How The Wise Treat Others

Dennis E Long

A Season of Wisdom • Sermon • Submitted 9 months ago • Presented 9 months ago

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The Wise Treat Others The Way Jesus Treats Them.

Notes

Transcript

Introduction We have been studying the book of Proverbs all summer. At the beginning of this series, I shared we would look at the book of Proverbs and then, at the end of the series, the book of James. While James isn't technically classified as a book of wisdom, this little book has a lot of wisdom. It's a New Testament version of wisdom literature.

The Book of James is a pastoral letter concerning the attitudes and actions affecting the spiritual life of believers. As the leader of the first church in Jerusalem, James felt an enormous responsibility for the spiritual growth of Christ’s followers everywhere, even those without a support system or organized church. James wrote as a pastor who was deeply concerned about people who were confident about their spiritual health and yet had shown little evidence of real spiritual life. This epistle was written to encourage Christians to Christian living.

There are a lot of phony religions out there, including many, many people who think they are Christians and really aren’t. Unfortunately, too often, the church and believers act like the culture. In our passage, James talks about the difference between real and counterfeit Christians, authentic believers, and fake believers. He addresses that by talking about how we are to treat others. Bible Passage James 2:1-13 Scriptural Analysis The general theme of 2:1–13 is that favoritism is not to be allowed in the Christian community, for it is antithetical to the gospel. James urges a faith that is more than a mere profession of words but one that changes the heart. Verse 1 Can favoritism or partiality coexist with the glorious Christ of faith? No. God lifts up the poor, with the intent to demonstrate the greatness of his grace. James taught the strongest possible connection between faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and impartiality. God does not play favorites, yet we do, sinners that we are. The world’s love shows its true nature in its lack of love for the many who suffer under desperate circumstances. Believers must never mix faith with partiality. When favoritism dominates, the obedience of faith is compromised and undermined. All acts of favoritism contradict the divine grace that saves believers. This isn't a new thought. The Mosaic Law had forbidden giving more respect to persons of prominence in Deuteronomy 1. To these those showing any partially, James gave a sharp directive, “Stop it!” Verses 2-4 James invited his readers to imagine a situation in which they paid special attention to a well-dressed wealthy man. James presented a likely case of unjust discrimination to reinforce the preceding command against favoritism. In parable-like fashion, knowing that the images he used would easily evoke recognition of the power that wealth exerts over the common man, James told of the congregation’s failure to resist the temptation of favoritism. Taking this parable to heart is a spiritual exercise that leads to self-indictment for many believers then and even today. These verses illustrate the discrimination. In a Christian assembly, they practiced favoritism toward the rich inconsistent with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for all people. If they continued to practice it, they could not claim to be followers of the Lord, who abolished partiality. History has and continues to show that God practices no partiality. Surely he could not tolerate such action among his own children. We can apply this warning in our relationships with different races, social classes, or economic groups. James' parable is an application of his comprehensive warning against favoritism. Verses 5-7 Partiality is contrary to God’s plan. The practice of discrimination against the poor was contrary to the way God had called for believers to treat them. Verse 5 shows how God views the poor. Verse 6 presents the contrasting practices of his readers. It is clear: Christians need to adopt God’s outlook for the poor. The world may look at poverty-stricken people as insignificant and worthless. God sees them as precious. Their faith allows them to experience God’s wealth—salvation and its accompanying blessings. This does not suggest all the poor are converted, nor does it mean God practices a bias against those who are not poor. But often, those who are economically poor are better placed than the wealthy to understand God’s purposes and see better the reality of God's provisions. When little comes to you, you become more aware of the source. The saving work of Christ reverses the status of those who were most afflicted by the curse of sin, the poor. The sin of the world has a tremendous effect on the poor. However, the poor are equal and highlighted heirs of the kingdom of God. Out of their poverty, God shows the glory in the giving of his amazing grace. Poor believers are not the only ones who will be saved, but they, above all, demonstrate the completeness of God’s gracious salvation. In these verses, James posed