keeping the law

James 2
[10] For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in
one point has become accountable for all of it. [11] For the one
who said, 'You shall not commit adultery," also said, "You shall
not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder,
you have become a transgressor of the law. [12] So speak and so act
as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. [13] For
judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy;
mercy triumphs over judgment.

I think there's more meat in Philemon than in James. Actually I think there's more to discuss in almost any book of the Greek or Hebrew Testament than in James. But the book is still valuable, more valuable than any of the gospels, letters and other writings that I've read that didn't make it into scripture. And this is one of the massages that I go back to understand how I should treat people. This is one of the reasons that James is helpful.

And this advice is for Christians who sometimes get caught up in whether not the other is doing everything correctly. It is advice that is found in other places such as Romans 2. In Romans 1, 2 Paul get the reader caught up in saying 'Oh yes, they're so bad, Oh yes, and they're even worse" and then traps the reader with "And when you judge them, you're just as bad." And the prophets have used the same technique with listing the errors of the countries around them and then telling the people of Israel that they're worse.

As a childhood taunt goes when you point a finger at me, more are pointing at you. The Christian's task is not to seek the problems in other people, but to look within ourselves and rest knowing that to those who show mercy, that mercy will be received.