Well let us turn to God's words
in the portion that we've read and I want to draw your attention
for a little while to the words that we find here in James chapter
1 and verse 25. James chapter 1 and verse 25,
We do 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 deed. I want us to consider
then in particular what is spoken of at the beginning of the verse,
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." Well, we consider what the perfect law of liberty
is, but first of all let me say what it is not. I'm sure those of you who have
consulted Dr. Gill's commentary will find time
and again that his pattern when he comes to expand a verse is
to declare what it is not saying and then he comes to what it
is saying. So first of all I want to say
what this perfect law of liberty is not, and it is not to be confused
here with the law, with the ceremonial law of God, those Levitical sacrifices
and the various ceremonies that we read of associated with the
tabernacle and with the temple. Remember how in all those ceremonies
and sacrifices we have the gospel set before the children of Israel
in types and in shadows, but there was much that was imperfect
with regards to those ceremonial laws. The words that we have
in Hebrews chapter 7 and verses 17 to 19 make that quite clear. There we see that the Lord of
the Aaronic priesthood could make nothing at all perfect,
as Paul writes. Hebrews 7 and verse 17 He's speaking of Christ, the
priest, forever after the order of Melchizedek. And he goes on
at verse 18 to say, For 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 goes on in chapter 9 to say again that the tabernacle service
is all that was associated with those Levitical ceremonies. that this, again, could not make
perfect. In chapter 9 of Hebrews, in verses
8 and 9, we read, 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 conscience." And yet, here we read of a law that is
perfect. Clearly then, James is in no
way contradicting the things that the Apostle Paul has said
there. In Hebrews, there is no contradiction
in the Word of God, no contradiction between these apostles. He is
not speaking then of those ceremonial laws, nor is he speaking here
of the moral law. which is set before us in the
Ten Commandments. What he speaks of here is not
only that it is perfect, but it is spoken of also as the law
of liberty, the perfect law of liberty. But we read of Mount
Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, in Galatians chapter 4 and verse
24. When he speaks then of Sinai,
of course he is referring there in Galatians, Paul, to that law
that was promulgated from the mount. And it genders, he says,
to bondage. It doesn't minister any liberty. In fact, he tells the Corinthians
in 2 Corinthians 3.9 that it is the ministration of condemnation. There's not liberty. for sinners
in that law. It condemns sinners, 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 shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for by the law
is the knowledge of sin. Here then, we are not to imagine
that the reference is in any sense to that moral law set forth
in those commandments. James goes on to say in chapter
2 and verse 10 that, "...whosoever shall keep the whole law, and
yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all If a man just transgresses
one commandment and but once in his whole life, yet he is
condemned, because what is required of God, of course, is a complete
obedience to all of the commandments. And that law is also spoken of,
is it not, as a spiritual law. Paul, writing in Romans 7 and
verse 14, says, Behold, we know that the law is spiritual. what Paul says in the New Testament,
we see the same in David in the Old Testament, writing there
in Psalm 51, he says, Behold thou desirous truth in the inward
parts. The law doesn't just have to
do with the externals of a man's life, the way in which he conducts
himself, It has to do not simply with his deeds but the very attitude
of his heart and we see how the Lord Jesus himself in the course
of his ministry and his preaching brings out that spiritual nature
of the law of God. Remember how in the Sermon on
the Mount we see him in chapter 5 of Matthew expounding the 6th
and the 7th Commandments and he says there that to be angry
angry with one's brother without any just cause is to murder the
man. To be lustful, to look wantonly
at a woman is to commit adultery in the heart. All the law does
then is to condemn us as sinners. All it does is to engender bondage
It shuts the mouth of the sinner. He's brought in guilt. There's
no liberty in the law. But here we read of that perfect
law of liberty. Well, we've said what it is,
it's not. It is not to be confused with
the ceremonial laws. Neither is it to be identified
with the moral law. But what it is, is really a reference
to the gospel. because it's the perfect law
of liberty. And we're told in the gospel,
are we not, if the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall
be free indeed. It is the Lord Jesus Christ who
comes to minister liberty and freedom to those who are indebted
to the holy law of God. Now look at the context here
in verse 21. There at the end of that verse,
James speaks of how we are to receive with meekness, receiving
all humility, the engrafted word which is able to save your souls. And the Margin might well say
in your Bible that engrafted literally means implanted. receive
with meekness the implanted word which is able to save the soul."
