James Chapter Two is often cited by traditional, evangelical Christianity
as proof text that we can’t keep the Torah and should not try to. After
all, none of us is without sin, so, by implication, toss out the standard
for sin and carry on. That is what man says. But what does God say? What
does the Bible really say?
The context of James Chapter Two is discussing our attitude to the
brethren. It isn’t about whether we should keep the Law of God or not.
It’s about how we keep the Law of God, and our heart attitude towards it,
and towards one another. The letter deals with partiality in judgment. It
does not set aside the standard for judgment. In fact it upholds the
Standard of Torah.
James talks about the Law of Liberty. It has been said that this is a new
Law, not being the Torah that God gave Moses. Being called the “Royal Law”
it is thought to transcend and replace Torah. But a careful reading, in
context with Torah, shows that this cannot be.
In Verse 8 James, in speaking of the Royal Law, quotes Leviticus 19:18.
Most people who read James don’t know that he is quoting from the Torah of
Yahweh, as given to Moses. This is not a new law that supersedes the
Torah. It is Torah. The context is rightly judging your brother. The Bible
does not teach us that we are not to judge, as some have suggested it
does. We are told to judge rightly, according to Torah. But even in that
we must not be arrogant, or use a different standard for one brother over
another, based on position, social standing, or wealth.
So, what is James saying in the following portion of his letter?
“If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture,
“YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you are doing well. But if you
show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as
transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in
one point, he has become guilty of all. For He who said, “DO NOT COMMIT
ADULTERY,” also said, “DO NOT COMMIT MURDER.” Now if you do not commit
adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.
For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy
triumphs over judgment.”
The “Royal Law,” is Torah, the Law of the King of Kings. To fulfill the
Torah, according to Torah (Scripture) is to “love your neighbor as
yourself.” Scripture teaches us that “God is Love.” To rightly apply His
Torah it must be with an attitude of love. There can be no partiality, nor
can there be arrogance in believing that I have attained and my brother is
lesser than me because he is not at the same level of growth in walking in
Torah as I believe I have achieved. Likewise, a brother who has been
walking longer than me, or has had Truth revealed to him that I as yet
haven’t seen, should not behave that way to me. The focus has to be on our
heart’s desire to walk in His Torah, based on a commitment to repentant
change when we see what His Word says and requires of us.
James speaks a truth that we would all be humbled by, and subsequently
blessed by, if we take heed. He is simply telling us the same thing as
John said, in 1st John. We all sin! We still have to deal with our flesh,
that part of us that does not want to submit to the Torah of Yahweh.
Recognizing this Truth means that I fall short. We all do. We cannot ever
apply Torah from the perspective that we have attained a perfection in
performance of it. But we must understand that it is our heart that is the
focus of Torah. This is keeping Torah. It is how our heart and mind
regards Torah.
The one who is born again, and has entered into the New Covenant purchased
by the blood of Yeshua, will have the Torah written on their heart, placed
in their mind, and will be caused to walk in His Commandments, if they
submit to it, and to Him.
Do you want to obey Torah? Does my brother want to obey Torah? Are we each
willing to submit our lives to Torah? If we answer “Yes” to each of these
questions we will acknowledge our sin and be willing to confess, repent,
and be cleansed by the blood of Yeshua. In this application we are judged
by the “Law of Liberty,” called the Law of life in Messiah Yeshua, by
Paul. It is contrasted to the Law of sin and death. Each is a reflection
and a reality of our relationship with the Living Torah, Yeshua. Same Law,
yet we have a different relationship with that Law/Torah. It is in Yeshua.
Liberty was purchased by Yeshua on the cross for you and me. He set us
free from sin, which is defined as “transgression of the Torah.” He did
not set us free from Torah, otherwise the standard for sin is no more and
we can do, each man or woman, as seems right in his or her own eyes. We
know that perspective is condemned in Scripture.
Being set free from sin means each of us have a choice. By the work of
grace, changing our hearts, we have entered into the New Covenant in His
blood. He has written His Torah on our hearts, put it in our minds, and
will cause us to walk in His Commandments, if we will humble ourselves
under His mighty hand, and submit to His Torah. We can now choose to walk
in Truth. Prior to accepting Messiah, and His atoning sacrifice, we had no
choice in the matter. We were in bondage to sin. But, being set free, we
can recognize our sin for what it is, “transgression of Torah.” We can
repent because we now are the recipients of mercy. Remember what He said
in Exodus Chapter Twenty? His mercy is there for those who love Him and
keep His Commandments. Yeshua said, “If you love Me, keep My
Commandments.” He is God! His mercy triumphs over judgement for those who
love Him and keep His Commandments.
Likewise we are to show mercy to one another in Torah community. That
doesn’t mean we overlook transgression, but that we have an attitude of
love and of helping one another in our walk. We need to provoke one
another to good works, and encourage each other. This requires submission
to Yeshua and submission to leadership, and submission to one another. I
have to be willing to hear exhortation from my brother, just as he must be
willing to hear it from me. The goal is that the entire body grow together
into a spiritual house of worship; the Body of Messiah.
The Law of Liberty means we have a choice. And when we sin, and we will,
we have an advocate who has been given in mercy to those who love Him,
submit to His Torah, and allow His workmanship in and through them, both
to will and do for His good pleasure. His good pleasure is that we, like
loving, obedient children, submit to His Commandments, and submit to
chastisement when we sin. Hebrews Chapter Twelve says that this yields the
peaceable fruit of righteousness, if we submit to the discipline of our
Heavenly Father. This is the “Law of Liberty.” A way has been made for us.
We are free from sin, if we choose to accept the atoning sacrifice of
Yeshua. Then we can walk in the “Law of Liberty.”