The Perfect Law of Liberty


James1:23-27 "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted Word, which is able to save your souls. But be Doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself and goes away, & immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. If anyone among you thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. Pure & undefiled religion before God is this: to visit the orphans & widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. 

What is the Perfect law of Liberty? According to this passage it has to do with 'Keeping' the Commandants of God. Only the 'Doers' of the word will be found worthy, according to Jesus' own teaching, John14:15, Matt7:24-27. Therefore 'liberty' in Christ combines with human responsibility to KEEP ones self unspotted by sin & conduct yourself in a godly manner.

Liberty is NOT License! 

The Apostle Peter said you CANNOT use your liberty in Christ as a Cloak for wickedness, 1Pet2:16. Because he understood clearly that you Reap what you Sow, Gal6:7-10, and Grace doesn't magically remove you from the holy decrees of God.

Rom6:16 "To whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slave whom you obey, whether sin to death or Obedience to Righteousness."

Certainly 'All things are permissible to me', 1Cor6:12, But BONDAGE awaits, if you dabble with sin, and as James says, Js1:15 "When sin is full-grown, it brings froth death!" The eternal security preachers will tell you that Nothing can separate you from God & no one can Snatch you out of His hand, including sinful behavior. But Scripture says otherwise. Grace WILL NOT make up for your lack of Obedience to the faith or sweep willful sin under the rug.

If then Grace is a free gift, as scripture says, Eph2:8-9, WHY are we still obligated to Keep God's Commandants? Isn't Christ the 'end of the law' to those who believe, Rom10:4 ? YES, but He is the 'end' of the law FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS! No one can achieve righteousness by the works of the law, Rom3:20. But in Christ, by Obedience to the Truth, it is made Possible.

Here's how it works:

1) Rom10:10 "With the heart you Believe unto Righteousness!"

2) Rom6:17 "You obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered."

3) 1Pet1:22 "You purified your heart by obedience to the truth!"

4) Rom1:5 "We receive Grace & apostleship for Obedience to the faith."

5) 1Pet1:2 "We are Sanctified & covered in His blood by Obedience."

 

Don't Kid yourself that Obedience isn't a vital part of your Continuing salvation.

The Perfect law of Liberty in Christ, is that the Righteous requirements of the Law are thereby Fulfilled by in those who "DO NOT walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit!"

Rom8:4 "That the righteous requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."

Freedom from the Law of Sin & Death! Rom8:2

1) The Law was given to expose sin as transgression, Rom7:7-12

2) The Law is Holy & good and MUST be established by Faith in God! Rom7:12

3) Faith therefore Establishes the Law, it does not make it Void! Rom3:31

4) We then serve God in the Newness of the Spirit, not the oldness of the Letter. Rom7:6

5) There's NO Condemnation in Christ, IF you walk according to the Spirit, not the flesh Rom8:1

Telling people they are secure in Christ, even while involved in known & willing sin, is the greatest injustice of modern times. The Law has NOT been abolished under Grace and you WILL BE JUDGED according to your Deeds done in Faith. (Rom2:6-10, 1Pet1:17) Otherwise God's Holy law is turned on its head! He HAD to make salvation CONDITIONAL because man was created with Free will to choose and to fulfill His own Holy Decrees.

Grace Provides what the Law could not because it was weak through the flesh, Rom8:3

1) It Crucifies the flesh with it's passions & desires, Rom6:6, Gal5:24

2) It Redeems you from every lawless deed & Purifies you for good works! Titus2:14

3) It Writes the law into our hearts & minds, Heb8:10-12, Rom13:8-10

4) It provides us with a Good Conscience because of Blameless Conduct! 1Pet3:15-16, 1Tim1:5

You CANNOT establish your own Righteousness, Rom10:1-4, However:

1) You MUST Remain Steadfast in the Faith & Continue with God, Rom2:6-10

2) You MUST bring forth Fruit by faith or be withered & cast into the fire! Jh15:1-6, 1Jh3:10

3) You Must Keep yourself Pure by His Grace & abstain from wicked behavior. 1Tim5:22

4) You Must avoid false teachers & beware of the error of the wicked. 2Pet2:1-3, 3:17

Faith WORKS by Love, Gal5:6. The Law of Faith is Obedience to the Truth. Your heart is made Pure by faith. You Overcome the World by faith. You Walk in Newness of life by Faith. You Remain Steadfast by Faith & You Endure to the end by Faith.

That's why Scripture says, "The Just shall live by faith!" Rom1:17. Without Faith it is Impossible to Please God, Heb11:6 And without Faith the Works of the flesh will become evident in your conduct, ensnare & harden you, and send your soul to hell. Gal5:16-26

Gal5:24 "Those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions & desires!"

And they have done so BY FAITH Working by Love, energized by Grace, through the Exceeding Power of God's Word! Eph1:18-23, 2:5-10

Many people are under the impression that all they stand to lose by sinful living is their eternal rewards & present tense Joy, but READ the Scriptures, Continuing in the faith is a SALVATION issue! Rom2:6-10 "Eternal LIFE to those who by Patience Continuance in doing GOOD...!"

The Word of God WORKS in you as you OBEY it! I know scripture says it's not of works, lest anyone should boast, Eph2:8-9, BUT he's referring to 'works' done to establish your own righteousness...NOT the WORKS of faith!!! Rom3:27

Otherwise WHY would the Bible Teach elsewhere:

1) God will Judge you according to your Work done in faith, 1Pet1:17

2) The Reward is ETERNAL LIFE, the Penalty eternal death! Rom2:6-10

 

The Parables of Christ establish this Same Truth! (That's why OSAS teachers reject them!)

1) Matt18:22-33 The unforgiving Servant forfeited his forgiveness by refusing to forgive!

2) Matt24:45-51 The faithful & evil Servant, one rejected his inheritance & went into sin

3) Matt25:1-13 The wise & foolish Virgins, FIVE were not ready when Christ returned

4) Matt25:14-30 The Talents, Bare no fruit with what you are given & be cast away

The Reason James says Faith without Works is Dead, Js2:17, is because even the devils BELIEVE! Js2:19. The ONLY difference between you & them is your DEEDS! KEEP yourself unspotted by the world, Bridle your tongue, love NOT the World! Receive the implanted WORD which is able to SAVE your soul! ALL DEEDS done in Faith, by Faith, through Faith....

The PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY....Freedom from the Corrupting influence of sin.... Release from the awful bondage of human lust....AND Knowledge that you are accepted in the beloved, Partaking of the Mind of Christ & Being renewed in the spirit of your mind.

"Then you are Safe & Secure in Christ, IF you Holdfast His Word, Steadfast to the End"

1Cor15:1-2, Heb3:14, Col1:22-23


Be Presented to God Holy & Blameless, irreproachable in His Sight:Col1:22-23

1) IF you Continue in the faith

2) Grounded with Steadfast Endurance on the Solid Rock of Christ

3) Unmovable from the Blessed Hope of the Gospel which you heard


This is what Paul & the Apostles preached as the Gospel. What you're hearing today in most churches is something radically different & dangerously defective. I say with Paul:

"Come out from among them & be separate says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean & I will receive you. I will be a Father to you & you shall be My sons & daughters, says the Lord!"

2Cor6:17-18