And what is that implanted word? Well, it is that that is promised
in the New Covenant. It is that gracious work of the
Holy Spirit in the heart of a man, writing upon a man's heart all
the law of God, as we see from what Paul says back in Hebrews
chapter 8. He is quoting here words that
we find in Jeremiah. In Jeremiah 31 and verses 33
and 34 we have the promise of the new covenant and this is
what the Apostle Paul is referring to when he writes to the Hebrews
in chapter 8 at verse 10. He says, for this is the covenant
that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith
the Lord, I will put my law into their minds, 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." And then the Apostle
adds in that he set a new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now
that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away."
Here is the New Covenant, equivalent to the Gospel, and the promise
of God is that He will put His laws into the minds of His children
and write those laws upon their hearts. It's exactly the same,
really, as what James is saying here in verse 21, the engrafted
word, the implanted word. that word that is applied and
written in the heart by God, the Holy Ghost. Where the Spirit
of the Lord is, there is liberty. And so we have here the perfect
law of liberty. It is the Gospel. And interestingly,
Even in the Old Testament, in the book of Isaiah the prophet,
the gospel is spoken of as law. If you turn to Isaiah there in
the second chapter, at the end of verse 3, he says,
Out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord
from Jerusalem. It's the law going forth, not
from Sinai. No, says Isaiah, out of Zion. Zion clearly associated with
the gospel as we see in Hebrews chapter 10. We've not come to
Mount Sinai, we've come to Mount Zion. And out of Zion shall go
forth the law. And then again, it's quite clear
from what the prophet says later in the 42nd chapter. a chapter that is clearly speaking
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Behold my servant, whom I uphold,
mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth. I have put my spirit upon him.
He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not
cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
A bruised reed shall he not break, And the smoking flag shall he
not quench, he shall bring forth judgment unto truth." Now those
words are taken up in the Gospel and applied to Christ. And then
he continues, verse 4, "...he shall not fail nor be discouraged
till he hath set judgment in the earth, and the isles shall
wait for his law." the isle shall wait for his law." That is the
law of the Lord Jesus Christ. And what is that law of the Lord
Jesus Christ? It is what we have here in our
text tonight. It's the perfect law of liberty. We can then, from comparing Scripture
with Scripture, and that's the safest principle of interpretation,
letting God's Word interpret itself, we can establish quite
clearly what is not being spoken of. It's not the ceremonial law
that could make nothing perfect. It's not the moral law, because
the moral law only genders to bondage. It is the perfect law
of liberty and it is clearly therefore to be identified with
the gospel. But then, We might be inclined
to ask this question, why call the gospel law? Is that not confusing matters
if we call the gospel by that name? The law is spoken of clearly
so many times in Scripture as that ministration of condemnation,
that ministration of death. We read such words, for example,
in 2 Corinthians chapter 3, the letter killeth That's the ministration
of the Lord. He condemns the sinner. It stops
the sinner's mouth. He cannot plead anything in the
way of extenuating circumstances. He stands guilty. He is condemned. To him, then, it is the ministration
of death. And in that third chapter of
2 Corinthians, Paul goes on to draw a contrast. He speaks of
the gospel there as the ministration of righteousness and the ministration
of life. The law brings condemnation,
says Paul, the gospel brings righteousness. And that righteousness,
of course, is associated with justification. Instead of being
condemned, Under the gospel, the sinner finds justification. And again there, he says in that
third chapter of 2 Corinthians, that the law ministers death,
but the gospel ministers life. It is then, we might say, rather
confusing, is it not, to refer to the gospel as law. Aren't these words really, in
a sense, exclusive one of the other. Romans 11 verse 6 concerning
salvation, if by grace then is it no more of works, otherwise
grace is no more grace, if it be of works then is it no more
of grace, otherwise work is no more work. In fact, remember
what Paul says in the 10th chapter of Romans how that Christ himself
is the end of the law. The end of the law for righteousness
to everyone that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness
which is of the law, that the man which doeth those things
shall live by them. Oh, the law is that that speaks
of doing. And the Lord Jesus Christ is
the end of the law. Is it not confusing then if we
assert, and assert it on the authority of scripture, that
the perfect law of liberty here is to be understood in terms
of the gospel? Well, I want to say this, that
these words that we have in the text, the word law, and the word
deed, or doer, or doing. These words are used quite deliberately,
of course, by James. He is writing here, is he not?
under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It's not simply
the word of James. I know there are those who have
disputed the position of James even in the canon of Scripture.