a series of hard rhetorical questions for his hearers. James’s rhetorical questions were direct and were meant to be answered in the affirmative. James regards this sin of favoritism so seriously because it stands in stark contrast with the teachings of Jesus, who Christians are called by His name, Christ. Favoritism leads to division within the fellowship and offends God. Most of all, favoritism is linked with a whole series of other sins. These sins, the persecution, oppression, and disposal of the poor and lower classes, by people of means who are associated with Christian faith detract from the glory of the Lord. Verses 8-13 James designated the command to love your neighbor as yourself as the royal law. He may have used the term royal because Christ, the true king, set forth the law in Matthew 22. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus defined a neighbor and discussed the demands of loving a neighbor. Jesus defined a neighbor as anyone in need. He urged us to show our love to neighbors by responding to their needs. Love of your neighbor in Scripture is to be directed to everyone, without distinction. Whether or not the “neighbor” is a believer in Jesus, everyone is to receive the same love. If favoritism is going to be avoided and the righteousness of God promoted, James points to the love that serves anyone in need. This point in the teaching of Jesus was meant as that supreme antidote to favoritism. No one is outside the boundary of love of neighbor, not even the poor and unlovely, indeed, especially not them. When this royal law of neighbor love is obeyed, no more perfect example of Christ can be shown to the world. James now indicated what was so wrong about the world’s wealth and its system of honor: to play favorites is to commit sin. Sin is the activity that offends God, the Lawgiver. But favoritism is a sin that transgresses the royal law. Sin can be committed in many ways, and committing sin in any way amounts to transgressing the whole law. To break a command of God is to fall under the condemnation of the entire law. The text hearkens back to Jesus’ warning against breaking even a “least” command of the law. Tragically, every sin delivers the sinner into wholesale transgression of the law. Verse 11 shows the unity of the Law lies in its origin in God. The commandments prohibiting both adultery and murder originated with God. To resist one requirement of the Law is to resist God and all the law. The sin of favoritism means the guilty is a lawbreaker, too. A sin is a sin is a sin. Murder, adultery, favoritism, a little white lie, it all makes everyone the same: a sinner. These verses conclude the discussion of partiality by appealing for obedience to the royal law in both speech and action. Those who judge others often forget that they must face God’s judgment. The reality of God’s coming judgment is an incentive for Christians to speak and act obediently. The standard of judgment on that day will be the law that gives freedom. The law of freedom does not condemn but sets free. This law sets free those who heed it when they, in turn, set free those who are oppressed by the world. Those who obey God by faith in Jesus Christ find the freedom to serve God and escape from the fear of future judgment. Faith in Jesus Christ provides freedom to escape hatred and self-love to find the freedom and peace in loving our neighbors as ourselves. TODAY'S KEY TRUTH The Wise Treat Others The Way Jesus Treats Them. Application Like Jesus in Matthew, James pronounces a blessing on the poor, issues a warning to the wealthy, and warns against judging instead of showing mercy. All of this speaks to an awareness on the part of James to the Jesus tradition. The gospel does require a change in social relations within the church. The church’s role in the world is redemptive, not judicial. So when favoritism was displayed by believers, it was an act of evil discrimination. Evil thoughts of prejudicial bias against the poor undermined the faith and foundation of the church. James calls them out because of it. The church’s role in the world is redemptive, not judicial. We are to look at others, especially the less fortunate, with redeeming mercy, not judgment based on worldly standards. Early Christianity grew and developed in confrontation with an environment that breathed hostility to the poor and different. The lives of early Christians showed that they fed the needy, accepted outcasts, buried the poor, cared for orphans, looked after the aged, encouraged prisoners, provided for victims of disasters, and showered compassion on the persecuted. Their lives proved that true Christianity produces a godly character change. In the Roman world, the poor were faceless nothings in the eyes of the wealthy and much of society. Not much has changed, I'm afraid. We’re all vulnerable; we’re all guilty of treating people differently, depending on how we view them outwardly. But almost without exception, the irony is that the people we try to impress the most are those who care about us the least, while the people who really would be open to receiving us are those for whom we don’t think much about. Partiality fails to treat all persons as equally made in the image