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James 2:12
“So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.”
One admonition well sums up James 1–2: “Do not be double- minded.” In other words, our professed belief should not contradict our actual practice. James presents this idea in 1:5–8 and 1:22–27 and then develops it at length in chapter 2. Since we “hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ,” we are professing commitment to His “royal law,” the “law of liberty” (2:1, 8, 12). But if we are partial to others based on their wealth, our practice does not match our profession. In breaking the commandment against partiality, we transgress the entire law (vv. 10–11).
Why should we avoid such hypocrisy? One answer is that we love King Jesus and therefore want to please Him. Today’s passage gives another reason: Final judgment is coming. We “are to be judged under the law of liberty,” so we must speak and act—live all of life—such that we receive a favorable judgment at the last day (2:12).
James 2:12 echoes Matthew 7:21–23 and other passages in Scripture that reveal the necessity of obedience to Christ for salvation. Only those who do the will of the Father in heaven will enter His kingdom (v. 21). Of course, neither James nor Jesus nor any other biblical author teaches us that our obedience to the royal law of Christ merits our salvation. We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (Eph. 2:8–9). His merits imputed to us form the only ground of our right standing before God (2 Cor. 5:21). Nevertheless, Jesus is not only the Savior to be received with faith but the King to be obeyed with earnest devotion. Sincere, albeit imperfect, obedience to this law as seen in a life of ongoing effort to serve Jesus and repentance when we fall short is the necessary and inevitable fruit of saving faith. If we know Christ, we will seek to keep His law of liberty.
It may be concerning that we will be judged by the law of liberty, but let us take heart. First, we are not meriting eternal life by this law, so our imperfect obedience to it will not condemn us. Regarding the law of liberty, God is not the Judge who condemns us, for our sin has already been condemned in Christ. Regarding the law of liberty, God is the Judge who is also our Father and Jesus is the King who is also our Brother who assists us, by His Spirit, in keeping the law (Rom. 8:1–11; Gal. 3:26; Heb. 2:17). Second, believers keep the law of liberty as those who have been released from slavery to sin and are now slaves of righteousness (Rom. 6:17–18). By God’s grace, we can now obey the royal law.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
We do not seek to obey the law of Christ, also called the royal law of liberty, to earn our salvation. Rather, we seek to keep this law because we love God and His ways. If we seek to obey it and repent when we fall short, we will receive a favorable judgment. The Lord will welcome us into His kingdom, not because of our good works but because of the good works of Christ. Our obedience will prove that we have indeed trusted in Him by faith alone.
For further study
- Zephaniah 3
- Matthew 25:14–46
- 2 Corinthians 5:9–10
- Ephesians 2:10
The bible in a year
- Exodus 20–22
- Matthew 20:1–16