*** Rbi8 James 2:1-13 ***
2 My brothers, YOU are not holding the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, our glory, with acts of favoritism, are YOU? 2 For, if a man with gold rings on his fingers and in splendid clothing enters into a gathering of YOU, but a poor [man] in filthy clothing also enters, 3 yet YOU look with favor upon the one wearing the splendid clothing and say: "You take this seat here in a fine place," and YOU say to the poor one: "You keep standing," or: "Take that seat there under my footstool," 4 YOU have class distinctions among yourselves and YOU have become judges rendering wicked decisions, is that not so? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers. God chose the ones who are poor respecting the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he promised to those who love him, did he not? 6 YOU, though, have dishonored the poor [man]. The rich oppress YOU, and they drag YOU before law courts, do they not? 7 They blaspheme the fine name by which YOU were called, do they not? 8 If, now, YOU practice carrying out the kingly law according to the scripture: "You must love your neighbor as yourself," YOU are doing quite well. 9 But if YOU continue showing favoritism, YOU are working a sin, for YOU are reproved by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever observes all the Law but makes a false step in one point, he has become an offender against them all. 11 For he who said: "You must not commit adultery," said also: "You must not murder." If, now, you do not commit adultery but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of law. 12 Keep on speaking in such a way and keep on doing in such a way as those do who are going to be judged by the law of a free people. 13 For the one that does not practice mercy will have [his] judgment without mercy. Mercy exults triumphantly over judgment.
Verse 4 reminds me of governing body, branch overseers, district overseers, circuit overseers, elders, ministerial servants, pioneers, auxiliary pioneers and Judicial Committees.
Verse 8 reminds me of the attitude and manner the JW's typically do not treat those who leave the WTBTS for various reasons.
Verse 10 reminds me of the Pharisees in the first century and how much the JW' religion is like them.
Verse 13 reminds me of the kangaroo courts the WTS calls Judicial Committees.
I know the official fluff on these scriptures by the WTBTS but how do individual JW's feel about them?
God has made His relationship with us very personal. He has not offered Himself to some while excluding others. He has extended Himself to us through Christ and expects us to be a further extension of Himself to the world. To be like Him means that we must love others in the same manner He has loved us. Our responsibility before God is to love our neighbor as ourself. We are to be indiscriminate in our expression of God's love to one another. God tells us to treat people with mercy. In all circumstances our responsibility is the same. These scriptures show that faith is the root and fruit is displayed by our mercy to one another.