Friday, August 1, 2008

James 2:11

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James 2:11


11 For [gar] he that said [epo], Do [moicheuo] not [me] commit adultery [moicheuo], said [epo] also [kai], Do [phoneuo] not [me] kill [phoneuo]. Now [de] if [ei] thou commit [moicheuo] no [ou] adultery [moicheuo], yet if [de] thou kill [phoneuo], thou art become [ginomai] a transgressor [parabates] of the law [nomos]. KJV-Interlinear


11 For He who said, 'Do not commit adultery,' also said, 'Do not commit murder.' Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. NASB


The law of God is the content of the Bible. Though a couple of the Ten Commandments are mentioned, this principle of obedience to God is not limited to only the Ten Commandments, but applies to the entirety of ones spiritual life function.

There are two lessons in this verse. First, there is the source of law, and second, there is the abuse of ones interpretation of law. And here we are talking about Gods laws, principles, precepts, mandates, and so forth.

On this earth, we have individuals who make decisions for themselves. With seven billion of us now, that makes for a lot of decision makers. But we also have families, villages, cities, states, provinces, and countries, and even alliances of countries. This also makes for a lot of decision makers.

So in this world, the laws that are created, can be many and varied. Even the same concept can be treated differently or viewed differently by different folks or countries. Who is right?

But the Bible has but one author. Gods Law came from God and from no one else. Even the three members of the Godhead did not disagree amongst themselves, but all agreed without exception.

Gods law is truth. Any violation of truth, any single violation of truth, is a lie and therefore a violation of the whole. Pretending or keeping part of the truth is not enough, in Gods view. We must abide by His process in order to have an effective spiritual life.

Any modification, any compromise, any changes we might wish because they are more convenient or more preferable, to us, is a sin.

And thus if we interpret the spiritual life into something we prefer, then we are only fooling ourselves.

Remember that the spiritual life is not a cafeteria, from which we can pick and choose our way through life.

Likewise, we can neither choose one or two things we like, abide by them, and still believe that we are fulfilling Gods mandates. Gong to church every week does you no good if you are not listening, learning, conducting yourself properly, and growing up spiritually.

Every philosophy, every religion, every personal belief that does not match up perfectly with the Bible, is false.

Pretend all you wish, pick and choose all you wish, and your life will end up on the trash heap of failed lives.