Mature Faith Knows Love and Favoritism Can’t Mix

In Shakespeare’s play The Merchant of Venice, one character pleads in court for another to be forgiven of his debt:

“The quality of mercy is not strained;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath. It is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes. . . .
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute of God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God’s when mercy seasons justice.”

As James wrote, “Mercy triumphs over judgment” (v. 13). At the beginning of chapter 2, he argued that favoritism is sinful and not to be practiced by mature believers. In today’s reading, he points out that favoritism violates the “royal law” of loving your neighbor (v. 8). The phrase translated “royal law” indicates the Mosaic Law’s greatest commandment and its two dimensions of loving God and loving your neighbor.

The law is an organic whole. To break any part of it is to break all of it (vv. 9–11). One study Bible explains: “The law is the expression of the character and will of God; therefore to violate one part of the law is to violate God’s will and thus his whole law.” This means that since showing favoritism breaks a commandment, it is thus rebellion against God and therefore a complete breakdown of our Christian identity and discipleship.

Mature faith, with its disposition to obey the Word, does not show favoritism. What we should do instead, in following the law of love, is to be merciful (vv. 12–13; see Prov. 21:13; Matt. 5:7). This is the “law that gives freedom.” We to whom God has shown mercy should in turn show mercy to others. Since James was addressing believers, the “judgment” here relates to rewards received from God, not salvation.

Pray with Us

We invite you to keep praying for our Human Resources staff. We ask the Father to guide and encourage Joseph Bolz who provides compensation analytics as well as Peter Miller and Rachel Paul who oversee employee benefits.

BY Brad Baurain

Dr. Bradley Baurain is Professor and Program Head of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) at Moody Bible Institute. Bradley has the unique privilege of holding a degree from four different universities (including Moody). He is the author of On Waiting Well. Bradley taught in China, Vietnam, the United States, and Canada. Bradley and his wife, Julia, have four children and reside in Northwest Indiana.