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James 2:12-13
12 So [houto] speak ye [laleo], and [kai] so [houto] do [poieo], as [hos] they that shall be [mello] judged [krino] by [dia] the law [nomos] of liberty [eleutheria].
13 For [gar] he shall have judgment [krisis] without mercy [anileos], that hath shewed [poieo] no [me] mercy [eleos]; and [kai] mercy [eleos] rejoiceth against [katakauchaomai] judgment [krisis]. KJV-Interlinear
12 So speak and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. NASB
Good and evil battle in order to destroy each other. Truth and lies battle in order to rule.
But, here we have the battle between justice and mercy. Theirs is a tug of war. Justice demanding its price for sin and mercy pulling hard in order to give second chances.
Matt. 6:15
15 'But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. NASB
Matt. 25:45
45 'Then He will answer them, saying, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' NASB
Matt. 25:46
46 'And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.' NASB
Prov. 21:13
13 He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be answered. NASB
2 Sam. 22:26
26 'With the kind Thou dost show Thyself kind, With the blameless Thou dost show Thyself blameless; NASB
Psa. 18:26
26 With the pure Thou dost show Thyself pure; And with the crooked Thou dost show Thyself astute. NASB
With these verse reminders, how you treat others, so you will be treated in the judgment.
This verse makes it very clear that there is going to be a judgment. Just as you were born into this world, so you will leave this world, and there is nothing you can do to stop that truth. And, when we have all left this world, we will all stand before a throne of Christ.
For believers that throne is the Judgment Seat of Christ. For unbelievers, that throne is the Great White Throne. You want to be standing before the first throne, not the second.
So, coordinate what you think, speak, and do in life. Treat every thought, word, and action as though it were your last, because the next stop from this life, is in the next life, to which we are all going.
The Bible is not here for entertainment, nor to gather dust on a tabletop. It is here, because you have a future in the next life. And that next life is a certainty, not a science fiction movie.
As you treat others, is your treatment of Christ, for all things belong to Him.
Typically folks who rent things, do not take care of them because they do not belong to them. They figure no sense of obligation to care for something that belongs to someone else. Even though they are given the use of those things in exchange for a payment, but also expected to take care of them.
Whether the rented things be a tool, a car, or a home makes no difference. Their attitude toward rented things is a reflection of their attitude in general, in life.
But our life here in this world is a rental also. God owns it, and here, we are given temporary use. Will you abuse that which God owns? And how should He treat you accordingly?
Did we not sin, and yet God gave us mercy, which is grace in action, such that we might have yet another chance.
Justice demands punishment and payment. Mercy steps in and makes that payment in our behalf, a payment of which we cannot make ourselves.
Mercy is given to us, even though we do not deserve it, nor can we earn it. Can you treat people any differently?
The world is full of prejudice, racism, bias and so forth. Certain folks use these to stir up emotions and to gain authority and leadership. But then a leader can never become a leader in this manner if he did not have any followers.
Do not get caught up in this kind of mistreatment of others. Do not gossip, even a little bit. Do not hate. Certainly do not play favorites for any reason.
God placed you in the position that you are in, not you. God gave you the talents you have, not you. God can easily cause you to switch places with anyone, at anytime.
And most important, your life will one day end in this world. How many folks do you know who are alive today, that are 150 or 200 or more years old? None.
So don't be the fool and waste your life with absurd dreams and wishes. You could slip tomorrow or fade in your sleep at a ripe old age, but whatever God has planned for your life, live it as though the next time you wake up, you will be saying hello to Jesus.
