Post by Brother Ben on Nov 10, 2012 18:36:45 GMT -5
What is The Perfect Law of Liberty?
“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.” James 1:25
The word, “deed,” in our text has to do with the thought of performance. It is a different Greek word than that which is used here:
“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Rom. 3:20
Deed, here, has to do with the toil, or the doing, but James was talking about the blessedness of the performance, the result, that occurs when one has not only “looked” into the perfect law of liberty, but continued therein. So, what is this perfect law of liberty? To understand a text, it is best to see in it's context.
“Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
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:
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
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.” James 1:18-25
The context here clearly explains to us that James is talking about the word of God. Starting in verse 18, he explains how we were spiritually begotten of God, “. . . with the word of truth,”. This word of truth is not only to be understood as the Gospel, but as the counsel of the entire word of God.
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,” Eph. 1:13
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim. 2:15
“But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth:” Dan. 10:20a
Not only will the pure word of truth bring us to the knowledge of Christ as Savior, but will also become a tool in the hands of a skillful worker, taking note of it's careful instructions.
Verse 19 goes on to tell us how our hearts should be, “. . . swift to hear. . . “ When the word of truth is spoken in our presence, we are to be swift, ready, to hear what it has to say to us. Some are “swift to speak,” appealing to their divisive nature and desire to debate. This was not so of the Bereans:
“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Acts 17:11 Because their hearts were “ready” and swift to hear, the text goes on to tell us:
“Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.” Acts 17:12
God has great things for those who are willing to wait upon him that he might manifest his truth.
Taking a lesson from the world of horticulture, we note what God wants to do with his word: “. . . receive with meekness the engrafted word. . . “ (vs.21) It is amazing that a skilled gardener can take a branch from one type of tree and graft it into another tree, and it hold fast, and produce fruit. This is what is meant by the “engrafted word.” Throughout the history of his people, God wanted is words to “become” a part of them.
“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:” Heb. 8:10
Many people own a bible, but that is all. Oh, they may glance casually through it's sacred pages, never learning of it's life changing message, but God's desire was to take the words, from the library of heaven, and inscribe them on (or in) the hearts of his children. Ponder this:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. “ John 1:14
Imagine, the word, the logos, the record and very expression of God became flesh, and dwelt among us! This is the essence of what God wants us to do with his word. The very “being” of God in his glory and wonder, is to be engrafted into us, by faith, that the world might know of his grace and truth.
Paul illustrates this great truth:
“Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.” 2 Cor. 3:1-3
When it was needful for Paul to benefit from the fruits of his ministry, instead of writing a resume, or autobiography, he noted that the believers at Corinth were “epistles. . . read of all men.” Amazing! The word of truth, had taken root, by faith, and produced fruit that Paul was confident, men could read and see the living God! This what happens when we allow God to graft his word into our being when we receive it by faith. Sadly, there were those who missed this great blessedness:
“ Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” Heb. 4:1,2
The key to successfully applying scripture is not trying harder and harder to DO it, but to know that it is God's very desire to write his words upon our hearts that we might live them out in the presence of those around us, but it can only be done by faith, resting in his promises.
Once the word of truth has been engrafted in our hearts, we are to live them out so men can see the manifest works of God. James goes on to instruct:
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
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:
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.” James 1:22-24
To understand this text we need to go back to building of the first tabernacle:
“Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.
For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:
When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD:
So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.” Exodus 30:18-21
“And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the lookingglasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.” Exodus 38:8
The priestly family of Aaron and his sons were to do service for God. However, God wanted them to come into his presence clean. He gave them instructions to make a laver of brass to hold water that they might wash anything off that they might stand, without spot, to make offering to the Lord. Notice the laver was made “. . . of the lookingglasses of the women,” of the assembly. This was the mirror of their day, made of highly polished brass. When Aaron and his sons would come to the laver, the highly polished brass would reveal to them the areas that needed attention. Then, they would wash themselves with the water that their service would be acceptable and that they would not die! It was not good enough to just KNOW the dirt was there, or to perhaps, just wipe it off with a cloth. No, they were to carefully WASH the dirt away as prescribed by God.
It is death to be a hearer of the word and not a doer. It is a work of the flesh to “know” all the right stuff, but to fail to examine the heart, cleanse it in the blood of Jesus, and to offer unto him good deeds, done as prompted by the inner-working Spirit of God as he manifests the engrafted word of truth.
“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Eph. 5:25-27
God not only wants to cleanse us, but is able to do it “. . . with the washing of water by the word.” This is NOT going to happen from a casual glance , but as we are careful to:
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
2 Tim. 2:15
We have no need of being ashamed, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Heb. 4:12
As we allow the word to be engrafted into our hearts and lives, it discerns our thoughts and intents, it cleanses, and it instructs. Thus, back to James.
“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.” James 1:25
The law of God can never make one perfect:
“For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.” Heb. 7:19
What the law could not do, the blood of Jesus HAS DONE.
“And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” Rev. 1:5,6
Not only did he give us the “beter hope” (salvation through his blood,) but he has made us kings and priest. As priests, we are to serve the Lord, and our service is to be profitable. However, it will only be so as we cleanse ourselves and continue in his word.
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31,31
The word of God, believed on, engrafted into the heart by faith, and continued in, in faithful service to the KING of kings is able to set us at “liberty” free to love and serve Him!
“This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.” Titus 3:8
Like the priests of old, let us come before the brazen laver of God's word of truth, yielding to its instructions for cleansing and empowering, that we might serve him, building the kingdom of God.
