For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. (James 2:10-11)
James wrote to the church, explaining the interconnectedness and totality of the law. He made it clear that if a person keeps the entire law but stumbles in just one area, they are guilty of breaking the whole law. Have you ever lied before? Have you ever stolen something? According to the law, there is no “almost perfect” and no “mostly obedient.” If you sinned in one area, you have sinned against the totality of the law.
Because of this, we all deserve punishment for our sins—death. The good news is that Jesus came to free us from the punishment of the law that we deserved. In His love and mercy, Jesus sacrificed His life so that we would have a pathway to God through accepting Jesus and repenting of our sins.
James explained that if we repent, turn away from our sins, and turn to God, He is faithful and just to forgive us. God’s goodness is shown in His willingness to forgive us when we come to Him in true repentance. God is good, and His goodness leads us to repentance. We will never be “good enough” by ourselves, but we have been made righteous by His sacrifice and mercy.
Practical Application
Instead of hiding, minimizing, or trying to justify your sin, confess it openly to God. The Bible promises that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Repentance isn’t just feeling sorry for what we have done; it’s a decision to turn away from sin and follow God with all our hearts.
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