament laws as Christians. They are still relevant to us today. 220 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:55,320 Speaker 1: Why is that because we go back to them and 221 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:58,480 Speaker 1: we can see the heart of God. We can see 222 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:01,680 Speaker 1: how we should love our neighbor, we can see how 223 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:04,079 Speaker 1: we should love God. But the Old Testament laws have 224 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 1: been fulfilled. We kind of covered that very briefly in 225 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:09,960 Speaker 1: the Book of Hebrews. You know, Jesus is the high 226 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:14,920 Speaker 1: priest of the Heavenly Temple. The Old Testament laws involving 227 00:12:15,160 --> 00:12:18,080 Speaker 1: everything that the Levites should be doing in the priesthood, 228 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:22,480 Speaker 1: those things are a picture of heaven. So the levitical 229 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:26,200 Speaker 1: laws of the Old Testament have been fulfilled because Jesus 230 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:29,160 Speaker 1: is doing them perfectly up in heaven right now. And 231 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:32,480 Speaker 1: then even the civil laws that Israel was supposed to fall, 232 00:12:32,559 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 1: you know, the government that was put in place, those 233 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:38,120 Speaker 1: laws have been fulfilled because Jesus is doing them up 234 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:40,719 Speaker 1: in heaven with his kingdom. He is also the king 235 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 1: of kings and the Lord of lords. But then there's 236 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:45,800 Speaker 1: the cleanliness laws. Those also have been fulfilled in us 237 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:49,480 Speaker 1: because Jesus has made us clean. All the Old Testament 238 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 1: laws that talked about cleanliness were a picture of the 239 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:56,640 Speaker 1: spiritual Jesus has made us clean. And the morality laws, 240 00:12:57,120 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 1: those are basically the Ten Commandments. Those are any that 241 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:02,680 Speaker 1: talk about how to love your neighbor, how to love 242 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:04,600 Speaker 1: animals like the one we just talked about with the 243 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:08,400 Speaker 1: hen even how to love the environment and the fields 244 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:10,480 Speaker 1: and the farms that we are supposed to take care 245 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 1: of the land that God gave us. As well as 246 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:15,360 Speaker 1: the laws that tell us not to commit sexual sin 247 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:19,960 Speaker 1: and witchcraft and idolatry. Those are all the morality laws 248 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 1: that we should still be looking at in the Old 249 00:13:21,760 --> 00:13:25,600 Speaker 1: Testament today. And I believe following the Old Testament laws 250 00:13:25,679 --> 00:13:28,080 Speaker 1: have not gone away. But that doesn't mean that we 251 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 1: are bound by these Old Testament laws any longer. Like 252 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 1: I said, we are under now the law of freedom, 253 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:36,160 Speaker 1: which is what James says in our Passage for today 254 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:39,520 Speaker 1: verse twelve. So speak and so do as men who 255 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:42,160 Speaker 1: are to be judged by the law of freedom. So 256 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 1: we are not bound by the Old Testament laws like 257 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:47,960 Speaker 1: the people in the Old Covenant were before Jesus came 258 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:50,559 Speaker 1: to earth. That was how they obtained righteousness with God. 259 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:53,960 Speaker 1: We don't achieve salvation by following the Old Testament laws. 260 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:57,400 Speaker 1: Only Jesus and his grace and his mercy toward us 261 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:01,120 Speaker 1: could we actually achieve righteousness. Jesus Us again, he made 262 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:04,600 Speaker 1: us clean through the sacrifice that he made. So we 263 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:07,440 Speaker 1: are under a brand new law, the law of freedom. 264 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:11,320 Speaker 1: And that's what Paul talks about in Galatians five, verse 265 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:14,120 Speaker 1: thirteen and fourteen. In fact, if you want to learn 266 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:17,040 Speaker 1: more about this entire topic and how the Old Testament 267 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:19,200 Speaker 1: laws both relate to Christians, but how we are not 268 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 1: bound by them. I recommend reading the entire Book of Galatians. 269 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 1: It basically is all about that. But in verses thirteen 270 00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:28,560 Speaker 1: through fourteen, here's what Paul says for you, brothers were 271 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:31,440 Speaker 1: called to freedom, only don't use your freedom as an 272 00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 1: opportunity for the flesh, but through love, be servants to 273 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 1: one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one 274 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:42,000 Speaker 1: word in this you shall love your neighbor as yourself. 275 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 1: But if you bite and devour one another, be careful 276 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:48,560 Speaker 1: that you don't consume one another. So if you have 277 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:52,240 Speaker 1: true love for your brothers and sisters in Christ, you 278 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 1: are keeping the Old Testament laws, essentially, is what Paul's arguing. Now. Granted, 279 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:59,440 Speaker 1: the entire motivation of Paul writing the book Galatians was 280 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 1: to tell them to stop trying to earn their own 281 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 1: salvation by keeping the Old Testament laws, because Jesus paid 282 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 1: the penalty for us. But if you really want to 283 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 1: keep the Old Testament laws, all you have to do 284 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:14,880 Speaker 1: is truly love your neighbor. Now, the love that Jesus 285 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:17,040 Speaker 1: and Scripture talks about is not the same kind of 286 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 1: love that the world understands, because the love that the 287 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:23,600 Speaker 1: world understands is basically results in anarchy, kind of like 288 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:27,440 Speaker 1: the Purge, going back to that silly movie, it's a 289 00:15:27,480 --> 00:15:29,880 Speaker 1: free for all. You do you and I'll do me, 290 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 1: and there's no rules, and you know, we just love 291 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:36,480 Speaker 1: each other freely. That is not what love actually is. 292 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 1: Here's what love is based on One Corinthians thirteen four 293 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:44,880 Speaker 1: through seven. Love is patient, Love is kind. Love does 294 00:15:44,920 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 1: not envy. It does not boast. It is not proud. 295 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:52,040 Speaker 1: It does not dishonor others. It is not self seeking. 296 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 1: It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. 297 00:15:57,040 --> 00:16:00,640 Speaker 1: Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. 298 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:06,520 Speaker 1: It always protects, It always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. 299 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 1: That's a very different kind of love than what the 300 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 1: world understands. This is a humble kind of love. You 301 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:16,440 Speaker 1: think about yourself less and think about other people more. 302 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:21,040 Speaker 1: That is the kind of love that one Corinthians thirteen describes. 303 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:23,960 Speaker 1: And that's the kind of love that James is talking 304 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 1: about right here. If you don't love a fellow brother 305 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:30,640 Speaker 1: and sister in Christ, and you show partiality to them, 306 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:32,640 Speaker 1: and you say, oh, this person is better than this 307 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:35,880 Speaker 1: person because they have money or whatever. If you can't 308 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:38,520 Speaker 1: love your fellow brother and sister the way Christ tells 309 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:41,800 Speaker 1: you to, how can you possibly love somebody that is 310 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:45,080 Speaker 1: persecuting you? How can you possibly love an enemy? How 311 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:47,080 Speaker 1: can we be like Jesus. When Jesus was up on 312 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:49,920 Speaker 1: the cross saying Father, forgive them, for they do not 313 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 1: know what they are doing, Jesus demonstrated what true love 314 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 1: really was. And by the way, if you think that 315 00:16:57,520 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 1: Jesus was just this hippy dippy, life dovey, happy go 316 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:05,080 Speaker 1: lucky kind of guy, you are incredibly mistaken. In fact, 317 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:06,639 Speaker 1: if you really want to get to the heart of 318 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:10,880 Speaker 1: who Jesus was, I highly recommend you read Matthew chapters 319 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 1: five through seven. That is the famous Sermon on the Mount. 320 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:17,280 Speaker 1: We read part of it today on this podcast. Jesus 321 00:17:17,320 --> 00:17:19,640 Speaker 1: was not hippie dippy. In fact, he followed the Old 322 00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:23,840 Speaker 1: Testament laws to a t, and he was the true 323 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:28,320 Speaker 1: embodiment of love. He told people the hard truth, but 324 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:31,199 Speaker 1: he did it with grace and kindness, and sometimes he 325 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:34,439 Speaker 1: did it with a whip in his hands. Jesus was 326 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:38,639 Speaker 1: the true embodiment of real love. So that is what 327 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:41,560 Speaker 1: we are called to have, even under this new era 328 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:44,600 Speaker 1: of grace, even under this law of freedom that all 329 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:48,639 Speaker 1: of us Christians now live under the New Covenant, And 330 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:51,240 Speaker 1: now concluding in our passage for today with verse thirteen, 331 00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:54,760 Speaker 1: for judgment is without mercy to him who has shown 332 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 1: no mercy, Mercy triumphs over judgment. So though you and 333 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 1: I have been called to freedom, this does not mean 334 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:06,760 Speaker 1: we use that freedom to do whatever we want to do. 335 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:10,080 Speaker 1: But we are actually free to serve. Again, that is 336 00:18:10,119 --> 00:18:14,840 Speaker 1: what Galatians chapter five, verse thirteen says. You are called 337 00:18:14,880 --> 00:18:17,440 Speaker 1: to freedom, but don't use your freedom as an opportunity 338 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:20,679 Speaker 1: for the flesh. But through love be servants to one another. 339 00:18:20,920 --> 00:18:23,359 Speaker 1: So we are free to serve, and we're going to 340 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:26,359 Speaker 1: be shown the same level of mercy that we gave 341 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:31,119 Speaker 1: to other people. Matthew Chapter seven again Jesus's famous Sermon 342 00:18:31,119 --> 00:18:33,480 Speaker 1: on the Mount. Here's what Jesus says, starting in verse one, 343 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:36,879 Speaker 1: don't judge so that you won't be judged. For with 344 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:40,040 Speaker 1: whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged. And with 345 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:42,800 Speaker 1: whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you. 346 00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:45,159 Speaker 1: Why do you see the speck that is in your 347 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:47,399 Speaker 1: brother's eye, But don't consider the beam that is in 348 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:49,879 Speaker 1: your own eye, or how will you tell your brother? 349 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:52,479 Speaker 1: Let me remove that speck from your eye, and behold, 350 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:55,160 Speaker 1: the beam is in your own eye, You hypocrite, First 351 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:57,159 Speaker 1: remove the beam out of your own eye, and then 352 00:18:57,160 --> 00:18:59,399 Speaker 1: you can see clearly to remove the speck out of 353 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:03,239 Speaker 1: your brother's eye. Now, of course there's some humor in that. 354 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:06,679 Speaker 1: But notice here Jesus is not pulling his punches. He 355 00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:10,040 Speaker 1: calls the people who do this hypocrites, and nowadays that's 356 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:12,439 Speaker 1: like one of the most the biggest insult you can 357 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:15,840 Speaker 1: tell somebody is that they're a hypocrite. Jesus did not 358 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:19,359 Speaker 1: always pull his punches. He is upset over the people 359 00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:22,840 Speaker 1: who judge another person when they are doing the exact 360 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:26,240 Speaker 1: same thing. He says, in that case, it is better 361 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:29,600 Speaker 1: to just not judge anybody, because if you judge somebody 362 00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:31,680 Speaker 1: and you're doing the exact same thing when you stand 363 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:35,399 Speaker 1: before that throne of God, whatever you judged somebody else, 364 00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 1: it's going to come back to you. Whatever measure you 365 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:41,560 Speaker 1: use to judge somebody, it's going to be measured back 366 00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:45,040 Speaker 1: to you. So basically, if we refuse to be merciful 367 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:48,280 Speaker 1: and loving to other people, especially when we have received 368 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:51,120 Speaker 1: so much mercy and love from God, when we've done 369 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:54,520 Speaker 1: very similar things as these other people. Then James says 370 00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:56,600 Speaker 1: that we are going to be judged without mercy for 371 00:19:56,640 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 1: the way we conducted our lives because we did not 372 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:06,359 Speaker 1: show mercy to other people. Mercy triumphs over judgment, So 373 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:08,399 Speaker 1: James makes the argument that it is better to be 374 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:12,200 Speaker 1: merciful to somebody than it is to be judgmental of 375 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:16,080 Speaker 1: those people. So we need to remove the unnecessary judgment 376 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:18,680 Speaker 1: out of our lives. We shouldn't be judging the poor 377 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:21,639 Speaker 1: Christians being like, oh, you know, they don't work, they're lazy, 378 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:24,080 Speaker 1: this and that, and making assumptions about their lives. We 379 00:20:24,119 --> 00:20:26,879 Speaker 1: shouldn't be judging the rich Christians being like, what are 380 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:29,159 Speaker 1: they doing with their money? Why aren't they giving it 381 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:31,439 Speaker 1: to this? Why aren't they doing this? We shouldn't be 382 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:35,639 Speaker 1: judging anybody actually as brothers and sisters in Christ, unless 383 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:38,280 Speaker 1: they are in a sin that we really understand, you know, 384 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:42,760 Speaker 1: Jesus he called out sin. Part of being truly loving 385 00:20:42,920 --> 00:20:45,720 Speaker 1: is calling somebody to the truth and not rejoicing in 386 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:48,840 Speaker 1: unrighteousness in their lives. But I would argue that the 387 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:52,680 Speaker 1: majority of times that Christians judge their fellow brothers and sisters, 388 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:55,439 Speaker 1: they are probably not doing it with the right motive. 