James 2:13

‘For judgment is without mercy to him who has showed no mercy. Mercy glories against judgment.'

He then finishes with two sayings which bring this out. The first is that the one who fails to show mercy will never find mercy. This is a reversal of Matthew 5:7, where Jesus said, ‘blessed (by God) are the merciful, for they will obtain mercy'. Here it is ‘cursed are the unmerciful, for they will obtain no mercy'. Or to put it another way, ‘if you do not forgive men when they sin against you, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you for your sins against Him' (Matthew 6:14). The point is that those who are without compassion, thus revealing that they have not experienced God's compassion, will be treated without compassion.

But in the second statement we have the remedy. It is that, ‘mercy glories against judgment.' The point now is that when we find ourselves judged and are declared guilty as lawbreakers, there is a way of escape, a way of mercy. Judgment ‘glories' against lawbreakers for it always prevails. But ‘mercy glories against judgment' because it obtains the relief of lawbreakers from their position as lawbreakers, and releases them by forgiveness, and by the payment of a ransom by One Who has suffered in their place (Matthew 20:28; 1 Corinthians 6:20; Galatians 3:13; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 1:18). And thus we become His as those who are bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20). James does not work this out, but his theology demands it. He is writing to those well versed in the truth of the Gospel.

Herein is the wonder of the cross. It brings rejoicing instead of judgment, because it brings mercy. Judgment is the stark fact that faces all. But mercy laughs joyously, and removes the fear of judgment.