The Law of Liberty

UV 1350/10,000 The Law of Liberty

So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
James 2 v 12
We should think, speak and act as people who are under the law of liberty or the Word of God. Knowledge is power while wisdom is liberty. It is said that the management of the invisibles and intangibles in our lives is the most challenging aspect of life. The Word imparts skills in managing our invisibles. The application of the knowledge of the Word to every thought, word and deed gives us wisdom and liberty from the law of sin, death and punishment. We are not judged according to human law that punishes the negative words and acts of human beings but has little to do with rewards for the positive words and actions. Human laws are about what we should not do. It tells us what we are not to do and not about what we ought to do. It is framed and worded negatively. It only prescribes the minimum standards to obtain order and a modus vivendi. It induces fear and a reluctant obedience out of the fear of penalties we might suffer. But God’s law liberates us from sin, death and punishment. We are now under the jurisdiction of the grace of God. It is a higher law. We are set free from the fear of the future, the fear of the unknown. We are set free thereby from the chains of guilt, worry or anxiety. We are set free from the prisons of the self.

Our yardstick for measuring or judging ourselves and others is not the relative standards of man but the absolute standards of God. We are freed from the fear of punishment and instead given the hope of eternal life and eternal rewards. God’s law sentences us to a life of blessing, peace and love. God’s law is a deep work. It does not just deal with conformity to law at a superficial level. We attempt to take every thought and emotion captive to the Word or in other words every thought, word and action is ruled by the Word. Such captivity to the perfect law is freedom or liberty. There is an expression, “to err on the side of caution.” Likewise, we err on the side of goodness, generousity, faithfulness, courage and truthfulness. We cannot be judged by anything on earth but we can judge everything in the sense whether it is in conformity with God’s Word and will. In spiritual terms we can rule over the nations but no one will be able to rule over us or judge us.

Our faith justifies us or sets us right with God , the Word sanctifies us and our works glorify God. Instead of thinking in what way are we benefitted monetarily or materially in everything we do, we begin to think about what is true, what is noble, what is just, what is honest, pure, lovely, praiseworthy, honourable and virtuous. We are set free from what is small, lowly and mean. Instead of thinking, speaking and acting to try to bring credit , praise and glory to ourselves, we focus on bringing glory to God in all that we speak and do. We are set free from the tendency to fatten our own egos or to work for our own self gratification and aggrandisement. Instead of judging our success or failure in worldly terms, we begin to see the ups and downs in our lives from a godly perspective.

Prateep V Philip