Freedom, Grace and Love Shown Through Action

This morning I have a theme running through my mind that is related to freedom, the Gospel of grace through faith, and religion. James talks about the "perfect law that brings freedom" (Jas 1:25) and I believe he is talking about the commands to love one another, within the Gospel of grace through faith.  His comments are actually taken from within the larger context of him talking about making one's actions line up with one's faith.  In the same way Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, is talking about the freedom we have in Christ, and it is  freedom from the OT law, and religion.  Paul says "the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love!"(Gal 5:6)

If we take these two themes and combine them we see that our call is to love God and love one another and to enjoy freedom in Christ, and that love and freedom should be expressed through action. However, we are encouraged, within this call, not to take up judgment or embrace religion of man.  Religion and the yoke of slavery that Paul mentions (Gal 5:1) are the efforts to achieve righteousness on our own through our own efforts.  These invariably turn into judgments, for we can look at another's life and tell by their actions whether they are meeting the requirements we have set.  This is exactly what was happening in Galatia.

We are called to embrace freedom, and to extend freedom to others.  That freedom comes from the grace extended to us in Christ. We are called to extend the same grace to each other that God has extended to us.  Too often, once we have been born again, and we start to embrace change in our lifestyles to reflect our relationship with God and we look at others and see they have not changed in the same ways and we begin to judge.  This is where religion slips in, for we start to make into rules what we have done out of relationship and love.  Instead of love and freedom we are extending judgment.  James encourages us to embrace mercy, for "mercy triumphs over judgment" (Jas 2:13).

James encourages us to "speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom."(Jas 2:12)  This is exactly what I am talking about!  Our speech and our actions (faith expressed through love) must align with the Gospel of grace.  Let us learn to "serve one another humbly in love." (Gal 5:13)  Let us not judge, but rather extend mercy!  Let us preach freedom through grace, and let us express our faith through love with action!

For reference the verses I used above are included below.

Galatians 5:1,4-6,13-14 NIV:

[1] "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

[4] "You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. [5] For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. [6] For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

[13] "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love. [14] For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”


James 1:22-25 NIV:

[22] "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. [23] Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror [24] and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. [25] But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it---not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it---they will be blessed in what they do."


James 2:12-13 NIV:

[12] "Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, [13] because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment."