The law of liberty is something that a person can look intently at, to listen to, and to put into practice - James 1:22-25
The law of liberty is something that we are judged by and can be transgressed. It includes laws such as not showing partiality, loving your neighbor as yourself, not committing adultery, and not committing murder - James 2:8-13
The law of liberty is truth because truth makes us free. But that freedom only comes by living in the words of Christ. The words of Christ will judge us in the end - John 8:31-32; 12:48
Liberty from Sin
Those led by the Spirit are saved and are not in slavery - Romans 8:14-17; Galatians 5:17-18
The Spirit teaches us the wisdom of God, which the apostles passed on to us through the New Testament. By those words, we know the mind of Christ. - I Corinthians 2:10-16
When we read those words, we gain an understanding of the mystery of Christ - Ephesians 3:4
Hence saving faith comes from listening to the words of Christ - Romans 10:17
The word leads to faith, which in turn leads to confession, which leads to salvation - Romans 10:8-10
By dying to sin through baptism, we are freed from the slavery of sin - Romans 6:1-7
When we are baptized we receive the gift of the Spirit - Acts 2:38-39
The Spirit then becomes the guarantee of our redemption (our purchased freedom) - Ephesians 1:13-14
Where God’s Spirit exists, there is liberty - II Corinthians 3:17
Liberty, but Not Complete Independence
Obedience to God’s teaching gives us freedom from sin, but it also makes us slaves of God - Romans 6:16-18
Our salvation results from our enslavement to God - Romans 6:22
This is why Paul referred to himself as a bond-servant of God - Romans 1:1
We must use our freedom, not as an allowance to sin, but to bind us in slavery to God. Such binding includes submitting to earthly governments. - Galatians 5:13; I Peter 2:13-16
Our freedom does not imply we are not under any law
Sin is not counted when there is no law - Romans 5:13
Sin is the transgression of law or going beyond the bounds of law - I John 3:4
Everyone sins - Romans 3:23; I John 1:8-10; 2:1
Therefore, all are under law, Christian and non-Christian alike.
Those who practice righteousness are born of God - I John 2:29; 3:7; 3:24
Liberty from the Law of Moses
Christ also freed us from the bondage of the law of Moses - Galatians 3:10-14
This is because the law of Moses convicted men of sin and Christ freed us from sin when we have faith and are baptized into Christ - Romans 3:19-20; Galatians 3:22-27
Sin, through the law of Moses, held us in bondage to sin - Galatians 4:3
We cannot follow the law of Moses in practices such as circumcision by binding ourselves under that law and thereby losing the freedom we gained through Christ - Galatians 4:23-24, 30-31; 5:1-4
Is Love the Only Law of Liberty?
Some claim that the law of liberty is only the concept of love; love is the foundation of the law of Christ, but it was also the foundation of the law of Moses - Matthew 7:12; 22:35-40; Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:14; I John 4:16
Love for Christ is demonstrated through obedience to his teachings. A person cannot love Christ without obeying his commandments. - John 14:15; 15:14; I John 2:4-7; 5:23
