So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.
James 2:12

True Christian liberty is not a license to do what I want to do! Scripture teaches that it is connected to living for Christ and for others. It is found and enjoyed when I am occupied with Christ!

In our verse today, James speaks of the “law of liberty.” The thought here with the word “law” is “the controlling force” or “the principle in action.” What James is saying is, “As a Christian, you are not under the law of bondage, but you are under the controlling power of liberty.” The Law of Moses required the Jew to love his neighbor, but it did not give him the power to do so and condemned him if he failed. But under grace, we are given the power to love our neighbor.

The expression “so speak and so do” refers to words and deeds, to our talk and our walk; both need to match! When they do not match up, we violate the law of liberty and will give an account of this failure at the Judgment Seat of Christ (1 Cor. 3:14-15; 2 Cor. 5:9-10). In Romans 14:10-13, Paul connects the Judgment Seat of Christ and the law of liberty, using this as motivation and as a reminder to allow the law of liberty to be in action in our lives!

But what hinders this liberty from being seen in our individual lives and in our local assemblies? James associates the law of liberty with the Word of God in James 1:21-27. To be a doer of the Word is to hold the Word in our hearts and let it be the monitor that guides us in every department of life. The Word of God is to be our standard, and it is an effective tool to keep us from being influenced by the world around us. To neglect the Word of God is to allow the world to dictate to us how we think and behave.

Anchor For Today:
When we look into the perfect law of liberty and continue in it, and are not forgetful hearers but doers of the Word, we will enjoy true liberty!