You Will Be Judged

Meditations in the Season of Lent 

March 14, 2023

You Will Be Judged

So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free.

James 2:12

Read: James 2:1-13

This passage is not often read in most mainline churches. There is just not much traction in today’s Christian culture for accountability. Sentimental notions that everyone is going to heaven when they die, or at least all the people we know, grips much of Christianity today. Last year, our Sunday School class spent three weeks discussing this phrase in the Nicene Creed: “And he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead.” One of our takeaways was that the idea that God judges is not very popular these days. Even so, James is quite clear that God will judge our lives. Following verse 12, quoted above, James writes, “There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.” (v.13)

We saw yesterday that we are to not let the world corrupt us. James uses different illustrations to reveal how easy it is to be corrupted by the world’s culture. James affirms that “it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.” (v. 8, 9) James will mention adultery and murder in the following verses, but here he showed that something seemingly as innocuous as showing favoritism is evidence of corruption.

My Takeaway: “So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.” (v. 12 NRSV) The Season of Lent is an opportunity for me to do a ‘gut-check’. Is how I am living my life aligned with the truth of Christ Jesus?

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2023 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.