James 2v8to13 Freedom! Love! Joy!

James 2:8-13 jvb Aa | 8 If you are truly fulfilling a Scripture-based, kingly ^1, prognosis ^2, summarized ^3 as, "You will be loving your neighbor in the same manner as you will be loving yourself" ^4, you are doing well. 9 But if you are respecting external differences ^5, you are working in sin ^6, and are being refuted by the Law like ^7 transgressors. 10 […] 12 Be speaking and doing in this manner: as those who are being about to be being evaluated ^8 upon on the basis of principles based on freedom ^9. 13 For evaluation is being unkind to one who does not manifest kindness. Freedom is rejoicing ^10 in kindness replacing evaluation.

^1 - Consistent with reigning in life (Rom 5:17), and receiving an unshakable kingdom (Heb 12:28). Also the proper king is united with his kingdom and cares for his subjects as he cares for himself.

^2 - The commandments are not in the imperative (Deut 6:5-6, Lev 19:18). The English future auxiliary verb "shall" confuses us. They may be looked upon as a millennial prophecy fulfilled in part by the faithful remnant, in full in the millennium, a good prognosis for Israel's illness. (The command is "hear" and "be careful to observe" (Deut 6:3-4)).

^3 - The quoted passage, Lev 19:18, along with Deut 6:5 is a summary of the Scriptural instruction known as the Law and the prophets (Mat 22:37-40, Rom 13:9-10).

^4 - Both self and neighbor are created in the image of God and are channels of His love to us. (Even deeds attended by man's evil intentions are instruments of God's love (Gen 50:20, Rom 8:28)). That is how both self and neighbor can be loved in the same manner and why the second "great" commandment is "like unto the first".
^5 - Both context and a component of the Greek word argue for this more specific translation.

^6 - Sin in the flesh and not the individual will may be involved (Rom 7:17, 21).

^7 - The refutation may be apprehended as judgment (Rom 7:13).

^8 - The behavior of the begotten again is Christ is better said to be evaluated rather than judged, both by God and, properly, by others John 5:24).

^9 - The meaning of the Greek word for "law" extends to a set of regularly operating principles maintained by the Creator. Here it is the "law of freedom" (James 1:25, Rom 8:21, Rom 14:6, 10, 1Cor 8:9, 13).

^10 - "Freedom" is implied in the Greek. Literally: "… he/she/it is triumphing in mercy over judgment" - James 2:13.

I2C 131023a Jam 2v8to13 freedom love joy / I2C M1310 / 10/23/2013 12:35 PM 10/24/2013 1:41 PM / James 2v8to13 Freedom! Love! Joy!