Let us turn to the chapter that
we read in the general epistle of James. James chapter 1 and
I want to center your attention this morning on the words that
we find here in verse 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, or as the margin says, in his doing. In James chapter
1 and verse 25, But do so, looketh into the perfect Lord 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. I want then the Lord's help to
consider the matter of the perfect law of liberty that is spoken
of in this text and first of all to begin with
two negatives and to say what it is not It is certainly not
the ceremonial law that James is speaking of in the verse. We think of the Levitical sacrifices
and those ceremonies spoken of back in the Old Testament and
all that we have there of course in the book of Leviticus is the
Gospel set before us in those various types and shadows the
multitude of sacrifices that were to be offered first of all
in the tabernacle and then subsequently after the days of Solomon to
be offered in the temple of the Lord. That law which we associate
with the priests of Aaron And it is not in any sense that that
is being spoken of. If you go back to the previous
book, there in Hebrews chapter 7, look at what Paul says at verse 17 and the following
verses. He speaks of Christ as that one
who is a priest after the order of Melchizedek. And verse 18,
he says, There is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before,
for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing
perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did. by the
which we draw nigh unto God." He makes the contrast between
Christ as that one who is a priest, after the order of Melchizedek,
with the Aaronic priesthood. And of that latter, he says that
the Aaronic priesthood could make nothing perfect. And yet, here, We have a law
that is described as a perfect law of liberty. Furthermore, in Hebrews chapter
9 we see how that the services that were to take place there
in the tabernacle, none of the services were associated with
anything that could be said to be perfect. It was all temporary,
it was all passing. it would all ultimately be done
away with. In chapter 9 of Hebrews then,
and there at verses 8 and 9 he says the Holy Ghost is signifying
that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest
while as the first tabernacle was yet standing. which was a
figure for the time then present in which were offered both gifts
and sacrifices that could not make him that did the service
perfect as pertaining to the flesh there's not only imperfection
associated with the Aaronic priesthood but all those services Paul says
quite clearly that those services, those sacrifices could not make
any perfect as pertaining to the conscience. And yet, in the
text we read of that that is perfect. Clearly, we're not to
understand the reference here to the ceremonial law, nor are
we to understand the reference in our text to have anything
to do with the law of the Ten Commandments or the moral law
because what we read of is not just a perfect law but it is
also referred to by James as the law of liberty whereas that
law that we see in the Ten Commandments that law that is associated with
Mount Sinai We read in Galatians 4.24 of Mount Sinai, which gendereth
to bondage. There's not liberty in that that
was promulgated from the Mount Sinai. It genders to bondage. Paul speaks of it again in 2
Corinthians 3 as that that is the ministration of condemnation. What is the point? What is the
purpose of the law? it doesn't bring liberty but
it ministers only condemnation and death again Paul writing
there in Romans chapter 3 says whatsoever things the law saith
it saith to them who are under the law that every mouth may
be stopped and all the world become guilty before God therefore
by the deeds of the law no soul can be justified. By the law,
Paul says, is the knowledge of sin. And how these apostles,
in their various writings in the New Testament, also and always
bear testimony to the selfsame truth here in James. In James
chapter 2 and verse 10 we read, "...whosoever shall keep the
whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."
There can be no liberty in the law. One offense will bring condemnation,
will bring death. And what a law it is! that law
that was given at Mount Sinai, we're not just to think in terms
of the externals of the law. No, Paul says we know that the
law is spiritual. It doesn't just have to do with
a man's actions, it has to do with the very intentions of his
heart. David was brought to feel that,
to realize that. how he was brought to understand
the real nature of his sin he was guilty of sins of the flesh
and yet he knew that that law that he had transgressed was
a spiritual law even in his great penitential psalm after his adultery
with Bathsheba after the murder of her husband Uriah he says
there to God behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts All
God's law has to do with the inward parts. And the Lord Jesus
Christ is the one in the course of His own ministry who clearly
expounds the real nature, the spiritual nature of the Lord
of God. There in the Sermon on the Mount in chapter 5, He takes
up those commandments, the 6th commandment, the 7th commandment,
thou shalt not kill, They shall not commit adultery, those very
commandments that David had transgressed. And what does the Lord do as
He expounds these things? Well, He causes us to understand
that even unjustified anger, to be angry with a brother, is
murder. And to have one lustful thought
is adultery. Or how the law condemns And it
comes to those who were born dead in trespasses and sins and
only exposes to them what they are and the impossibility of
their condition by nature. There's no liberty in the law.