It was Luther himself who found James' epistle such an offense. He wanted to remove it from the
canon. But we believe that this epistle
rightly stands before us here in the scriptures of truth. And
James, like all the others of the apostles, is writing under
the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. And so he quite deliberately
uses these terminologies, these words, "...whosoever looketh
into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being
not of a getful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be
blessed in his deeds." Now what is James saying here? Well, he is saying that with
the gospel it must be more than hearing the gospel. We know that
faith cometh by hearing, but we're not only to be those who
are hearers of the gospel, there must be the doing, the doing
of these things. The word that we have at the
end, you see, the man blessed in his deed, you'll see in the
margin, that it's the word doing. He's a doer of the work and this
man is blessed in his doing. And this is the context, is it
not? Verse 22, 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. Clearly there is an emphasis
It's not enough to be hearers. We are to be doers. But what is the doing? What is
the doing? Well, firstly, there is a certain
activity, is there not, in the soul of those who are true believers. There is that that we often refer
to as exercise of soul in those to whom the gospel is coming.
We're told quite clearly that the work of faith in the heart
of the sinner is altogether the work of God, the gift of God.
We're familiar with such scriptures as Ephesians 2 and verse 8, by
grace, i.e. say, through faith, and that
not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." Colossians chapter
2 and verse 12, where Paul speaks of that faith that is of the
operation of God, it's faith of God's working. Hebrews chapter
12 and verse 2, where he speaks of the necessity of us looking
onto Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith. This is the emphasis that is
made time and again that faith is God's gift, it's God's work.
Now there is a danger of course, a great danger of passivity in
those who are hearing such a message. If it's God's work, if it's God's
gift, what do I do? I do nothing, I just am altogether
inactive, I become passive, I just wait in that sense. Well that's not What the Gospel
speaks of is it not. The Lord Jesus says, "...the
kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force."
Oh, there is a blessed activity in the soul of those that God
is dealing with under the Gospel. Again, the Lord said, "...strive
to enter in at the straight gate." There is to be a striving, there
is to be a seeking, there is to be all this holy activity
in the soul of the sinner. He's not passive. There is that
that is working within the man. His soul is exercised where there
is that work of the Spirit of God in salvation. Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord. For as much as you know
that your labor is not in vain in the Lord, even that labor
of soul is not in vain. There is to be exercise in the
soul then. There's that doing, but also
there must of course be obedience in the life. And that's clearly
what he's spoken of here. "...whosoever 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." And remember what he goes on to say. In chapter
2 at verse 17, 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. And that doesn't contradict Paul,
because when Paul writes in Galatians chapter 5 and verse 6, Does he
not speak there of faith that worketh by love? Faith that worketh by love. It's
the same really as what James is saying here in chapter 2 and
verses 17 and 18. And what is he saying then when
we come back to our text? He's speaking of the perfect
Lord of liberty. and how they are to continue
in it, they're not to forget what they're hearing, they're
to be doers of it, doers of the work. Is he not speaking here
of the gospel as the believer's rule
of conduct? That's what he is saying in effect.
The believer's rule whereby his life is to be governed is all
that he hears in the gospel. And the gospel doesn't just contain
promise, the gospel also contains precepts. Now, I'm sure you're
aware that this is amongst the articles
of faith that we subscribe to as a church. The Gospel Standard
Article, number 16, we believe that the believer's rule of conduct
is the gospel. and not the law commonly called
the moral law issued on Mount Sinai which has no glory in it
by reason of the glory that excelleth, that is to say, the gospel. The gospel containing the sum
and substance and glory of all the laws which God ever promulgated
from his throne, and the Jews because of the hardness of their
hearts being permitted some things which the gospel forbids." Therefore,
the gospel is a higher rule of conduct, he is saying, than is
the case with the law of God. Look at what he says at the end
of Galatians. You know, Galatians is dealing
with those who would bring these believers onto the gospel. And Paul deals with these legalists,
these Judaizers, in no uncertain terms. And when he comes to the
end of the epistle, Galatians, in Galatians chapter 6, Verse
15, he says, For 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. What is this rule that he is
speaking of? It's the Gospel. that he is sought
throughout that epistle to defend. How does he begin the epistle?
Paul, an apostle, he says, not of men, neither by man but by
Jesus Christ, and God the Father who raised him from the dead,
and all the brethren which are with me unto the churches of
Galatia. And then, having given the customary
words of greetings, he says, I marvel that ye are so soon
removed from him that calleth you into the grace of Christ
unto another gospel, which is not another, but there be some
that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ." The role
that he is speaking of at the end is that gospel that he is
seeking to defend from the very commencement of his epistle. And what are these gospel precepts. We've not time, of course, to
consider all of the precepts, but look at the way in which
the gospel precept is set before us. For example, in Ephesians
chapter 4. Ephesians chapter 4 is really
the commencement of that part of the epistle where Paul is
dealing with the practical at working of the doctrine. The
first three chapters of Ephesians are principally doctrinal. And
then the last three chapters are primarily practical. And so, how does chapter 4 begin?