389 00:20:56,080 --> 00:20:59,240 Speaker 1: They are probably doing it without understanding the full picture. 390 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:01,720 Speaker 1: And that's why it's really important to truly have a 391 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:06,680 Speaker 1: brotherhood with our fellow Christians, so that we understand what's 392 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:09,160 Speaker 1: going on in their lives, so that we can call 393 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:11,760 Speaker 1: them to account if that's what's needed, so that we 394 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:14,359 Speaker 1: can pray for them if they are struggling through something 395 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:17,240 Speaker 1: or if they're having a really hard time. But more importantly, 396 00:21:17,359 --> 00:21:20,840 Speaker 1: James argues that it is better to be merciful than 397 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:24,240 Speaker 1: it is to be judgmental, because even if we're judgmental, 398 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:29,240 Speaker 1: once without cause, we have become lawbreakers. We have broken 399 00:21:29,280 --> 00:21:31,639 Speaker 1: the law of freedom that we are under, and that 400 00:21:31,720 --> 00:21:36,320 Speaker 1: is called a sin right here in verse nine. Well, 401 00:21:36,359 --> 00:21:39,239 Speaker 1: this was a really convicting episode to me personally. If 402 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 1: I'm being honest, I have a tendency to be more 403 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:47,399 Speaker 1: judgmental for sure than I do merciful. And James calling 404 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:49,720 Speaker 1: it out for really what it is, which is a 405 00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:53,080 Speaker 1: blatant sin and being a lawbreaker. If you do something 406 00:21:53,119 --> 00:21:56,840 Speaker 1: like that, that really hits home, doesn't it. But faithful listeners, 407 00:21:56,840 --> 00:21:58,359 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for making it to the end 408 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:00,600 Speaker 1: of the episode with me. Why I let you all go. 409 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:03,359 Speaker 1: I'm going to move to an advertisement break, and then 410 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:05,960 Speaker 1: I will be back right after that to wrap things 411 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:10,120 Speaker 1: up on the episode. Now. I really hope to see 412 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 1: all of you faithful listeners back on Thursday, because on Thursday, 413 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:16,480 Speaker 1: we're going to be talking about the last half of 414 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:20,000 Speaker 1: James two, and this is the part that talks about 415 00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:24,080 Speaker 1: how the demons believe in God and shudder, and how 416 00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 1: if you have faith and know works, you essentially have 417 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:31,160 Speaker 1: the same kind of faith that a demon has. James 418 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:33,280 Speaker 1: is similar to Jesus in a lot of ways. He 419 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:36,520 Speaker 1: doesn't pull his punches, that is for sure. And granted 420 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:39,159 Speaker 1: they grew up in the same household, and James, I'm 421 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:42,680 Speaker 1: sure learned a lot from Jesus growing up. So we're 422 00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:44,240 Speaker 1: going to talk about that on Thursday, and I really 423 00:22:44,320 --> 00:22:46,440 Speaker 1: hope that you guys tune in for that episode because 424 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:49,199 Speaker 1: it's an important one. It talks about our spirituality and 425 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:52,880 Speaker 1: our salvation. It's a really important episode that I hope 426 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:55,480 Speaker 1: all of you faithful listeners tune in to here. But 427 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:58,040 Speaker 1: as you all know, tomorrow, which is the old Testament 428 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:01,000 Speaker 1: side of stuff, because on Mondays and Wednesdays I do 429 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:04,159 Speaker 1: an Old Testament episode. Tuesdays and Thursdays are from the 430 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:06,320 Speaker 1: New Testament. Tomorrow we are going to be in the 431 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:09,680 Speaker 1: Book of Nehemiah and talking about the Feast of Booths, 432 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:12,640 Speaker 1: what that feast is, why it was important for the Israelites. 433 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:14,280 Speaker 1: I think it's going to be a pretty interesting episode 434 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:16,640 Speaker 1: to all of you guys as well. Hope to see 435 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:19,000 Speaker 1: then six am or whenever you choose to wake up 436 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 1: and listen until tomorrow. Happy listening, and God bless I 437 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:30,400 Speaker 1: just want to take a second to thank the team 438 00:23:30,440 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 1: at Life Audio for their partnership with me on the 439 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:35,440 Speaker 1: Bible Explain podcast. In fact, if you go to lifeaudio 440 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:38,040 Speaker 1: dot com you will find dozens of other faith centered 441 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:42,360 Speaker 1: podcasts in their network. They've got shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, 442 00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:43,000 Speaker 1: and more.