There's only condemnation. It is that that genders only
to bondage. So, whilst we say that this perfect
law of liberty is not to be understood in terms of the ceremonial law,
those laws that were associated with the Aaronic priesthood,
so also this perfect law of liberty is not to be identified in any
way with the law of the Ten Commandments. What then are we to understand
by such an expression? 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 deeds." James is speaking of the Gospel. It is the Gospel
that is the perfect law of liberty. The Lord Jesus Christ is that
one who has come to be the Saviour of the sinner, to deliver him
from his sins, to bring him that justification If the Son
therefore shall make you free, says Christ, ye shall be free
indeed. Oh, it is only the Son, it is
only that One who is the appointed Saviour of sinners, who can bring
liberty to those who are in bondage to sin. And look at the context
of our text this morning, what He has been saying previously.
there at verse 21 he makes mention of that word that he calls the
engrafted word lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of
naughtiness he says and receive with meekness the engrafted word
or the implanted word which is able to save your souls what
is the word that he is speaking of? It is that word that is associated
with the New Covenant. And that New Covenant revealed
to us in terms of the Gospel. It's spoken of there in the Old
Testament in Jeremiah chapter 31 verses 33 and 34. And we see
how Paul takes up those promises of God back in the prophecy of
Jeremiah. He takes them up as he writes
the gain in the epistle to the Hebrews. there in the 8th chapter
of the Hebrew Epistle at verse 10 following and look at the
language that we have used by the Apostle he's quoting from Jeremiah this is a covenant that I will
make with the house of Israel after those days said 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." That is the engrafted word. When God writes his law
in the hearts of his people. I will put my
laws into their minds, he says, and write them in their hearts.
and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.
And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man
his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for all shall know me from
the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their
unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember
no more. In that he hath set a new covenant,
he hath made the first of all. The new covenant is the gospel,
the grace of God. The old covenant is that that
was given at Mount Sinai, the Lord of God. In that he hath
set a new covenant, he hath made the firsthold. Now that which
decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away. It is the Gospel,
you see, that here is referred to in our text as a perfect law
of liberty. It is that engrafted word that
by the Spirit of God is brought into the soul of the sinner and
is able to save the man. It is the gospel then that is
being spoken of and that gospel in the hand of the Spirit of
God where there is a blessed application of the truth where
the Spirit of the Lord is, Paul says, there is liberty. How strange in a sense that this
Gospels should be referred to in this fashion, the law of liberty. The perfect law of liberty. But when we go back to the Old
Testament, in the second chapter of the book of the prophet Isaiah,
we have that promise concerning the last days. The last day is
this day of grace, the acceptable time, the day of salvation, the
gospel dispensation. And there in the opening verses
of Isaiah chapter 2 we read, Out of Zion shall go forth the
law. It is not that law that comes
from Manzini. No, it says there in Isaiah 2.3,
Out of Zion shall go forth the law that is
the gospel law which we have here in our text. Often times
we refer to those words that we have again in the book of
the prophet Isaiah that concerning him who is the Lord's servant
the one spoken of and promised in the opening part of Isaiah
chapter 42 behold my servant whom I uphold, mine elect, in
whom my soul delighteth." God says, I have put my spirit upon
him, he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles and so forth.
