James 2:12 KJV
[12] “So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.”
You would not think that the words “law” and “liberty” would be together in the same context. However, we see both of these words in our verse today. We understand as Christians that we could never keep the law. We know that Christ fulfilled the law. We know that we are not under the law, but we are under grace. We know the Bible is the law of liberty. Most would agree that these are all facts.
There is much controversy today about so-called Christian liberty. My goal is not to dive into that discussion but to point out what James is telling us. You see, we are all transgressors of the law. We have broken the commandments of God, and we are guilty as charged!
Amazingly, the same Book that condemns us also sets us free! The Word of God is the law of liberty! It gives us the freedom to say no to sin, the freedom to serve Christ, and the freedom to worship God and know what His will is for our lives. The Word of God saves us and guides us along our way through life. The same Book that reveals how wicked we are as sinners also tells us about salvation and how to serve and please God in our lives.
James tells us that since we have been set free, we are to live our lives knowing that we will be judged one day by the same Book that brought us out of bondage. We will be judged based on how we used the liberty Christ gave us to serve Him. What did you do with your liberty as a Christian today? Did you waste it on yourself? Is your liberty something you used to justify the worldly and carnal choices you made? Did you use the liberty that Christ gave you to further the kingdom of God and live a life pleasing to him? How did you use your liberty today?