Perfect Liberty

 

Unveiling Freedom and Dominion in Christ's Finished Work

"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." (James 1:25, KJV). This profound declaration from the Apostle James introduces a concept that, at first glance, might seem paradoxical: one "perfect law" that brings "liberty." How can the very idea of 'law,' which often conjures images of restriction, rules, and bondage, be synonymous with 'perfect' and 'liberty'?

The answer, deeply rooted in the majestic truth of Christ's finished work, is a cornerstone of the boundless, super-abundant grace—what some aptly term "Hyper-Grace"—that flows to every believer.

This perfect law is not a set of rigid external regulations from which we strive to earn favour. Instead, it is a present reality, perfectly fulfilled and now made accessible to us through the complete and sufficient work of Jesus Christ on the cross. It ushers us into a divine freedom that liberates us from the treadmill of performance and empowers genuine, Spirit-led, victorious living, enabling us to appropriate our dominion authority in Christ.

Addressing the "Troublesome" James: Context is King

For many who teach from a legalistic perspective, the words of James have historically posed a significant challenge. Some of the early 'church fathers' even debated the inclusion of James's epistle in the Biblical canon, precisely because its emphasis on "works" seemed to contradict Paul's clear teaching on salvation by grace through faith alone. This misunderstanding often stems from a corrupt translation of certain concepts or, more often, an isolation of scripture outside its proper context.

Let us look closely at a particular passage in James that often causes confusion, James 1:21-27 (KJV):

"Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But 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. 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. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth 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."

James is making a profound point here, entirely consistent with the finished work of Christ. The key to understanding this passage lies in recognizing the context of what James is truly saying.

The Engrafted Word: Jesus Incubated Within

The central concept in James 1:21 is the "engrafted word" (ἔμφυτος λόγος, emphutos logos). This isn't just any word; it is the en-grafted, the incubated Word. The word "incubate" here means to attend to something, to nurture it, to keep it warm and secure, bringing it to full hatching or manifestation.

Jesus is the Word. He is the logos made flesh (John 1:1, 14), the Word born from above. He is the Word that we are to en-craft (incubate) in every and any situation. He is the Word we should ponder, nurture, and allow to dwell richly within us all day long. This deep, continuous engagement with Jesus, the living Word, enables His truth to supersede our doubt and unbelief, causing life, goodness, and prosperity to spring forth from Him within us.

For instance, the Word (Jesus) declares truths about our identity:

• You are forever free.

• You are holy and blameless.

• You are sanctified and washed.

• You are healed and free of sickness.

• You are prosperous and blessed and rich.

It is His Word of truth that we should incubate, letting it become the dominant reality in our hearts and minds. Conversely, to "lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness" means to lay aside the corruption of this world—the lies and deceptions that tell us we are sinful, poor, sick, ugly, fat, hopeless, frail, despised, or unworthy. We must lay aside everything contrary to the Word, which is Jesus.

The Law Before Christ: A Schoolmaster to Deliverance

To truly appreciate the "perfect law of liberty," we must first understand the purpose and limitations of the Old Covenant law, often referred to as the Mosaic Law. This law, given through Moses, was undeniably perfect in its reflection of God's holy and righteous character. It set forth divine standards for human conduct and revealed God's unwavering moral purity.

However, its primary purpose was not to provide salvation or justification for humanity. As Romans 3:20 (KJV) states, "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." The law (νόμος, nomos) revealed sin; it acted as a telltale mirror, exposing our inherent inability to perfectly keep God's commands. It condemned because no human could perfectly adhere to its demands. Galatians 3:24 (KJV) beautifully summarises its function: "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." It revealed our desperate need for a Saviour, acting as a custodian until Christ came. It could demand, but it could not deliver. It could highlight our bondage, but it could not provide liberty.

Christ: The Consummation of the Law

The advent and finished work of Jesus Christ marked a monumental shift in humanity's relationship with the law. Jesus Himself declared in Matthew 5:17 (KJV), "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." Christ did not abolish the law in the sense of negating its divine truth or moral authority. Instead, He perfectly satisfied every single one of its demands, living a sinless life, fulfilling all its righteous requirements.

His ultimate act of fulfilling the law occurred on the cross. There, He not only took upon Himself the penalty for our transgressions and sins (missing the mark and being formless), but also redeemed us from the law's curse. Galatians 3:13 (KJV) powerfully declares, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." By becoming our substitute, He bore the condemnation the law demanded for sin. Thus, Romans 10:4 (KJV) triumphantly states, "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." The word "end" here is τέλος (telos, see previous post), meaning not merely termination, but 'purpose,' 'goal,' or 'consummation.' Christ is the consummation and fulfilment of the law, rendering it no longer necessary as a means to achieve righteousness or to stand before God. We are no longer under the letter that kills, but under the Spirit that gives life (2 Corinthians 3:6). This completed work is the very foundation of the "perfect law of liberty."

The Perfect Law of Liberty: A Person, Jesus!

This brings us back to 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." And also James 2:12: "So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty."