And then when we come to verse 4 it says, he shall not fail
nor be discouraged till he hath sent judgment in the earth and
the isles shall wait for his law. What is this law that the
isles are waiting for? That is the the gentile nations,
the ends of the earth, waiting for this Lord, the Lord of Him
who is spoken of as God's servant, God's elect. Well, that Lord
is the Gospel. And so we can see from scripture
how that it is evident that the terminology that we have here
in our text this morning, the perfect law of liberty, it is
to be understood in terms of the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Well, having identified what
the law is, I want in the second place to seek to answer the question,
why call the gospel law? Isn't that confusing in a sense? because we're told the law was
given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Isn't there constantly in scripture
a contrast drawn between the law on the one hand and the gospel
on the other? When Paul writes to the Romans
in chapter 11 he speaks of salvation if by grace he says it is no
more of works Otherwise grace is no more grace. If it be by
works, it is no more of grace. Otherwise work is no more work.
Gospel is associated with grace, which is the gift of God. The
Lord is associated with works. Aren't these mutually exclusive
one of the other? Is he not therefore in so many
ways confusing? that we should have the gospel
referred to under such a name as law, even the perfect law
of liberty. All we know, as I've already
said, that that law that we have in the Old Testament,
that law that was given at Mount Sinai, it is the ministration
of condemnation, it's the ministration of death, it's spoken of also
as the letter that killeth whereas the gospel in contrast is spoken
of as a ministration of righteousness and a ministration of life and
furthermore we're told that Christ himself comes as that one who
is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believe How
strange then that we should have such terminology being used here
in the text as to refer to the gospel as God's perfect law of
liberty. And yet we recognize that these
words are the inspired words of God This is not just James
giving his own thoughts, expressing his own ideas in his own words. He is one of those writing under
the gracious inspiration of the Spirit of God, and so what we
have in our text are the words of God. And these words are quite
deliberately being used. We read of a law We read of the
deeds of the law or the doing of the law. Whoso looketh into
the perfect law of liberty, it says, and continueth therein,
he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this
man shall be blessed in his deeds. I said at the beginning, the
margin as the word doing. Whatever he does, he is blessed
in his doing. Why is such language as this
being employed? Seems so strange to us. And yet there's a purpose in
it. There's a gracious purpose in it. When we look at the whole
context here, we see quite clearly the importance of the doing.
Go back to verse 22. Be ye doers of the word, and
not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 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. Oh, there must be more than the
hearing, of the Word of God, much more than the hearing of
the gospel of the grace of God. James is certainly placing an
emphasis upon the doing. Now, we know that with the gospel
there must be that mixing of faith with the things that we're
hearing. There must be that. It was that
that was not there with those that came out of Egypt those
that fell in the wilderness in those 40 years of wanderings
how the apostle makes that quite clear back in Hebrews chapters
3 and 4 the vital thing is that mixing of faith with what we're
hearing how that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the
word of God. There is to be that hearing.
But what is that hearing? Well, it's a hearing that will
also be associated with a doing. And there are two things that
we need to observe. First of all, with that hearing
there will be a very real exercise in the soul of the person who
is truly a hearer. But not only an exercise in their
soul, there will also subsequently be an obedience that is so evident
in their lives. And how vitally important these
things are, this is the evidence that we're those who are the
true hearers of the Word of God, we're really hearing the Gospel.
