bower Posted December 27, 2009 Report Share Posted December 27, 2009 Q3. What is this "perfect law" that James mentions? How would you define it? How does it relate to the "royal law" (2:8)? In what sense does it bring liberty? The perfect law is to Love one another- agape The Royal Law is to love God. The liberty is that if you love God because He loves all - if we love Him we will follow Him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bower Posted January 5, 2010 Report Share Posted January 5, 2010 Q3. What is this "perfect law" that James mentions? How would you define it? How does it relate to the "royal law" (2:8)? In what sense does it bring liberty? The perfect law is to love God and love they neighbour. The Royal Law brings the 'myself' - to love as you want to be loved. This brings the liberty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidjjj Posted January 6, 2010 Report Share Posted January 6, 2010 Q3. What is this "perfect law" that James mentions? How would you define it? How does it relate to the "royal law" (2:8)? In what sense does it bring liberty? Alec Moyter reminds that against the OT background law means "teaching". Law can be used as a term at times which summarises the whole OT. As New covenant believers we belive we are made righteous through Christ's death and resurection...He became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him...2 Cor 5. So Christ is the end of the law AS A MEANS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS! but not the end of the law as part of God's revealed word!!! the ceremonial parts of the law have found their fulfilment in Christ, the judical commandments were for Israel in the land, but the 10 commandaments and other teachings from the OT still are binding, they are part of God's word, they reveal to us the heart of God,and the ways of God. James pick up on characters from the OT Abraham,Rahab, Elijah, the prophets....these are examples from the Scripture. And the 10 commandments have been reiteratied in the NT...Jesus did not come to do away with them and warned that any who taught that was to be seen as least in the Kingdom Math 5:17-19 Jesus showed that the OT must be interprited correctly (Mat 5:20-48) Some aspects of the are is more important than others- ie there is the greatest commanments (Mat 22) also some aspects of the law are weightier than others- although all is to be obeyed (Mat 23:23)excepted the ceremonal and national aspects. Paul reminds us that all Scripture is profitable (1 Tim 3:16) God's teaching "law" is not to burden us says John the Apostle see 1 John 5:3...Matt 11:30 (although it does when it used Pharaisically see Matt 23:4) but is to lead us into the best life see Isiah 48:17...Psalm 19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parakaleo Posted January 6, 2010 Report Share Posted January 6, 2010 Q3. What is this "perfect law" that James mentions? How would you define it? How does it relate to the "royal law" (2:8)? In what sense does it bring liberty? GRACE!!!! The law reflects our sin, and salvation frees us from sin. The perfect law is the question and the answer! We are now free to obey God. The Royal Law is the fulfilment of the perfect law. Now we are set free, we recognise the love of God and his Grace so we can love God and others and ourselves as explained in the first few of the 10 commandments. "Won't the awareness that God loves us no matter what, lead to spiritual laziness and laxity? Theoretically this seems a reasonable fear, but in reality the opposite is true... The more rooted we are in the love of God, the more generously we will live our faith." Brennan Manning (Lion and Lamb) Jeannette Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Workinprogress Posted January 13, 2010 Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 The perfect law is love others as God has loved us,treat them as God has treated us,showing mercy and grace and a forgiveness of the worst possible sin,we are no longer bound by written law,but are guided and corrected directly by God and the Holy spirit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drew Posted March 10, 2010 Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 Q3. What is this "perfect law" that James mentions? How would you define it? How does it relate to the "royal law" (2:8)? In what sense does it bring liberty? It is love for the Lord, and ones neighbor. The "perfect law" is how the Lord would have us live. It should not be forgotten, but applied every day in our lives. Liberty comes from being free from the ties of sin. Also by the Law's simplicity. "love your neighbor as yourself" (2:8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guro Posted April 2, 2010 Report Share Posted April 2, 2010 Q3. What is this "perfect law" that James mentions? How would you define it? How does it relate to the "royal law" (2:8)? In what sense does it bring liberty? The "perfect law" says love God and love your neighbor as God loves you. The "perfect law" and "royal law" are one. This law brings liberty because it releases us from sin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodR Posted August 2, 2010 Report Share Posted August 2, 2010 Q3. What is this "perfect law" that James mentions? How would you define it? How does it relate to the "royal law" (2:8)? In what sense does it bring liberty? The "perfect law" is God's Will as revealed in the Scriptures. In 2:8, James is referring to a specific, universal law found in Scripture and given to everyone by Christ, Himself; "Love your neighbor as yourself." It is a law of liberty because obeying it brings freedom from the effects of sin and a closer relationship with God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramon Posted December 14, 2010 Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 Q3. What is this "perfect law" that James mentions? How would you define it? How does it relate to the "royal law" (2:8)? In what sense does it bring liberty? Answer; 1 What is this "perfect law" that James mentions? The perfect fruit,of the Word of God planted in oour heart:LOVE. 2 How would you define it? How does it relate to the "royal law" (2:8)? It is the Fruit,of the Spirit,in : Gal 5:22-23- But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. If if are living unto God Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Sanger Posted December 16, 2010 Report Share Posted December 16, 2010 The Perfect law that James refers to is to love your God with all your heart, soul, mind and power. The royal law is to love