of God. Instead, it takes a glance at someone’s face or status, or wealth, or ancestry, before deciding how to act. Favoritism is thus an expression of either fear of the unknown or, more often, of a selfish agenda that looks at people for what they can do for you. Partiality sinfully discriminates against persons for whom we think they are and what they could possibly do for us instead of the person God created them as. God shows no favoritism; therefore, neither should believers. Favoritism misrepresents what Christ taught, is contrary to grace, and misrepresents God to others. It is a sin to show favoritism or to expect to be shown favoritism. The church is a place for all people because the gospel is for all people. The church’s role in the world is redemptive, not judicial. The Wise Treat Others The Way Jesus Treats Them. James says it’s not only how we view others externally, but how we think about ourselves internally that matters. “Don’t you realize,” he asks, “that because the law is a single unit, if you say you’ve never committed adultery, yet you’ve murdered someone, you’re guilty of adultery, too?” I recently watched a documentary on Netflix about the James Webb Telescope. It talked about the fact that from launch until the mirrors were completely deployed months later while in deep space, there were over 450 single failure checkpoints. In other words, there were over 450 actions, and if one of them failed to perform correctly, the entire project would be lost. If any one of those actions did not function properly or is flawed in any way, the project fails, and billions would be lost. So, too, you may not have killed anyone or committed adultery. But if you’ve lied, your telescope has failed. We are all sinners. Some sins may appear to be greater than others on the grounds that their undeniable results are significantly more serious. For instance, murder appears to us to be more regrettable than prejudice, and adultery appears to be more awful than speaking harshly to someone. But all wrongdoing makes us sinners, and all transgression cuts us off from our Creator God. We ought not to limit little sins nor misrepresent large sins. They all can divide us from God. But God's merciful forgiveness can change the eternal consequence of our sins. God's mercy can make it as if the individual had never been charged. At the point when God excuses us of our transgressions, our record is cleaned off, as though we had never transgressed. In Old Testament times, the debts of an individual could lead to being sold as a slave. A close relative could pay his debts and buy his freedom. Christ bought our freedom with his life. The mercy, the grace, the love, the kindness that Jesus has shown us through His birth, death, and resurrection is what we are called to show others. The Wise Treat Others The Way Jesus Treats Them. Conclusion We are commanded to treat all equally and with respect. Jesus died for all, not just a few of us, and He gives us all equal opportunity to become children of God. James asks, “How can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?” This could be based on financial or social status, as it was in James’ time, but it could also include race or ethnicity. The Church of our Lord, Jesus Christ is global. There will be people of all races and tongues in heaven, whether we were rich or poor, married or unmarried, U.S.-born, Middle Eastern, African, raised in the church, or became a believer in our old age; none of it is going to matter when we’re all standing before God. The Wise Treat Others The Way Jesus Treats Them. Jesus, Himself, showed us what it looked like to pour out His life for others. Remember when Jesus washed His disciples’ feet in John 13? He told them to use it as an example and to wash each other’s feet as He washed theirs. Elsewhere, we’re told that we are to serve one another in love, to love our neighbor as ourselves, and to give to those in need, period. And to top it all off, we’re to expect nothing in return. Jesus died for us in the ultimate act of dying to self. He put everyone else, including that person who you despise the most, including that guy at the stop light, including that guy who has destroyed his life with poor choices, Jesus put everyone else first. The Wise Treat Others The Way Jesus Treats Them. So, what does it mean to treat others the way that God treats us? I believe it means that we’re showing people grace, as God shows us grace. The word grace, itself, is described as free and unmerited favor, meaning it’s undeserved. God doesn’t provide grace for us because we deserve it, He provides it because of Who He is. In the same, we shouldn’t offer grace towards others based on merit, but because of who we are in Christ, we forgive others because we’ve been forgiven. The amount of grace we have received is the amount of grace we are to give. I don't know about you, but that means I have a lot of grace to show to the world. And as a church, we should be an ocean of grace to a world lost in the desert of darkness. We are to treat everyone the same: graciously and mercifully. The Wise Treat Others The Way Jesus Treats Them. “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well…” James 3:1-18

