Salvation And The Law...

Antinomianism

The Greek word is defined as anti(against) nomas (Law)

Who was the Law Given to And For what?

Scripture

Deut 4:1-14

What is The Royal Law..?

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume James 1:19–27

(v. 25): Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, etc. Observe here, [1.] The gospel is a law of liberty, or, as Mr. Baxter expresses it, of liberation, giving us deliverance from the Jewish law, and from sin and guilt, and wrath and death. The ceremonial law was a yoke of bondage; the gospel of Christ is a law of liberty. [2.] It is a perfect law; nothing can be added to it. [3.] In hearing the word, we look into this perfect law; we consult it for counsel and direction; we look into it, that we may thence take our measures. [4.] Then only do we look into the law of liberty as we should when we continue therein—”when we dwell in the study of it, till it turn to a spiritual life, engrafted and digested in us” (Baxter)—when we are not forgetful of it, but practice it as our work and business, set it always before our eyes, and make it the constant rule of our conversation and behaviour, and model the temper of our minds by it. [5.] Those who thus do, and continue in the law and word of God, are, and shall be, blessed in their deed; blessed in all their ways, according to the first psalm, to which, some think, James here alludes. He that meditates in the law of God, and walks according to it, the psalmist says, shall prosper in whatsoever he does. And he that is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work which God’s word sets him about, James says, shall be blessed.

What then is the nature of the word? In contrast to the hearer who is deceived, the doer is blessed. What is the nature of the word that makes it something which brings blessing? It is, literally, the perfect law of freedom. The phrase is unique to James in the New Testament, occurring only here and in 2:12. The primacy of freedom in the nature of the word is significant in two regards.

First, this is one of the phrases in James indicating that he is using the term law (nomos) with a connotation different from Paul’s in Galatians or Romans. Paul would write about the law as an avenue by which one might attempt to attain a standing of righteousness before the holy God. In this respect, law would have to be treated in contrast to faith. James, however, is speaking of moral law as the deeds of the righteous life that God desires. The teachings of Jesus would especially be the perfect law to which James refers.

Stulac, G. M. (1993). James (Jas 1:22–25). Westmont, IL: IVP Academic.

It will be noticed that the ‘word’ of verse 22 has become in verse 25 the perfect law … of liberty. The meaning of ‘law’ (nomos) in James is not easy to discern (see discussion in the section on ‘Law’ in the Introduction, pp. 49–52). To a Jew like James, nomos would normally mean the Mosaic law. This law was frequently called ‘perfect’ (cf. Ps. 19:7) and to it was sometimes ascribed the power to give true freedom (cf. Mishnah, Abot. 6:2). But the context makes us pause before accepting the identification of ‘law of liberty’ with the Old Testament law. Because of the flow of the text, the ‘perfect law’ of verse 25 must be the same as the ‘word’ of verse 22; and the ‘word’, in turn, is identified as ‘the word of truth’ that mediates spiritual birth (v. 18) and whose reception leads to salvation (v. 21). In light of this, it is necessary to associate ‘the perfect law of liberty’ closely with the gospel. The pervasive influence of the teaching of Jesus on James’ ethics suggests that this ‘law’ may particularly involve Jesus’ ethical demands. James wants to stress to his hearers that the ‘good news’ of salvation brings with it an unavoidable, searching demand for complete obedience. The use of the word ‘law’ to describe this commanding aspect of the Christian ‘word’ is entirely natural for someone in James’ position (and anticipates in some ways the ‘law/gospel’ distinction in later theology). This ‘law’ includes Old Testament commandments, as 2:8–11 makes clear, but James’ characterization of the law as perfect suggests that these commandments must be seen in the light of Jesus’ fulfilment of the Old Testament law (Matt. 5:17). And, while still a ‘law’, this summons to obedience is nevertheless ‘liberating’ because, in accordance with Jeremiah’s new covenant prophecy (31:31–34), it has been written on the heart (cf. ‘implanted’ in v. 21). With the searching, radical demand of the gospel comes the enabling grace of God. When Jesus called people to ‘come’ to him and to take his ‘yoke’ upon them, he promised that ‘my yoke is easy, and my burden is light’ (Matt. 11:28–30).

Moo, D. J. (1985). James: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 16, pp. 87–88). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.