your neighbour as yourself. The two does relate to each other, but only if you follow the perfect law first. A person could love his neighbour as himself without loving God, but show me someone who loves God who does not love his neighbour. This will bring you eternal live through the grace of God Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy L W Posted December 24, 2010 Report Share Posted December 24, 2010 Q3. What is this "perfect law" that James mentions? How would you define it? How does it relate to the "royal law" (2:8)? In what sense does it bring liberty? [/i The perfect law is the law of love...love the Lord your God with all your heart,soul and mind and love your neighbor as yorself. When we love God first, put all under Him, and love others. We are free from unforgiveness, bitterness, selfishness and pride. We are free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Renier Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 The "perfect law" as the Pharisees understood it, was the law of Moses and all the man made laws piled on to the people. However, James says that the perfect law is actually the "royal law" of God as Jesus stated for us - to love our neighbors as ourselves. This brings liberty by allowing us to think only of doing good to others without worrying about keeping a multitude of petty laws made up by man. I know that when I love people, reach out to the unlovely, help the orphans the poor & widows that I am fulfilling the law of God. . . and I can even do these things on the Sabbath without fear of being condemned. Now, that's freedom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolly Bean Posted April 30, 2011 Report Share Posted April 30, 2011 Q3. What is this "perfect law" that James mentions? How would you define it? How does it relate to the "royal law" (2:8)? In what sense does it bring liberty? The 'perfect law' James mentioned refers to the moral and ethical teaching of Christianity including the ten commandments of the Old Testament. The 'royal law' refers to love, which is the greatest commandment of all. It is the supereme law which even Jesus Christ himself emphasized. And it is this royal law that break us free from the chains of our sin, the joyous freedom to break free from being slave to sin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Jerry Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 The “perfect law” that James mentions is that of love your neighbor as you love yourself. I would define this as one who is trying to help his neighbor or do things for them when they don’t even ask for help. It relates to the “royal law” which is to love your neighbor. The sense that it does bring liberty is that you don’t have to remember a bunch of laws. You can act on the things that God has put on your heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragnew Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 Q3. What is this "perfect law" that James mentions? How would you define it? How does it relate to the "royal law" (2:8)? In what sense does it bring liberty? I think the perfect law is referring to God's Word in general. This passage is talking about the sanctifying power of God's Word which cleanses us from unrighteousness and frees us, or liberates us from sin. The royal law "love your neighbor as yourself" is just one aspect of the "perfect law." The royal law has to do with relationships here on earth. The "perfect law" frees us by letting us break free from all those sins that way us down and hold us back from running the race that God has set before us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitar Jim Posted July 1, 2013 Report Share Posted July 1, 2013 Q3. What is this "perfect law" that James mentions? How would you define it? The "perfect law" is to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and love your neighbor as you love yourself." Jesus rightly taught that all the Mosaic laws and the further instructions for living given through the writings of the Old Testament prophets can be summed up in those two perfect laws. If you love the Lord your God with all your heart mind and strength, you will not sin against Him, at least not intentionally. If we do sin we can confess our sin and God will forgive us. If we love our neighbors as we love ourselves, we will not intentionally sin against man either. Therefore love is the central focus of the perfect law. Love inspired by the Holy Spirit indwelling us enables us to live lives that please God. Now that's the perfect ideal. In reality we continue to struggle with human values and human frailties. The human heart is wicked above all else, the Scripture teaches, so we need to continually surrender our will to God's will in order for the law of love to be effective in controlling our thoughts and actions. The Pharisees in Jesus' time on earth had obeying the Jewish law down to a fine art. They were meticulous in their obedience of it down to every little detail and they actively persecuted anyone who wasn't up to their rigid standard of righteousness. But the fault Jesus found in them and for which he roundly condemned them was that they didn't obey God's laws out of love but out of fear. They didn't enforce God's laws on the people they taught out of love but out of a sense of self-righteousness. How does it relate to the "royal law" (2:8)? Jesus quoted an actual writing in the Mosaic law in Leviticus when he taught that we must love the Lord our God and love our neighbor. It's the same law that's been there all the time! Unfortunately it got glossed over by everyone who set about the nit-picking process of obeying every single rule down to offering God a tenth of even the herbs that grew in their gardens at the expense of loving their fellow man! Jesus taught his disciples a new commandment, which even He admitted wasn't that new . . . Love one another. In what sense does it bring liberty? If our actions are motivated by love for God and love for others we have liberty because we live with clear consciences. Love covers over a multitude of sins. If someone wrongs us and we love them, we forgive them. If we do wrong in God's eyes, He will forgive us if we confess our sins to Him. That is a life lived in liberty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Akkjl Posted July 13, 2013 Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 God is love. When I think about that, I know that in all circumstances, as a follower of God, as someone who has experienced his grace, my only response is to reflect that love. That