Have you obeyed the Royal Law?

I wonder how many people reading this right now as well as those who have not yet read this...

Know what the Royal Law is?

Have you ever heard of it?
It's in the Bible!

It was the Royal Law that helped me to see where I was lacking...

It was the Royal Law that helped me develop my sense of being...
It was the Royal Law that helped me provide a witness to others...

It was the Royal Law that helped me fulfill my walk with Christ.

Do you know what it is yet? And does it really have anything to do with a Queen?
I have heard many people say that they fulfill the Royal Law but I have to question whether they really do fulfill it. And to an even greater extent, I have to question whether I am fulfilling the Royal Law. There are days when I feel I fail and on other days, I feel I do very well in this aspect. Of course, my own opinions do not count. It is what God thinks that matters!

R = respect
O = others
Y = yes, you!
A = and
L = love them

L = love
A = all
W = ways

There you have it. The Royal Law!
okay, I admit it, I made that up! Here is the real meaning of the Royal Law...

If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well (James 2:8)

The apostle, having condemned the sin of those who had an undue respect of persons, and having urged what was sufficient to convict them of the greatness of this evil, now proceeds to show how the matter may be mended; it is the work of a gospel ministry, not only to reprove and warn, but to teach and direct. Col. 1:28, Warning every man, and teaching every man. And here,

I. We have the law that is to guide us in all our regards to men set down in general. If you fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, you do well, v. 8. Lest any should think James had been pleading for the poor so as to throw contempt on the rich, he now lets them know that he did not design to encourage improper conduct towards any; they must not hate nor be rude to the rich, any more than despise the poor; but as the scripture teaches us to love all our neighbours, be they rich or poor, as ourselves, so, in our having a steady regard to this rule, we shall do well.

Observe hence,
1. The rule for Christians to walk by is settled in the scriptures: If according to the scriptures, etc. It is not great men, nor worldly wealth, nor corrupt practices among professors themselves, that must guide us, but the scriptures of truth.
2. The scripture gives us this as a law, to love our neighbour as ourselves; it is what still remains in full force, and is rather carried higher and further by Christ than made less important to us.
3. This law is a royal law, it comes from the King of kings. Its own worth and dignity deserve it should be thus honoured; and the state in which all Christians now are, as it is a state of liberty, and not of bondage or oppression, makes this law, by which they are to regulate all their actions to one another, a royal law.
4. A pretence of observing this royal law, when it is interpreted with partiality, will not excuse men in any unjust proceedings. In is implied here that some were ready to flatter rich men, and be partial to them, because, if they were in the like circumstances, they should expect such regards to themselves; or they might plead that to show a distinguished respect to those whom God in his providence had distinguished by their rank and degree in the world was but doing right; therefore the apostle allows that, so far as they were concerned to observe the duties of the second table, they did well in giving honour to whom honour was due; but this fair pretence would not cover their sin in that undue respect of persons which they stood chargeable with; for,

II. This general law is to be considered together with a particular law: "If you have respect to persons, you commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors, v. 9. Notwithstanding the law of laws, to love your neighbour as yourselves, and to show that respect to them which you would be apt to look for yourselves if in their circumstances, yet this will not excuse your distributing either the favours or the censures of the church according to men’s outward condition; but here you must look to a particular law, which God, who gave the other, has given you together with it, and by this you will stand fully convicted of the sin I have charged you with.’’ This law is in Lev. 19:15, Thou shalt do no unrighteousness in judgment; thou shalt not respect the person of the poor nor the person of the mighty; but in righteousness shalt though judge thy neighbour. Yea, the very royal law itself, rightly explained, would serve to convict them, because it teaches them to put themselves as much in the places of the poor as in those of the rich, and so to act equitably towards one as well as the other. Hence he proceeds,

III. To show the extent of the law, and how far obedience must be paid to it. They must fulfil the royal law, have a regard to one part as well as another, otherwise it would not stand them in stead, when they pretended to urge it as a reason for any particular actions: For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all

The Royal Law, the Law of Liberty, God's Law...
without obedience to God, you do not know Him.

Don't be caught saying Lord, Lord and not have a love of your neighbor...
Don't be caught saying Lord, Lord and not obey the Word of God...
Don't be caught saying Lord, Lord I never knew you...

For He will say to you...
Depart from me you worker of iniquity (lawlessness), I never knew you.
May the God of the universe bring His Light into your life. May you take His love and make it a part of who you are. May you love with an unconditional love that knows no bounds. But remember, we are told not only to reprove and warn, but to teach and direct!

We use Scripture to warn our neighbors if they are headed towards a cliff (headed for hell). We do it with love (God's Love) in our hearts because we do not want to see anyone fall. Pointing the way to the Cross where our Savior died. We need to die to self and love one another regardless of who the person is. Won't you take time today to help lead a person to the cross?

if you do...
you will be on your way to obeying the Royal Law!