I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that you walk
worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. He has spoken
of gospel doctrine in the previous chapters, and now they've experienced
the sovereign grace of God in being called, that effectual
call, and now he's going to tell them how they should live their
lives. And we observe the significance then of that word, therefore. I therefore, in view of all that
has been said, this is how you are to conduct yourselves, this
is how you are to live your lives." Now look at what he says here
at the end of chapter 4, 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." These are very practical exhortations.
And here is the motive, "...even as God for Christ's sake hath
forgiven you." Oh, He enforces these precepts, on the basis
of what Christ has done. They are to be Christ-like. Be
ye therefore followers of God as dear children, he says in
chapter 5, and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and
hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God
for us, wheat-smelling savour. He speaks of all that Christ
has done. He is the motivation and then he goes on with exhortation,
fornication, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not be
once named among you as becometh saints, neither filthiness, nor
foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient, but
rather giving of thanks." Here are gospel precepts, and they're
enforced on the basis of the great work that the Lord Jesus
Christ has done. All believers, you see, are not
under law. Believers are under grace, and
that grace of God is to be the great motivation to walk in obedience
to God's commands, to live holy lives. Romans chapter 6 and verse
14, Sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under
the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because
we are not under the law but under grace? God forbid! God
forbid! Hear them poorly speaking of
the gospel and the effect that that gospel should have upon
those who are true believers they will live holy lives lives
that express their gratitude, their thanksgiving to God 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 deed." Or as the margin says, blessed
in his doing. He's blessed in his doing. Now,
what is this doing? What is this doing that he is
speaking of at the end of the verse? Well, let us mark this,
that nothing is earned from God by anything that we do. We are
to seek, we are to be diligent in seeking Him, but we're not
to imagine that we find because of our diligent seeking, we find
because God is pleased to come and reveal Himself. We're not
to think that because we are those who desire to live holy
lives, to do good deeds, to practice the precepts of the gospel. We're
not to think that by living such a life we in any sense put God
into our debt. We do not. We only do the thing
that is required of us. There is to be a cessation from
all our own works. We often sing those words of
the hymn, cease from your own works, bad and good. and wash
your garments in my blood." We remember then that our salvation
is all together by grace. By grace are you saved through
faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of
works, lest any man should boast, for we are His workmanship, created
in Christ Jesus onto good works with that new creature, created
on unto good works. Now look at the language that's
used here in our text and it is important of course that we
take account of the words and what does it say? Here in verse
25 the preposition is not for, doesn't say this man shall be
blessed for his deed It says, this man shall be blessed in
his deed, or in his doing. There's a vast difference. There's
a vast difference between those two words, those little words,
those prepositions. Not the man being blessed for
what he is doing, but he's blessed in the doing. He's blessed in
the doing. And what is the doing? Well, look at the verse. It's
looking into the perfect law of liberty and it's continuing
therein. Whoso looketh into the perfect
law of liberty and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful
hearer. Well, what is it to be looking
into the Gospel, because we've said
that the perfect Lord of Liberty is the Gospel. This man is continually
looking into the Gospel. This man is continuing in the
Gospel. Now, in his commentary, probably
the best commentary of all on the Epistle of James, the commentary
by the Puritan Thomas Manton, he says here, in comment, that
there is a plain allusion to the cherubim. with their faces
toward the Ark, as they're looking into the Ark. Remember, that's what we are
told back in the book of Exodus in Exodus chapter 25 and verse
20 as Moses is receiving instruction concerning the furnishings of
the tabernacle he speaks of the the cherubims it says shall stretch
forth their wings on high covering the mercy seat with their wings
and their faces shall they look covering the mercy seat with
their wings, and their faces shall look one to another. Toward
the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims burn." And the
Curitan reckons that here there's an allusion to that. We have
it again in 1 Peter 1.12, which things the angels desire to look
into. That's the gospel. Again, Paul
to the Ephesians, in Ephesians 3 and verse 10, "...to the intent
that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places
might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God."
How the principalities and powers, the angels, are looking into
these things. Looking into what? That great work that God does
in conversion, in salvation. in bringing sinners out of darkness
and out of bondage into the light and into the liberty of the gospel. Well, these are the things that
we're to continue in. We're to continue looking into
the gospel. And why do we continue to look
into the gospel? Because we love the gospel. And
if we love the gospel, we'll not only look into it, but we'll
be those who are desirous to live it, We'll seek that our
lives might conform more and more unto the image of Him who
is the Savior. Let this mind be in you, which
was also in Christ Jesus, says the apostle to the Philippians.
This is the believer's high and holy calling, is it not? He is
to be one who is a follower of the Lord Jesus, embracing not
only the gospel promise, but seeking to live his life in accordance
with the gospel precept. 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." Well, the Lord blessed to us His Word. Now we go to