What is the Law of Liberty?

There are several types of law in the Bible, and if you don’t know which is which, you could get confused. Or worse. Follow the wrong sort of law and you could fall from grace and cut yourself off from Christ.

The laws in scripture

There’s the Law of Moses and the Law of Christ.

There’s the law written on our hearts and the royal law.

There is the law of sin and the law of the Spirit of life; the law of righteousness and the law of faith. But the law we’re interested in, is this one:

But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:25)

The law of liberty is not a better or improved version of the Law of Moses. It is not a shinier version of the Ten Commandments. That old law binds people, but the law of liberty sets us free.

The law of liberty is not the scriptures, the gospel, or the teachings of Christ – although those things certainly point to the law of liberty.

Nor is it the royal law that James also mentions.

What is the perfect law of liberty?

The law of liberty is the flawless and perfecting rule of Jesus Christ in our lives.

When James calls it the perfect law, the word he uses (teleios) means complete. In contrast with the neverending demands of the old covenant law, the Spirit of Christ completes us and makes us whole. “In him you have been made complete” (Col. 2:10).

The law of liberty is another name for what James calls “the word of truth” (Jas. 1:18) or “the implanted word that can save you” (Jas. 1:21). It is the Lord Jesus, the Living Word of God who saves us and sets us free.

The law of liberty describes what Jesus has done (perfectly fulfilled or completed the law) and the fruit he will bear in our lives (perfect liberty) when we yield to him.

A new law for a new covenant

Under the old covenant, people looked into the mirror of the law and saw their faults. But in the new covenant, we look to Jesus and see his glory.

The old law demanded perfection but the law of liberty is perfect on your behalf. The Law of Moses bound people with heavy demands, but the law of liberty sets us free (2 Cor. 3:17, Gal. 5:1).

What do we do with the law of liberty?

So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. (James 2:12)

Every one of us will be judged by our response to Jesus (2 Cor. 5:10). Did we trust him? Did we yield to him? Did we rest in him?

James says we are blessed when we abide by the perfect law of liberty. Under the old covenant, to abide by the law meant keeping all the rules. But in the new covenant, to abide is to rest or dwell in Christ.

It’s living with the complete dependence that a branch has for a vine and realizing that apart from him we can do nothing.

Put your trust in the Law of Moses and you’ll be cursed because the law written on stone ministers condemnation and death (Gal. 3:10). But look into the law of liberty and you’ll be blessed to discover that all your sins have been forgiven and all demands against you have been fully satisfied in Christ (Rom. 4:7–8).

How do we abide in the perfect law of liberty?

We abide by keeping our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus and trusting his indwelling Spirit to guide us. We choose to rest instead of worry knowing that our heavenly Father cares for us and is well able to bring his purposes to pass in our lives.

Thank God for the law of liberty that blesses us with salvation and freedom.

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Grace Glossary word of the week: Abiding

Update: For the past few years I have been writing a grace-based commentary on the Parables of Jesus. If all goes to plan, the book will come out towards the end of 2024. Draft chapters are available now on Patreon and E2R’s Supporters’ page.