What is the perfect law that sets you free mentioned in James 2:12?
We have the perfect law of liberty mentioned in 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.” We also read of it in James 2:12, “So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the LAW OF LIBERTY.”
The one who “looketh into” the perfect law of liberty is the one who truly desires to know about the Lord and to know Him personally. He makes the effort to understand what is being said. He wants to know what the “perfect law of liberty” is and how it applies to him. To ‘look into’ means to bend down and intently look, to gaze, to peer into, with the idea of eagerness and concentration. It signifies to fix one’s eyes upon, examine with accuracy, and search all things completely.
Without a doubt, the “perfect law” is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This perfect law is that which offers true liberty to those who accept it. It is ONLY the Gospel of Jesus Christ that can save us and set us free. The Lord Jesus, Himself said in John 8:36, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” David said in Psalm 19:7, “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul…” Here, David is just not speaking of Moses’ Law, but he is speaking of the whole truth of who God is as revealed to us through His Word. Moses’ law could not save sinful people. It was never intended to save. Hebrews 10:1 tells us, “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.” We read also in verse 8, “Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law.” It is only faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that can make us “free indeed.”
It took this “perfect law of liberty” to save us. Also, after redeeming us, this law of liberty enables us to continue in the Lord’s things and to be able to do God’s will and work. We read in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” When we have been set free by faith in the Lord Jesus, we are free to serve Him with our entire lives. Indeed, we have been “created in Christ Jesus UNTO GOOD WORKS.”
James 2:12 speaks of being judged by the LAW OF LIBERTY. The law of liberty, through God’s mercy, frees us from the curse of the law, allowing us to be free to love and obey God from the heart. If we will not in turn practice the law of love to our neighbor, then the law of liberty condemns us. The lack of love for others and the lack of desire to minister to others is a manifestation of the reality of our profession of faith. If there is no evidence of the love of God in our lives, then our salvation is suspect. James goes on to say in James 2:18, “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” True faith in the Lord Jesus will be manifested by the works we do to honor and serve the Lord. (456.6)