James 3:1–18 ESV

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Scriptural Analysis The general theme of 2:1–13 is that favoritism is not to be allowed in the Christian community, for it is antithetical to the gospel. James urges a faith that is more than a mere profession of words but one that changes the heart.

Verse 1 Can favoritism or partiality coexist with the glorious Christ of faith? No. God lifts up the poor, with the intent to demonstrate the greatness of his grace. James taught the strongest possible connection between faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and impartiality. God does not play favorites, yet we do, sinners that we are. The world’s love shows its true nature in its lack of love for the many who suffer under desperate circumstances. Believers must never mix faith with partiality. When favoritism dominates, the obedience of faith is compromised and undermined. All acts of favoritism contradict the divine grace that saves believers.

This isn't a new thought. The Mosaic Law had forbidden giving more respect to persons of prominence in Deuteronomy 1. To these those showing any partially, James gave a sharp directive, “Stop it!”

Verses 2-4 James invited his readers to imagine a situation in which they paid special attention to a well-dressed wealthy man. James presented a likely case of unjust discrimination to reinforce the preceding command against favoritism. In parable-like fashion, knowing that the images he used would easily evoke recognition of the power that wealth exerts over the common man, James told of the congregation’s failure to resist the temptation of favoritism.

Taking this parable to heart is a spiritual exercise that leads to self-indictment for many believers then and even today. These verses illustrate the discrimination. In a Christian assembly, they practiced favoritism toward the rich inconsistent with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for all people. If they continued to practice it, they could not claim to be followers of the Lord, who abolished partiality. History has and continues to show that God practices no partiality. Surely he could not tolerate such action among his own children. We can apply this warning in our relationships with different races, social classes, or economic groups. James' parable is an application of his comprehensive warning against favoritism.

Verses 5-7 Partiality is contrary to God’s plan. The practice of discrimination against the poor was contrary to the way God had called for believers to treat them. Verse 5 shows how God views the poor. Verse 6 presents the contrasting practices of his readers. It is clear: Christians need to adopt God’s outlook for the poor. The world may look at poverty-stricken people as insignificant and worthless. God sees them as precious. Their faith allows them to experience God’s wealth—salvation and its accompanying blessings. This does not suggest all the poor are converted, nor does it mean God practices a bias against those who are not poor. But often, those who are economically poor are better placed than the wealthy to understand God’s purposes and see better the reality of God's provisions. When little comes to you, you become more aware of the source.

The saving work of Christ reverses the status of those who were most afflicted by the curse of sin, the poor. The sin of the world has a tremendous effect on the poor. However, the poor are equal and highlighted heirs of the kingdom of God. Out of their poverty, God shows the glory in the giving of his amazing grace. Poor believers are not the only ones who will be saved, but they, above all, demonstrate the completeness of God’s gracious salvation.

In these verses, James posed a series of hard rhetorical questions for his hearers. James’s rhetorical questions were direct and were meant to be answered in the affirmative. James regards this sin of favoritism so seriously because it stands in stark contrast with the teachings of Jesus, who Christians are called by His name, Christ. Favoritism leads to division within the fellowship and offends God. Most of all, favoritism is linked with a whole series of other sins. These sins, the persecution, oppression, and disposal of the poor and lower classes, by people of means who are associated with Christian faith detract from the glory of the Lord.

