The Perfect Law Of Liberty

Our Bible passage, introduction to Sunday 7th December service and hymns are below.

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Our principal verses are:

Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Jas 1:23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

Jas 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

Jas 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

The Perfect Law Of Liberty

The difference between vain religion and pure religion is in view here. In James’ day, in the first generation of the apostolic church, there were those whose religion was vain. They claimed a Christian testimony, attended Christian worship, listened to Christian preaching, but their religion was vain. They were hearers only. Theirs was a false profession. There was no truth in their heart, no reality in their witness, no outworking of their faith. They deceived their own selves. James, in the whole of this epistle, speaks of these nominal Christians by way of instructing the Lord’s true people

Always wheat and tares

Nothing can be clearer than that throughout the history of the Christian church there has been a distinction between those who are regenerate and those who are merely Christian by name. Our Lord spoke of wheat and tares growing together in one field. In the parable of the sower He distinguished different outcomes for seed sown on stoney, thorny soil and that which grew in good ground. The apostles often challenged empty professors in the church of their day and every age is afflicted by those who claim the name of Christ but bear no fruit.

The gospel mirror

James has shown that the great distinction in the soul of man is whether or not the word of truth, the gospel of Jesus Christ, has been spiritually and effectually engrafted there. Now, the apostle brings forward another analogy of ‘a man beholding his natural face in a glass’. This is an unregenerate man who sees his own reflection in the mirror held up in gospel preaching. He may give, in the moment, mental assent to the truth of the gospel message concerning his sin but it does not last. As soon as the mirror is removed he forgets his true state by nature and remains spiritually unchanged.

The eye of the beholder

But there is another view. Regenerate sinners look into the gospel and see not their natural selves but the spiritual transformation that Christ has worked in them. They see the effect of ‘the perfect law of liberty’, the perfections of Jesus Christ and His righteousness. They do not see their natural state with their sin and need. Rather, they see Christ reflected in the gospel and His beauty captures and holds their gaze. Having seen the true source and nature of grace and peace they are transfixed by the Lord. Having seen the loveliness of their Redeemer, who is altogether lovely, they cannot turn back to their own self-righteousness

Through the looking glass

This ‘glass’ is called the perfect law of liberty not because it is a law in the sense of the Mosaic law but because it is the teaching and doctrine of truth. It is obeyed or ‘done’ by faith. It is the revelation of divine righteousness, received and believed by faith. A doer of this work is blessed because his deed is done in faith. By faith the blessings of God in Jesus Christ are received. God’s blessings do not arise as a reward for good works. Good works flow from the blessedness of possessing faith in Christ and by dwelling in the peace of justification.

Imputed Righteousness

‘The perfect law of liberty’ is a powerful description of the gift of imputed righteousness from God to men. It is perfect because it is complete, satisfied and fulfilled in the perfect obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is law because it measures righteousness and announces justification on all who are in Christ. It brings liberty because it frees those under its rule from the slavish bondage of constantly falling short of God’s holiness.

The necessity of faith

Under the perfect law of liberty faith continues looking to Christ alone for righteousness. Faith discovers grace, peace, liberty and full assurance of salvation by resting in the eternal sufficiency of the crucified Christ. False faith misses the beauty of Christ. It sees its natural-self in the mirror of works-religion and strives to adorn itself with good deeds. False faith hears the gospel but having seen no beauty in Jesus looks away again.

Life under the perfect law of liberty

In our gathering tomorrow we shall consider the implications of living under ‘the perfect law of liberty’. The perfect law of liberty is a believer’s rule of life. We shall ask, and hopefully answer, what it means to ‘continue therein, being not a forgetful hearer’. We shall reflect upon some of the blessings promised to those who being doers of this work live spiritually and practically to the glory of God in the service of Jesus Christ.

Amen

Hymn 195

Grace Exalted in the New Birth. John 1. 13; James 1. 18

S. Medley                                  L.M.

1
Assist my soul, my heavenly King,
Thy everlasting love to sing;
And joyful spread thy praise abroad,
As one, through grace, that’s born of God.

2
No, it was not the will of man
My soul’s new heavenly birth began;
Nor will nor power of flesh and blood
That turned my heart from sin to God.

3
Herein let self be all abased,
And sovereign love alone confessed;
This be my song through all the road,
That born I am, and born of God.

4
O may this love my soul constrain
To make returns of love again;
That I, while earth is my abode,
May live like one that’s born of God.

5
May I thy praises daily show,
Who hast created all things new,
And washed me in a Saviour’s blood
To prove that I’m a son of God.

6
And when the appointed hour shall come,
That thou wilt call me to my home,
Joyful I’ll pass the chilling flood,
And die as one that’s born of God.

7
Then shall my soul triumphant rise
To its blest mansion in the skies;
And in that glorious, bright abode,
Sing then as one that’s born of God.

Hymn 523

The Law of Liberty. James 1. 25; John 13. 17

W. Gadsby    8s

1
The gospel’s the law of the Lamb;
My soul of its glories shall sing;
With pleasure my tongue shall proclaim
The law of my Saviour and King;
A sweet law of liberty this;
A yoke that is easy and mild;
Of love it the precious law is,
Unknown unto all but a child.

2
The law of the Spirit of life,
That takes the old yoke from our neck,
Proves Zion to be the Lamb’s wife,
And Zion with beauty does deck;
Provides her a clothing divine,
And makes her all-glorious within;
Nor angels are clothèd more fine,
Nor can it be sullied with sin.

3
Its beauties all centre in Christ,
For Christ is the substance of it;
It makes broken hearts to rejoice,
And insolvent debtors will fit.
’Tis wisdom, ’tis strength, and ’tis love,
’Tis all that a sinner can need;
And all that are born from above,
By Jesus from Moses are freed.

4
This law is the poor pilgrim’s rule;
With boldness this truth I’ll maintain;
Thrice happy’s the man, though a fool,
That in it can look and remain;
This man shall be blest in his deed,
For Jesus and he are but one;
He’ll therefore supply all his need,
For ever and ever. Amen.

Here James teaches us the difference between those who look into the gospel and see themselves and those who look into it and see Christ.