isn't possible on my own, but through the Spirit. If, through the help of the Spirit, that is all I need to know, no other law is needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted July 31, 2013 Report Share Posted July 31, 2013 Q3. What is this "perfect law" that James mentions? How would you define it? How does it relate to the "royal law" (2:8)? In what sense does it bring liberty? The "perfect law" that James mentions is the law of love. Loving your neighbor, the royal law, sums up the law (see Matt. 26:36-40). It is Christ's love (Eph. 3:17-19), which frees us from our sins to truly love others. See John 8:36-38 and Gal. 5:13. Jesus frees us from ourselves and sin to live freely in the service and love of God and others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoRaysXD Posted July 31, 2013 Report Share Posted July 31, 2013 Q3. What is this "perfect law" that James mentions? How would you define it? How does it relate to the "royal law" (2:8)? In what sense does it bring liberty? The "perfect law" that James mentions is the law of love. Loving your neighbor, the royal law, sums up the law (see Matt. 26:36-40). It is Christ's love (Eph. 3:17-19), which frees us from our sins to truly love others. See John 8:36-38 and Gal. 5:13. Jesus frees us from ourselves and sin to live freely in the service and love of God and others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frangena Posted September 8, 2014 Report Share Posted September 8, 2014 The Perfect Law is based on Love for God and for other people. If we love God with all our heart and soul we will follow and obey His statutes. If we love our neighbours as ourselves we will never hurt them. Perfect Love is the great commandment given to us by God and everything else hinges on it. A loving person is free from evil thinking and wishes to do the right things all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lighthouse2014 Posted August 7, 2015 Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 Q3. What is this "perfect law" that James mentions? How would you define it? How does it relate to the "royal law" (2:8)? In what sense does it bring liberty? The perfect law that Jesus teaches is "love your neighbors as yourself". I would define the perfect law as "do unto others as you would have them to do to you". As James calls the "Royal Law" that Jesus taught, that was "love your neighbor as yourself", because this love summed up, "all the law and prophets - this is perfect love". As Jesus taught that the Mosaic law was not perfect, Jesus commanded "to love one another". Through love, anger and moral filth are done away with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyreek Posted March 28, 2017 Report Share Posted March 28, 2017 Christians can and occasionally do return to sin. They let natural desires get the best of them. Paul tells us, “Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.”- Romans 6:13 (NIV) Mosaic Law states, “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.”- Lev 17:11 (NIV) When Jesus came he brought with Him a new covenant “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!”- Romans 5:9 (NIV); The perfect law or gospel, rather is for everyone, Jew and Gentile. James also speaks of a royal law, this being love your neighbor as yourself. I would define that statement with a statement, live as God’s obedient children and there will be grace, love, and mercy bestowed on you. By putting your faith in Him, there is forgiveness and eternity waiting. Liberty from sin is what the perfect and royal law accomplishes for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krissi Posted May 20, 2022 Report Share Posted May 20, 2022 What is this "perfect law" that James mentions? How would you define it? How does it relate to the "royal law" (2:8)? In what sense does it bring liberty? I am utterly confused. I'm sorry. Perhaps further study will help me. I have no idea of the difference between perfect and royal law -- at times, they seem synonymous, at other times, they seem to reflect loving God and loving others. I can see how loving God and accepting His love would be liberating. Though I'm a mature Christian woman, I have difficulty with God's love and frankly the concept of love in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanks Posted May 22, 2022 Report Share Posted May 22, 2022 Q7. (1:25) What is this "perfect law" that James mentions? How would you define it? How does it relate to the "royal law" (2:8)? In what sense does it bring liberty? The Perfect Law that James mentions is the Word of God, specifically the gospel. To me it’s perfect because it is God’s law, and it alone can set us free from the bondage of sin and selfishness. Coming from God it is perfect in itself, and as we obey it we are set free from worldly customs and traditions and also from carnal thinking. The more we look into it, the more we meditate on it, the more we understand it, the more we obey it, the more we become perfect believers. Jesus Himself said “If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32). The freedom James is speaking about - “the perfect law that gives freedom” (1:25). Again, in John 8:36: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed”. Also in Romans 8:2: “… because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death”. As long as we live within these boundaries set by God, we are free, as soon as we cross these boundaries we become slaves to sin. The entire law is summarized in James 2:8: “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbour as yourself," you are doing right.” This is confirmed in Gal 5:14 as well: “The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbour as yourself."” It is a royal law because it is the king of laws, a kingly law one worthy of reverence and perhaps the one most difficult to always obey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted May 22, 2022 Report Share Posted May 22, 2022 Q7. The Perfect Law that James talks about has to do with the Mosaic Law being changed so that Gentiles did not have to be circumcised to be Christians. The Perfect Law took over and became the Law that gives freedom. James also called it the Royal Law which means “Love your neighbour as yourself”, and it is part of what Jesus taught “ Love each other as I have loved you”. This law brings liberty from all the rules law and regulations laid down in the Mosaic Law and gives us this command from Jesus to “ Love each other as I have loved you”. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.