Verses 8-13 James designated the command to love your neighbor as yourself as the royal law. He may have used the term royal because Christ, the true king, set forth the law in Matthew 22. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus defined a neighbor and discussed the demands of loving a neighbor. Jesus defined a neighbor as anyone in need. He urged us to show our love to neighbors by responding to their needs. Love of your neighbor in Scripture is to be directed to everyone, without distinction. Whether or not the “neighbor” is a believer in Jesus, everyone is to receive the same love. If favoritism is going to be avoided and the righteousness of God promoted, James points to the love that serves anyone in need. This point in the teaching of Jesus was meant as that supreme antidote to favoritism. No one is outside the boundary of love of neighbor, not even the poor and unlovely, indeed, especially not them. When this royal law of neighbor love is obeyed, no more perfect example of Christ can be shown to the world.

James now indicated what was so wrong about the world’s wealth and its system of honor: to play favorites is to commit sin. Sin is the activity that offends God, the Lawgiver. But favoritism is a sin that transgresses the royal law. Sin can be committed in many ways, and committing sin in any way amounts to transgressing the whole law. To break a command of God is to fall under the condemnation of the entire law. The text hearkens back to Jesus’ warning against breaking even a “least” command of the law. Tragically, every sin delivers the sinner into wholesale transgression of the law. Verse 11 shows the unity of the Law lies in its origin in God. The commandments prohibiting both adultery and murder originated with God. To resist one requirement of the Law is to resist God and all the law. The sin of favoritism means the guilty is a lawbreaker, too. A sin is a sin is a sin. Murder, adultery, favoritism, a little white lie, it all makes everyone the same: a sinner.

These verses conclude the discussion of partiality by appealing for obedience to the royal law in both speech and action. Those who judge others often forget that they must face God’s judgment. The reality of God’s coming judgment is an incentive for Christians to speak and act obediently. The standard of judgment on that day will be the law that gives freedom. The law of freedom does not condemn but sets free. This law sets free those who heed it when they, in turn, set free those who are oppressed by the world. Those who obey God by faith in Jesus Christ find the freedom to serve God and escape from the fear of future judgment. Faith in Jesus Christ provides freedom to escape hatred and self-love to find the freedom and peace in loving our neighbors as ourselves.

TODAY'S KEY TRUTH The Wise Treat Others The Way Jesus Treats Them. Application Like Jesus in Matthew, James pronounces a blessing on the poor, issues a warning to the wealthy, and warns against judging instead of showing mercy. All of this speaks to an awareness on the part of James to the Jesus tradition. The gospel does require a change in social relations within the church. The church’s role in the world is redemptive, not judicial. So when favoritism was displayed by believers, it was an act of evil discrimination. Evil thoughts of prejudicial bias against the poor undermined the faith and foundation of the church. James calls them out because of it.

The church’s role in the world is redemptive, not judicial. We are to look at others, especially the less fortunate, with redeeming mercy, not judgment based on worldly standards. Early Christianity grew and developed in confrontation with an environment that breathed hostility to the poor and different. The lives of early Christians showed that they fed the needy, accepted outcasts, buried the poor, cared for orphans, looked after the aged, encouraged prisoners, provided for victims of disasters, and showered compassion on the persecuted. Their lives proved that true Christianity produces a godly character change.

In the Roman world, the poor were faceless nothings in the eyes of the wealthy and much of society. Not much has changed, I'm afraid. We’re all vulnerable; we’re all guilty of treating people differently, depending on how we view them outwardly. But almost without exception, the irony is that the people we try to impress the most are those who care about us the least, while the people who really would be open to receiving us are those for whom we don’t think much about.

Partiality fails to treat all persons as equally made in the image of God. Instead, it takes a glance at someone’s face or status, or wealth, or ancestry, before deciding how to act. Favoritism is thus an expression of either fear of the unknown or, more often, of a selfish agenda that looks at people for what they can do for you. Partiality sinfully discriminates against persons for whom we think they are and what they could possibly do for us instead of the person God created them as.

