The Law of Liberty.

Text James 1:25 & Matthew 5:17-19

Sin(the problem)

So here is an age old question; what is sin? For the Budhist and Hinduist, it is a (Samsara –cycle of birth, pain and death), suffering and painfulness of life. For Ratafarians it’s hate, jealousy, envy, deceit, guile, treachery. For Islam sin is disobeying God. For Judahists disobedience to the law in the Torah. For the Christian sin is an evil human act, which violates the rational nature of man as well as God's nature and his eternal law. ... . For the secular mind sin is relative. For the Seventh-day Adventist Christian sin is the transgression of the law. whatever people say sin is, one thing for sure that sin is a very bad thing. what ever sin is it seems to be the reason we have all the evil that is happening in the world. this world has sicknesses and pandemics. this world has wars and rumurs of wars. This world has political upheavals and corruption among politicians. This world has famines, and disasters of all sorts: cylcones, sunamies, and storms of enormous strength. Economies are failing the rich keep on getting richer at the expense of the poor who keep on getting poorer. what ever sin is, it has ravaged our world. Well the Bible did say 1Jn 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. in other words anyone who rebels against the law is a transgressor and hence has committed sin. the bad thing about that is according to Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. I took note that 1 Jn 3:4 is not the only definition of sin in the Bible. according to Rom 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Pro 21:4 An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.

Pro 24:9 The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.

1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

My question is how come the Pharisees thought that Jesus was trying to do away with the. I mean if you do away with the law how will you know when you are breaking the law and I hear the Apostle Paul agreeing with me, when he said Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. Now women are beautiful but men we should burn with sexual desire for them if they are not our wives. And women you should not tempt us men. Man what a beautiful world it would be if man you would stick to your own wife and woman you would stick to your own husband. Don’t you dare think that Jesus came to abolish the law. Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

Psa 19:8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

Psa 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

Psa 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Justification(the solution)

Satan represents God’s law of love as a law of selfishness. He declares that it is impossible for us to obey its precepts. The fall of our first parents, with all the woe that has resulted, he charges upon the Creator, leading men to look upon God as the author of sin, and suffering, and death. Jesus was to unveil this deception. As one of us He was to give an example of obedience. For this He took upon Himself our nature, and passed through our experiences. “In all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren.” Hebrews 2:17. If we had to bear anything which Jesus did not endure, then upon this point Satan would represent the power of God as insufficient for us. Therefore Jesus was “in all points tempted like as we are.” Hebrews 4:15. He endured every trial to which we are subject. And He exercised in His own behalf no power that is not freely offered to us. As man, He met temptation, and overcame in the strength given Him from God. He says, “I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart.” Psalm 40:8. As He went about doing good, and healing all who were afflicted by Satan, He made plain to men the character of God’s law and the nature of His service. His life testifies that it is possible for us also to obey the law of God.

Ellen Gould White, The Desire of Ages, vol. 3, Conflict of the Ages Series (Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1898), 24.They missed the point completely. Jesus was not trying to break the law nor was He trying to defend it. Jesus was discribing what the Kingdom of God was like and who were the candidates for the Kingdom.

The Kingdom of God is central to the teachings of Christ.

“From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.’” Matt 4:17

His teachings showed men and women how they could enter the Kingdom of God (Matt. 5:20; 7:21).

His miracles were intended to prove that the Kingdom of God had come (Matt. 12:28) . His parables illustrated the truth about the Kingdom of God (Matt. 13:11).

When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, right in the middle of the Lord's Prayer were the words, "thy Kingdom come" (Matt. 6:10).

Just before He died, Jesus again assured His disciples that He would share with them the happiness and fellowship of the Kingdom (Luke 22:22-30). And He promised that He would come again to this earth to bring the blessedness of His kingdom to those for whom it had been prepared (Matt. 25:31, 34).

Sanctification(the transformation)

So what was Jesus really saying we have to take the law to who new level we can’t simply scratch the surface. If we are going to be a part of the kingdom of God we must begin to apply the principles of the law it’s not simply a list of do’s and don’ts-let us tune in to what God was saying.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 5

21 “aYou have heard that 1the ancients were told, ‘bYOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be 2liable to cthe court.’

22 “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be 1guilty before athe court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘2You good-for-nothing,’ shall be 1guilty before 3bthe supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be 1guilty enough to go into the 4cfiery hell.

23 “Therefore if you are apresenting your 1offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,

24 leave your 1offering there before the altar and go; first be areconciled to your brother, and then come and present your 1offering.

25 “aMake friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.

26 “Truly I say to you, ayou will not come out of there until you have paid up the last 1cent.

27 “aYou have heard that it was said, ‘bYOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY’;

28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman awith lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

29 “aIf your right eye makes you 1stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you 2to lose one of the parts of your body, 3than for your whole body to be thrown into 4bhell.

30 “aIf your right hand makes you 1stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you 2to lose one of the parts of your body, 3than for your whole body to go into 4bhell.

31 “It was said, ‘aWHOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY, LET HIM GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE’;

32 abut I say to you that everyone who 1divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a 2divorced woman commits adultery.

33 “Again, ayou have heard that 1the ancients were told, ‘2bYOU SHALL NOT 3MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR 4VOWS TO THE LORD.’

34 “But I say to you, amake no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is bthe throne of God,

35 or by the earth, for it is the afootstool of His feet, or 1by Jerusalem, for it is bTHE CITY OF THE GREAT KING.

36 “Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.

37 “But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is 1of aevil.

38 “aYou have heard that it was said, ‘bAN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.’

39 “But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but awhoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

40 “If anyone wants to sue you and take your 1shirt, let him have your 2coat also.

41 “Whoever 1forces you to go one mile, go with him two.

42 “aGive to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

43 “aYou have heard that it was said, ‘bYOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR cand hate your enemy.’

44 “But I say to you, alove your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

45 so that you may 1be asons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

46 “For aif you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

47 “If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

48 “Therefore 1ayou are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

We all know that there is no justice without law, there is no peace without law, there is no freedom without law, there is no kindom without law; and that is why Jesus came and fullfilled the law. 1:25. To look into the mirror of the Word of God involves an obligation. One must look intently into the perfect Law that gives freedom. The intent and sustained look with a ready response is the key to spiritual strength and continued maturity. The word for “looks intently into” (parakypsas) literally means “to stoop down” in order to have a good close look.

The “Law that gives freedom” seems like a paradox. Law seems to imply restraint and therefore a lack of freedom. Not so with God’s Law. His perfect Law provides true freedom. “Hold to My teaching,” Christ said, “then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32). One who does what God decrees will find full liberty and will be blessed in what he does.

with Jesus as our example we too can fulfill the law not in order to be saved but because we are kindom candidates.

J. Ronald Blue, “James,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 823.