If, however, you aare fulfilling the 1royal law according to the Scripture, “bYOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you are doing well. But if you ashow partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the 1law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole 1law and yet astumbles in one point, he has become bguilty of all. For He who said, “aDO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,” also said, “bDO NOT COMMIT MURDER.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the 1law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by athe law of liberty. (Jam 2:8-12 NASB)
Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for ahe who loves 1his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, “aYOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “bYOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” Love 1does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore alove is the fulfillment of the law. (Rom 13:8-10 NASB)
I don’t want to spend a lot of time on this, but one author is using and responding to another. For James, it looks as if he is saying that the law must be fulfilled in every way. Paul responds with much the same line, but changes it to position love not just as well, but as the perfection.
Joel L. Watts holds a Masters of Arts from United Theological Seminary with a focus in literary and rhetorical criticism of the New Testament. His interests include exploring the role of mimesis in human civilization, specifically in the study of religion and media, as well as science fiction and the way in which it has allowed mythology to be explored in light of scientific discoveries of the past century. He is the author of Mimetic Criticism of the Gospel of Mark: Introduction and Commentary (Wipf and Stock, 2013) and a co-editor and contributor to From Fear to Faith: Stories of Hitting Spiritual Walls (Energion, 2013).
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I believe contextually they both are saying the two great commandments are where it is at then and now.
The one is simply saying if you want to “work” for God’s Righteousness yet fail at one point of the Law when working for His Righteousness you are doomed when you come standing before God basis the Law of Righteousness to be judged either righteous or unrighteous. God, Who is Love, Who as the living embodiment of the Eternal Law of Righteousness in the flesh (Jesus Christ), to be justified, loved and accepted by Him into His Eternal Kingdom living Life to the fullest after judgment can only be justified, loved and accepted by the Gospel not the Law!
I like the way the ESV develops the Apostle Paul in that regard, here: 2Co 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2Co 5:18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
2Co 5:19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
2Co 5:20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
2Co 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.