where there is that exercise of soul, where there is that
obedience of life. Think for a while of that exercise
of soul that goes with the hearing of the gospel. In a sense that
exercise in the soul isn't that the experimental aspect of us
being real hearers of the word of God? We are told now that
faith is clearly not of ourselves, there are so many scriptures
a whole variety of verses that we can quote that make it so
abundantly plain that faith comes from God in Colossians chapter
2 verse 12 we read of that faith that is of the operation of God
that saving faith then is not something that we are able of
ourselves to produce God must come, God must work it by His
Spirit in the soul of the sinner again in Ephesians chapter 2
we're familiar with these verses I'm sure how are we saved? by
grace are ye saved it says through faith and that not of yourselves
it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast
salvation is not of works not of our doing Salvation is my faith, and that
very faith, that saving faith, is not only by the operation
of God, it's the gift of God. God has to give us faith. And
so if we would know that saving faith, we have to ask God for
it. And in Hebrews chapter 12 and
verse 2, remember how Paul speaks of the Lord Jesus, we are to
be those who are looking unto Jesus, the author. and the finisher of our faith,
he says. Christ is the author of it. It
comes from him. It's his gift. It comes by the
operation of his Spirit in our souls. Now, there are these texts
and there are other texts that we could refer to that make it
so clear that faith is not of ourselves, but is from God. and we can say that the great
danger when we come to such scriptures as these is that danger of passivity we might be tempted to conclude
well that's it it comes from God I can do nothing I just have
to be passive I just have to wait and wait and in waiting
there might be that temptation to be so fatalistic and to think
well there's nothing to do I just have to be patient if the Lord
is going to save me the Lord will save me and it's an awful
place to be to be brought to such a spot as that and this
is why James lays the emphasis so much upon this doing. He refers to the gospel as a
law, the law of liberty, the perfect law of liberty. And he
that continueth therein, being not a forgetful hearer, but a
doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his doing. All remember the ministry of
the Lord Jesus Christ, how Christ clearly makes it plain that where
there is any real awakening in the soul, there will be so much
activity in that soul. He says, the kingdom of heaven
suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. Isn't that
exercise of soul, that seeking after God, that crying to God,
that calling upon God, that earnestness, Again, the Lord Jesus says, strive
to enter in. He's speaking of the straight
gates that lead to life, that straight gate that is the entrance
into the narrow way. And he says, one has to strive
to enter in. There is to be that pleading
with God, that pressing God. there is all this exercise of
soul. Again the Apostle when he writes
at the end of 1st Corinthians 15 says, Be ye steadfast, unmovable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord. For as much as ye
know your labour is not in vain in the Lord. All that abounding
in labours, this exercise of soul, it's so vital, it's so
necessary if we're going to be those who are really hearers
of the gospel faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word
of God and that doesn't mean that the sinner just sits there
in some passive state and does nothing nowhere there is any
reality in that person's soul there will be all that holy activity
even in those who are truly waiting upon the Lord but there's not
only that experimental aspect there's not only the exercise
of soul there's also a practical aspect there is to be also that
obedience of faith look at the language again that we have in
the text Those who are looking into the
perfect law of liberty, they continue therein, he being not
a forgetful hearer, he says, but a doer, a doer of the work. This man shall be blessed in
his deed, blessed in his doing. When Paul writes of faith, of
saving faith, justifying faith, In Galatians chapter 5, verse
6, he speaks of that faith which worketh by love. Now, you know
the content of the epistle to the Galatians, that Paul is there
exposing the false teaching of the legalists. He's got no time
for that legalism. Gentile believers are not under
the Lord of God. There's nothing for Gentile believers
to do. They don't have to submit to circumcision. Emmanuel is
circumcised. Paul says he's debted to do the
whole law. But Christ is the end of the
law for salvation. In no way in the epistle of the
Galatians is Paul speaking of works having any parts to play
in the salvation of a sinner. Salvation is altogether of grace.
It is all together by the work of the Lord Jesus. It is doing
of the law that is the believer's righteousness. It is dying in
the room instead of the sinner that pays the ransom price. The sinner is free from all that
guilt of sin. The sinner trusting in Christ
is accounted righteous in the sight of God and yet when Paul
writes there in that 5th chapter of Galatians and speaks of faith
he speaks of faith which worketh by love and so there's no contradiction
there's no real contradiction between Paul and James look at
what James goes on to say here in chapter 2 and verse 17 he
says even so faith if it hath not works is dead being alone
yea a man may say thou hast faith and I have works show me thy
faith without thy works and I will show thee my faith by my works
all there is is practical aspect and so coming again to our text
It's not just a hearing, it's being a doer of the work. And
that man is the man who is blessed in his doing. Now, the believer,
though freed from the Lord of God, in no sense is he a debtor
to the Lord of God. And yet, the believer is under
the Gospel. And we say that the rule of life
for the believer is the gospel. That's how it's expressed in
the gospel standard articles. In article 16 we believe that
the believer's rule of conduct is the gospel, not the law commonly
called the moral law and so on. And we see it in what the Apostle
says at the end of the Galatian Epistle, there in Galatians chapter
6 and verses 15 and 16, he says, In Christ Jesus, neither circumcision
availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according
to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel
of God." We walk according to this rule, that is the rule of
the Gospel. The believer is not under law,
the believer is under grace. Again, Paul spells these things
out. He writes to the Romans, and
there in Romans chapter 6, look at the language of the employees.
