The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in James 1:25,
"The man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does."
The law was given to Israel through Moses three and a half millenia ago. It's purpose was to reveal to the Israelites, and through them to the whole world, that man has a fatal problem: sin. From the beginning God has made clear that sinfulness brings the judgment of eternal death. Paul says, "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23. We deceive ourselves all to easily and so to help us recognize our sinful condition, God provided the law, "The law was put in charge to lead us to Christ..." Galatians 3:24. Its purpose, therefore was to show us our need of the Savior.
The Mosaic law, which the New Testament calls the "Old Covenant" prepares us for the gospel message. We might say God's message is, "First the bad news: you are sinful and facing eternal death. Now the good news: embrace my Son in faith and receive eternal life." The writer of Hebrews tells us that God instituted a new covenant, "For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said: 'The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.'" Hebrews 8:8 He goes on to say, "For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant." Hebrews 9:15.
Paul explains that those who have identified themselves with Jesus Christ have, figuratively, died with him and are released from the law. Indeed, when it comes to serving God, he says, "But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code." Romans 7:6.
However, we are told by James to live by the "royal law", "If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing right." James 2:8. John says, "Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining." 1 John 2:7-8.
This, we are told by James is law that brings freedom! We are now no longer condemned by the law that brought death, but now through the gospel we have freedom. Freedom from God's condemnation, free to serve him in a manner that is pleasing to him! We are now free from having to serve that sinful nature and live lives that are pleasing to him.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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