James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.
This is a strong statement. The focus has been on the law of love, by which believers are to love all people and show no partiality, especially in regards to being poor. A violation of any of God’s laws is a violation of the law of love. Jesus divided God’s law into two: loving God and loving others. Failing to keep any law is a violation of one of these love laws. We cannot give an excuse like, “I still love this person,” after breaking one of the laws. How can we say we love someone without caring for his or her needs? John would say a big AMEN to James’ ideas in this passage (see 1 John 3:17). How can we make sure we keep the whole law? We must put everything through the law of love. We cannot keep this abstract. If we think of love in abstract or spiritual terms, we may convince ourselves that we have hearts full of love. But both James and John bring the abstract back to real life. Love must be shown in tangible ways. James is thinking particularly of “partiality” in verse 9. Partiality is when we put conditions on our love. A person must meet our standards (which are often unstated or assumed) in order for us to love them. People who are ugly, mean, poor, addicts, and many other things, are unlovable. In act, we may not simply not love them, we may even despise, judge, and reject them. I have heard plenty of judgment at family dinners, conversations, and even at churches where people with these qualities are judged and rejected. This type of behavior cannot be accepted in God’s kingdom. James rebuke here is powerful and challenges us at the core of our being.
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