Verse 14, sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are
not under the law, but under grace. What then, he asks, shall
we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? God
forbid. All believers are under grace,
but believers are those who desire to lead and to live that life
of obedience. They will obey all the commandments
of God. They will obey all those holy
precepts that are laid before us in the gospel. There are gospel
precepts. And when Paul, in his epistles,
lays down these commandments, he also reminds those believers
what should motivate them in their life of obedience. where
there are gospel precepts there are gospel motivations and we
see it very strikingly in what Paul says to the Ephesians look
at his language there at the end of Ephesians chapter 4 here are precepts verse 31 let
all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking
be put away from you with all malice and be ye kind one to
another, tender hearted, forgiving one another." Aren't those things
to be done? Aren't those precepts? Aren't
those commandments? Forgiving one another, he says,
and here's the motivation, even as God for Christ's sake hath
forgiven you. Be ye therefore followers of
God as dear children, he continues in chapter 5, and walk in love
as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us,
and offering unto sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour,
but fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be
once named among you as becometh saints, nor filthiness, nor foolish
talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient, but rather giving
of thanks. Oh, he's telling them how to
conduct themselves, he's telling them how to live, he's giving
them particular commandments. But here is the motivation all
the time. Walk in love, he says, as Christ
also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us, and offering
them the sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling sake. The motivation
always is the Lord Jesus Christ. But where there is gospel, there
is also gospel precept. The gospel law. We are not to
be those who are simply passive, who say, well, salvation is altogether
of grace. And it doesn't matter what we
do. Let us sin that grace may abound. God forbid, says Paul.
There are those who would accuse us of being antinomians. Antinomian
simply means against the law. They say we're antinomians because
we contend for the believer not being under law but under gospel
precept. But we're not antinomians. We see that the motivation for
godly living can only be found in the gospel, only be found
in our Lord Jesus Christ. nor we're not those who would
say in any sense that it's a sin that grace may abound, no we're
those who see the importance of all this exercise of soul
all this obedience of life in those who are truly and really
receiving the gospel we want to be those who do mixed faith
with all that we're hearing and so we're those who are feeding
upon the Word of God we look to the Lord to strengthen us
and to enable us and so finally this morning to say something
with this gospel doing that's spoken of as we have it at the
end of the text the doer of the work it says
this man shall be blessed in his deed, blessed in his doing
Now, let us be clear on this, that
nothing at all is earned by any of our doings. All our diligently
seeking, where there is that real exercise of soul and that
earnest calling upon God and crying to God, where there are
those good deeds, that desire to walk in the path of obedience,
Nothing at all that we do, in any sense, puts God into our
debt. We are to be clear on that. By
grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. Remember,
it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created
in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained.
