James 1:25a (NKJV)
“But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty…”
Have you noticed how everyone is concerned about freedom these days? I‘m free to do this. I’m free to do that. I can say what I want. Don’t suppress my voice. I can do what I want. Stop telling me what to do or who to talk to. The central focus of freedom seems to be “It’s all about me”.
Have you read James lately? The “perfect law of liberty” is in the very first chapter. What is that anyway? Liberty is freedom – right? I thought freedom came from God? I thought we all had a free will and could do whatever we want. What does law have to do with any of it?
Here’s what I think. There is no lasting freedom in our world without law and that law must be based on what is good, right and true. All of the characteristics laid out in the first chapter of James explain those good, right and true positions. He is writing to “the twelve tribes” and says our actions represent our hearts. That we are to live a life of faith (1:6) and faithfulness (1:12,22). We are to be humble (1:9-10), patient in trials (1:2), discerning (1:19) committed to holiness (1:21,27) and disciplined (1:25). We should not be hypocritical or deceived (1:26). We should be helpful to others less fortunate (1:27). Then somewhere in the middle of all that, James ties law to freedom. How is that? Isn’t the law restrictive?
Think about it. Freedom is dangerous unless it is founded on truth and what is right.
If a person has no belief system, what they think or want becomes the source of what is right and true in their world. The basis of what they believe, and therefore, how they act is found in a moving target of what they want at that moment or what they call “their truth”. Selfishness evolves into a hate for anything and anyone that gets in the way. When one person’s freedom is given precedence over another, freedom for all will not last long. Once freedom is perverted to promote lawlessness, lies, filth and the unholy, then its light is snuffed and all that is left is smoldering ash. The only thing that can preserve freedom for everyone is if everyone bases the actions of freedom on truth, right, humility, and discipline. Since we don’t always do a great job of holding to standard, our laws can help support those things. Freedom is only maintained by civil and righteous people in a world where the rule of law is upheld. Otherwise anarchy and tyranny rule.
Truth is, freedom can only survive if it is tempered with good laws based on good values. Without consistent use of freedom for good, freedom will die. We must reward those who abide by the good law of liberty and discourage those who would pervert it for ill-gotten gain. Some might say that is “anti-freedom”, but if my 4 year old daughter is given the freedom to run through the house with a paint brush covered with bright red paint, then destruction will ensue. It takes someone who is mature and has good and right purposes in mind to guide my daughter to either not perform badly or to remove the paint brush from her hand. It takes maturity, strength, leadership. It takes someone who can discern the truth that is inherent in that situation. Someone who can recognize that continued behavior in that manner will produce chaos, destruction and an ultimate lack of freedom. Stopping poor behavior will produce civility, safety and long term freedom to benefit all involved. That is how freedom works.
Satan will twist and throw cunning curves into the basic truths of the law of liberty in an attempt to ultimately bring destruction and slavery. He will say what is wrong is right and what is evil is good. He will suggest that one man’s freedom to do wrong is more important than one man’s freedom to do right. That is not true and it is not the standard laid out in scripture. We all have freedom to choose our own path, but truth, righteousness, care for others, these are the things that take precedence. Abiding by basic principals of truth and what is right is the only thing that will sustain freedom and liberty in our world. When freedom is used as license to do every selfish, evil and manipulative thing, then ultimately, freedom is lost. For freedom to be sustained, truth, right and the rule of good law must be elevated and prioritized in society. To do that, we need scripture. We need truth. We need boundaries. We need discipline. We need strength. We need the perfect law of liberty.
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