“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.” James 1:25
The word, “deed,” in our text has to do with the thought of performance. It is a different Greek word than that which is used here:
“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Rom. 3:20
Deed, here, has to do with the toil, or the doing, but James was talking about the blessedness of the performance, the result, that occurs when one has not only “looked” into the perfect law of liberty, but continued therein. So, what is this perfect law of liberty? To understand a text, it is best to see in it's context.
“Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
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:
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
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.” James 1:18-25
The context here clearly explains to us that James is talking about the word of God. Starting in verse 18, he explains how we were spiritually begotten of God, “. . . with the word of truth,”. This word of truth is not only to be understood as the Gospel, but as the counsel of the entire word of God.
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,” Eph. 1:13
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim. 2:15
“But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth:” Dan. 10:20a
Not only will the pure word of truth bring us to the knowledge of Christ as Savior, but will also become a tool in the hands of a skillful worker, taking note of it's careful instructions.
Verse 19 goes on to tell us how our hearts should be, “. . . swift to hear. . . “ When the word of truth is spoken in our presence, we are to be swift, ready, to hear what it has to say to us. Some are “swift to speak,” appealing to their divisive nature and desire to debate. This was not so of the Bereans:
“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Acts 17:11 Because their hearts were “ready” and swift to hear, the text goes on to tell us:
“Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.” Acts 17:12
God has great things for those who are willing to wait upon him that he might manifest his truth.
Taking a lesson from the world of horticulture, we note what God wants to do with his word: “. . . receive with meekness the engrafted word. . . “ (vs.21) It is amazing that a skilled gardener can take a branch from one type of tree and graft it into another tree, and it hold fast, and produce fruit. This is what is meant by the “engrafted word.” Throughout the history of his people, God wanted is words to “become” a part of them.
“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:” Heb. 8:10
Many people own a bible, but that is all. Oh, they may glance casually through it's sacred pages, never learning of it's life changing message, but God's desire was to take the words, from the library of heaven, and inscribe them on (or in) the hearts of his children. Ponder this:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. “ John 1:14
Imagine, the word, the logos, the record and very expression of God became flesh, and dwelt among us! This is the essence of what God wants us to do with his word. The very “being” of God in his glory and wonder, is to be engrafted into us, by faith, that the world might know of his grace and truth.
Paul illustrates this great truth:
“Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.” 2 Cor. 3:1-3
When it was needful for Paul to benefit from the fruits of his ministry, instead of writing a resume, or autobiography, he noted that the believers at Corinth were “epistles. . . read of all men.” Amazing! The word of truth, had taken root, by faith, and produced fruit that Paul was confident, men could read and see the living God! This what happens when we allow God to graft his word into our being when we receive it by faith. Sadly, there were those who missed this great blessedness:
“ Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” Heb. 4:1,2
The key to successfully applying scripture is not trying harder and harder to DO it, but to know that it is God's very desire to write his words upon our hearts that we might live them out in the presence of those around us, but it can only be done by faith, resting in his promises.
Once the word of truth has been engrafted in our hearts, we are to live them out so men can see the manifest works of God. James goes on to instruct:
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
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:
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.” James 1:22-24
To understand this text we need to go back to building of the first tabernacle:
“Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.
For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:
When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD:
So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.” Exodus 30:18-21
“And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the lookingglasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.” Exodus 38:8
The priestly family of Aaron and his sons were to do service for God. However, God wanted them to come into his presence clean. He gave them instructions to make a laver of brass to hold water that they might wash anything off that they might stand, without spot, to make offering to the Lord. Notice the laver was made “. . . of the lookingglasses of the women,” of the assembly. This was the mirror of their day, made of highly polished brass. When Aaron and his sons would come to the laver, the highly polished brass would reveal to them the areas that needed attention. Then, they would wash themselves with the water that their service would be acceptable and that they would not die! It was not good enough to just KNOW the dirt was there, or to perhaps, just wipe it off with a cloth. No, they were to carefully WASH the dirt away as prescribed by God.
It is death to be a hearer of the word and not a doer. It is a work of the flesh to “know” all the right stuff, but to fail to examine the heart, cleanse it in the blood of Jesus, and to offer unto him good deeds, done as prompted by the inner-working Spirit of God as he manifests the engrafted word of truth.
“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Eph. 5:25-27
God not only wants to cleanse us, but is able to do it “. . . with the washing of water by the word.” This is NOT going to happen from a casual glance , but as we are careful to:
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
2 Tim. 2:15
We have no need of being ashamed, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Heb. 4:12
As we allow the word to be engrafted into our hearts and lives, it discerns our thoughts and intents, it cleanses, and it instructs. Thus, back to James.
“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.” James 1:25
The law of God can never make one perfect:
“For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.” Heb. 7:19
What the law could not do, the blood of Jesus HAS DONE.
“And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” Rev. 1:5,6
Not only did he give us the “beter hope” (salvation through his blood,) but he has made us kings and priest. As priests, we are to serve the Lord, and our service is to be profitable. However, it will only be so as we cleanse ourselves and continue in his word.
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31,31
The word of God, believed on, engrafted into the heart by faith, and continued in, in faithful service to the KING of kings is able to set us at “liberty” free to love and serve Him!
“This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.” Titus 3:8
Like the priests of old, let us come before the brazen laver of God's word of truth, yielding to its instructions for cleansing and empowering, that we might serve him, building the kingdom of God.