God's Royal Law
The royal law is a summary of man's responsibility to his neighbor, and fulfilling it requires loving all men alike and looking with contempt on none.
Theodore Epp emphasizes the significance of fulfilling God's 'royal law' as outlined in James 2:1-13, which calls for love and equality among all people, regardless of their social status. He warns against the sin of showing favoritism, highlighting that such behavior contradicts the spirit of Christ's teachings and devalues the worth of every human soul. Epp points out that both the rich and the poor must approach God humbly, recognizing that true wealth is found in Christ, and that the rich must let go of their pride to receive salvation. He concludes by reminding us that honoring the poor reflects our respect for God, while oppression of the poor is a reproach to Him.
Text
James 2:1-13
James summed up man's responsibility to his neighbor by urging him to fulfill the "royal law" (James 2:8).
He who fulfills this law of Christ will love all men alike and will look with contempt on none. Because he will be concerned about the value of a human soul, he will see no distinction between the rich and the poor.
Observe how serious it is to show respect of persons: "But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors" (v. 9).
To respect one person above another is to violate the letter and the spirit of the law of Christ; thus, it is sin. To look with disdain on someone else is to oppose the indwelling Christ and the concern He has for everyone.
The poor become so very rich in Christ, whereas the rich (as the world considers them) have to humble themselves to realize that their riches offer them nothing of eternal value.
It is necessary for the rich to come empty-handed and receive salvation as a gift. The poor must come in the same way, but it seems exceedingly difficult for many rich people to humble themselves to this extent.
"He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor" (Prov. 14:31).
Sermon Outline
- The Royal Law
- The Consequences of Showing Respect of Persons
- The Value of a Human Soul
- No Distinction Between the Rich and the Poor
- The Rich and the Poor in Christ
- Respecting Persons
Key Quotes
“He who fulfills this law of Christ will love all men alike and will look with contempt on none.” — Theodore Epp
“To look with disdain on someone else is to oppose the indwelling Christ and the concern He has for everyone.” — Theodore Epp
Application Points
- We must love all men alike and look with contempt on none in order to fulfill the royal law.
- The rich must humble themselves to receive salvation as a gift, just like the poor.
- We must not oppress the poor, but rather have mercy on them and honor their Maker.