God shows no favoritism; therefore, neither should believers. Favoritism misrepresents what Christ taught, is contrary to grace, and misrepresents God to others. It is a sin to show favoritism or to expect to be shown favoritism. The church is a place for all people because the gospel is for all people. The church’s role in the world is redemptive, not judicial.

The Wise Treat Others The Way Jesus Treats Them.

James says it’s not only how we view others externally, but how we think about ourselves internally that matters. “Don’t you realize,” he asks, “that because the law is a single unit, if you say you’ve never committed adultery, yet you’ve murdered someone, you’re guilty of adultery, too?” I recently watched a documentary on Netflix about the James Webb Telescope. It talked about the fact that from launch until the mirrors were completely deployed months later while in deep space, there were over 450 single failure checkpoints. In other words, there were over 450 actions, and if one of them failed to perform correctly, the entire project would be lost. If any one of those actions did not function properly or is flawed in any way, the project fails, and billions would be lost. So, too, you may not have killed anyone or committed adultery. But if you’ve lied, your telescope has failed. We are all sinners.

Some sins may appear to be greater than others on the grounds that their undeniable results are significantly more serious. For instance, murder appears to us to be more regrettable than prejudice, and adultery appears to be more awful than speaking harshly to someone. But all wrongdoing makes us sinners, and all transgression cuts us off from our Creator God. We ought not to limit little sins nor misrepresent large sins. They all can divide us from God. But God's merciful forgiveness can change the eternal consequence of our sins.

God's mercy can make it as if the individual had never been charged. At the point when God excuses us of our transgressions, our record is cleaned off, as though we had never transgressed. In Old Testament times, the debts of an individual could lead to being sold as a slave. A close relative could pay his debts and buy his freedom. Christ bought our freedom with his life.

The mercy, the grace, the love, the kindness that Jesus has shown us through His birth, death, and resurrection is what we are called to show others.

The Wise Treat Others The Way Jesus Treats Them. Conclusion We are commanded to treat all equally and with respect. Jesus died for all, not just a few of us, and He gives us all equal opportunity to become children of God. James asks, “How can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?” This could be based on financial or social status, as it was in James’ time, but it could also include race or ethnicity. The Church of our Lord, Jesus Christ is global. There will be people of all races and tongues in heaven, whether we were rich or poor, married or unmarried, U.S.-born, Middle Eastern, African, raised in the church, or became a believer in our old age; none of it is going to matter when we’re all standing before God.

The Wise Treat Others The Way Jesus Treats Them.

Jesus, Himself, showed us what it looked like to pour out His life for others. Remember when Jesus washed His disciples’ feet in John 13? He told them to use it as an example and to wash each other’s feet as He washed theirs. Elsewhere, we’re told that we are to serve one another in love, to love our neighbor as ourselves, and to give to those in need, period. And to top it all off, we’re to expect nothing in return. Jesus died for us in the ultimate act of dying to self. He put everyone else, including that person who you despise the most, including that guy at the stop light, including that guy who has destroyed his life with poor choices, Jesus put everyone else first.

The Wise Treat Others The Way Jesus Treats Them.

So, what does it mean to treat others the way that God treats us? I believe it means that we’re showing people grace, as God shows us grace. The word grace, itself, is described as free and unmerited favor, meaning it’s undeserved. God doesn’t provide grace for us because we deserve it, He provides it because of Who He is. In the same, we shouldn’t offer grace towards others based on merit, but because of who we are in Christ, we forgive others because we’ve been forgiven. The amount of grace we have received is the amount of grace we are to give. I don't know about you, but that means I have a lot of grace to show to the world. And as a church, we should be an ocean of grace to a world lost in the desert of darkness. We are to treat everyone the same: graciously and mercifully.