that we should walk in them nothing of our doing earns anything
and so looking at the text how important it is to examine it
carefully and closely it says here who so 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 deeds." Now observe the preposition. How important are the little
words, so often. And what do we read here? This
man is not blessed for his deeds, he's not blessed for what he
is doing. No, the words, the preposition is
in. He is blessed in his deed. There's nothing of reward. There's
nothing of reward. But what is it that he is doing? Well, it says here he is looking
into the perfect law of liberty. And again, how important is the
preposition? he's looking into it what is he doing then? he's looking
into the gospel but more than that he is also continuing in
the gospel and he's not a forgetful hearer
of the gospel hasn't Jain spoken of that man who does forget he
hears the word of God he's not a doer he's the man beholding
his natural face in a mirror and then he goes his way and
forgets what manner of man he was no this man you see when
he hears the word of God and he looks into the word of God
and he continues in it he doesn't forget it now the Puritan Thomas
Manton, I suppose in many ways it's the best of all the commentaries
that one could ever read on the epistle of James and Thomas Manton
the Puritan remarks on this verse that there is an allusion to
those cherubim upon the Ark of the Covenant remember back in
Exodus chapter 25 where we read of the the furnishings that were to
be employed in the tabernacle. There's the Ark of the Covenant
and there upon the top of the Ark is the covering, the Mercy
Seat. And on each end of the Mercy Seat we read of the cherubims. And it's interesting what those
cherubims are doing. Their faces, it says, are towards
the Ark in in Exodus chapter 25 and verse
20 the cherubim shall stretch forth their wings on high covering
the mercy seat with their wings and their and their faces shall
look one to another toward the mercy seat shall the faces of
the cherubim burn and Manton says here there's an There's
an allusion to that. What are those figures of the
cherubims doing there? They're looking to the Mercy
Seat. They're looking into the Mercy Seat. Now what is in the
Mercy Seat? Or what is under the Mercy Seat?
The Ark of the Covenant. In that chest is the Ten Commandments,
the Tables of the Law. And it was there, of course,
on the Great Day of Atonement that the High Priest was to sprinkle
the blood. The only day of the year when
he could enter into the Holy of Holies where that Ark of the
Covenant with the Mercy Seat was housed was on that one particular
day and he must go with blood and he must sprinkle the blood
before the Mercy Seat upon the Mercy Seat. And here are these
figures of these cherubims, these angels and they're looking. And
all of this, of course, is highly symbolic. It's all prefiguring
the Lord Jesus Christ as He makes the great sin-eternal sacrifice,
as He satisfies all the demands of that holy law of God. As that
holy, just and righteous One pays the terrible price that
was demanded by the law, the soul that sinneth it shall die. and it was Christ who fulfilled
it. Now, Peter, when we turn to his first epistle there in
the opening chapter, he takes up the same thought. He speaks
at verse 10 of that salvation that the prophets inquired and
searched so diligently after those Old Testament prophets
of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently,
who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you, searching
what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in
them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of
Christ and the glory that should follow, unto whom it was revealed
that not unto themselves, But unto us they did minister the
things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached
the gospel unto you, with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven,
which things the angels desire to look into." Peter is thinking
also of those cherubims, one each end of the ark, looking
with their faces towards the earth, which things the angels
desire to look into. How the angels desire to look
into these things, the great work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Oh, this is what we are to desire to look into. Who so looketh
into the perfect Lord of liberty and continuous therein? It's
the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, are we those who
so love these things? We love this. We love to hear
of Christ, we love to hear of his person, we love to hear of
his work. We see him as that one who is
the fulfillment of all those Old Testament types and figures.
There we have the shadow, we have the substance in Christ,
the reality in Christ. Are we those who love these things
and we want to look into these things? and our looking into
these things it will involve not just an exercise of our minds
we don't just want a good understanding we want to have a real experience
of these things we want to know these things for our souls good
or we want to be those who are living these things this is what
James is saying you see if we are not forgetful hearers or
we must be those who are doers of the work And that man, says
James, is blessed in his doing. All that we might know then today,
something of these great blessings of the Gospel. To be those who
understand what is that perfect Law of Liberty. The perfections
that we find in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. All those
exceeding great and precious promises. They're all yea and
amen in the Lord Jesus Christ. But all the perfection also of
those holy precepts that the Lord has given us, that we might
be those who would live and live our lives to the glory of our
Lord Jesus Christ. 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 doing. If any man among you seem to
be religious, and brightneth not his tongue, but deceiveth
his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled
before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless
and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted
from the world. Oh, the Lord bless to us His
Word.