The profound truth is this: The PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY (PLL) (see my post on PLL here) is not a set of rules; it is a Person – Jesus Himself! He is Mr. Freedom. There is only one law that brings complete liberty, and His Name is Jesus!

• "Perfect" (τέλειος, teleios): This word signifies 'complete,' 'mature,' 'brought to its end,' or 'fully accomplished.' This law is perfect because it is fully accomplished in Christ. It does not require our imperfect works to supplement it. It is whole, lacking nothing, and perfectly effective in bringing salvation and transformation. It is the the word uttered by Jesus on the cross. It is the finished work of Jesus perfectly applied to us.

• "Law" (νόμος, nomos): In this context, nomos does not refer to the Mosaic Law. Instead, it refers to a governing principle or power. It is the "law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2, KJV: "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."), or more accurately, the "law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:2, KJV: "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."). This is an internal law, written not on tablets of stone, but on the hearts of believers by the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 8:10). It is the very life and nature of Christ operating within us, guiding us, empowering us.

• "Liberty" (ἐλευθερία, eleutheria): This is the glorious outcome of this Perfect Law. It signifies true freedom! It is freedom from the dominion of sin (Romans 6:14), freedom from the condemnation of the law (Romans 8:1), freedom from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13), and freedom from the exhausting treadmill of human effort and performance for acceptance. But it is not just freedom from; it is freedom to. Freedom to love God and others genuinely, to serve Him out of gratitude, to follow His promptings through Spirit-empowerment, and to walk in the dominion He has given us. This liberty is entirely secured by Christ's finished work, a gift of His boundless grace.

The Perfect Law of Liberty is not the Mosaic Law plus any other prerequisite, rule, or regulation. It (He) is perfect onto Itself. It is perfect in the most complete sense... IT IS JESUS!

"Doers of the Word": Poets of Jesus

James also tells us, "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." (James 1:22). The word for "doers" here is ποιητής (poiētēs), which can be translated as 'doers' or even 'poets.' This is a profound insight. As we incubate the Word (Jesus) within us, we are now to proceed as "poets of the Word," not poets of the law and commandments. This means we should appropriate and apply what the Word (Jesus) says about us and our circumstances. We are to manifest the truth of who we are in Christ so that we do not forget the kind of victorious person we have become in Jesus.

This is not a "work" in the sense of earning salvation; it is our persuasion—our firm conviction and faith—manifesting itself. It is the word of our testimony and intertwined with the Blood of the Lamb (Revelation 12:11, KJV). This active appropriation and declaration of Christ's finished work brings about the security and serenity of perfect freedom in Him. It is easy, it is complete, because it is finished!

Responsibility in Liberty: Bridling the Tongue from Religion

Our freedom in Christ comes with responsibility, not as a burden, but as a privilege born of our new nature. James continues, "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain." (James 1:26). For this reason, James says we bridle our tongues. We do not give way to the devil and his devices—his lies and deceptions that speak against us or against the finished work of Christ. Instead, agreeing with Jesus and the truth of His Word, we speak Life and Truth. This is a practical demonstration of our liberty and dominion.

James closes chapter 1 with a summary that is often perverted into a law by those who preach works-based religion: "Pure religion and undefiled before יהוה and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world" (James 1:27). 

Taken out of context, this last verse can seem problematic to the max, implying that our "doing good works" earns us favour.

However, in the context of the "Perfect Law of Liberty," we see James summarizing the practical outflow of incubating Jesus, the Word, and being a "poet" of His finished work:

• "To visit" (do, to poet) the fatherless: Those who do not know that they have a loving Father who gave His Son so that we may be the appropriators of the Perfect Law of Liberty.

• And the widows: Those who do not know that they have a loving Husband (Jesus) who is all-victorious and has done everything for them to be free.

• And "to keep himself unspotted from the world": To keep ourselves unspotted from the lies and deceptions of the world that speak against the finished Work of Christ and our identity in Him.

If we "do" this—if we live as poets of Jesus, speaking His truth and demonstrating His finished work—we are effectively bringing the Gospel of the Perfect Law of Liberty to a world that desperately needs it.

So, Rest in the One Word, Jesus

The "perfect law of liberty" is the joyful crescendo of the Gospel. It is the ultimate expression of love perfected in us, leading to complete boldness in our walk and our rightful place of dominion. It calls us to live from our true identity, fulfilled and perfected by Christ’s finished work. It is an invitation to shed the weight of self-condemnation and religious human effort, and instead, boldly walk in the righteousness, holiness, victory, belovedness, and dominion authority that is already ours in Him.

This is the essence of Hyper-Grace: not a watered-down Gospel, but the full, unadulterated, super-abundant, and transformative power of God’s favor, poured out through Jesus Christ, our only Sovereign (δεσπότης, despotēs - absolute master) and Lord (κύριος, kyrios - possessor and disposer of authority). 

As we embrace this truth, we live from this reality, and experience the boundless freedom and inherent dominion that comes from knowing who we truly are, as He is, in this world.

Isn't it wonderful that the whole of God's Word is beautifully scripted in context? 

And isn't it beautiful that the context of the Word is One and One only—Jesus Christ, the Perfect Law of Liberty!