July 26, 2025 - James 1:25 - "The Perfect Law of Liberty"

James 1:25

"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."

In this verse, James directs our hearts to the blessedness found in beholding Christ, Who is the perfect law of liberty. This “law” is not a burdensome code of works, but the glorious Gospel of the LORD Jesus Christ, and His perfect obedience to the law whereby God is just to justify each elect sinner for whom He paid the debt. He fulfilled the law for His people and has made them free indeed.

The believer who looks into this gospel mirror and continues therein does so, not by natural strength or merit, but by the grace and power of God working in him. He is not a forgetful hearer, because the Spirit of Christ has written the Truth upon his heart. And being made a doer of the work—not to earn life, but because life has been freely given, this man is blessed already in his deed, for he walks in the light and liberty of the finished work of Christ.

To those who persist in the way of works, either as a means of gaining or maintaining salvation (sanctification or justification) before God, there is enough in Scripture that the Holy Spirit has inspired to be a snare to such.  Romans 11:9- “And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:”

There are many who, every time they read about looking into the law, and observing it, automatically assume that it means that God requires a personal obedience to the law to gain or maintain His favor.  The truth is that if someone is to expect God to save them based on their obedience, then nothing less than PERFECT obedience will satisfy His law and justice.  He is HOLY, and therefore cannot require anything less than a righteousness equal to HIM.  Just how strict is God’s law? James 2:10- “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”  

Men in their depravity tend to rank ‘sins’ in a hierarchy of lesser to greater.  Among those ranked by men and women with a perverted judgment, they consider sins such as adultery, murder, and robbery to be among the greater, and perhaps anger, covetousness, and lying to be ‘lesser’ sins.  However, in the context of James 2:10, showing respect for persons, favoring certain people over others is declared to be just as guilty of God’s law. James 2:9 states plainly that if you so much as show prejudice, you are committing sin and are convicted by God’s law as violators. Colossians 3:5 lists covetousness as idolatry, which in all cases is punishable by death under the law.

There is no hope for any sinner in looking to the law for salvation, and that is certainly NOT where the Spirit of God is directing sinners to look, whom God the Father has chosen, and Christ has redeemed.  Paul speaks of the ministry of the law as one of condemnation (2 Corinthians 3:9).  The scripture calls it the law of sin and death that cannot save, (Romans 8:2), not because the law is faulty, but rather sinners are faulty and can in nowise produce the perfect obedience it requires not just in deed, but word and thought. Not just the letter of the law but the very spirit of it. Who then can be saved?

James 1:25 is the inspired word of God directing sinners to look into the PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY, and continuing therein.  What is this law? Galatians 5:1 declares, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”  Therefore, the law into which we look is that law whereby God the Father has once and forever, fully, freely, and finally JUSTIFIED those for whom the LORD Jesus died and satisfied the law of sin and death.  It is the PERFECT LAW, because it legally declares justified and perfect everyone to whom it was imputed at the cross.

Any who are caused to look into this law, the legal satisfaction of God’s law and justice by Christ are exhorted to continue in it, unmoved by legalists and moralists who would have sinners believe that something they do in addition to what Christ did is the way of grace.  Those who preach this mixed message of Christ plus, and together with those who follow them, both alike are deceived and condemned. 

The perfect law of liberty is nothing less than the law of the Faith, which is the objective body of truth revealed in the Gospel of God that declares righteous each one for whom Christ paid the debt, (Romans 3:27). It is perfect, as in Psalm 19:7, because it is a revelation of the perfect righteousness of God, in the obedience of Christ, and of perfect justification by it, and free and full pardon of sins through Him.

How glorious then is the liberty that is found only in Christ, Who is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth (Romans 10:3). The true believer, made willing in the day of God’s power, beholds Christ in the gospel as the perfect law of liberty—a law not written in tables of stone, but upon the heart by the Spirit of grace (2 Corinthians 3:3). He continues therein, not as a mere hearer, but as one whose life is hidden with Christ in God, and whose obedience flows from union with Him. This man is blessed indeed—not because of his deeds, but because he has been made a doer by grace, walking in the light of Christ’s accomplished redemption. His blessing is not a reward earned, but a gift received, for all his Righteousness is found in the doing and dying of the LORD Jesus Christ.