Which Law?

Published by christi on October 15, 2020October 15, 2020

Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!   James 2:12-13

I ran across this in my reading today. Talk about a puzzle!

Judged by a law that gives freedom…

Judgment without mercy…

Mercy triumphing over judgment…

Say what?

Oh dear! Judged by a law again!  I feel gloom and despair creeping in…But WAIT!

I must know:  What is this “law that gives freedom?” The Spirit reminds me of Romans 8:2.

“…the law of the Spirit of life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”  I see two laws at work here.

“The law of sin and death!”  This is the one that says humans unable to achieve righteousness (as defined by God’s own nature) must endure miserable slavery here, and then die!

“The law of the Spirit of life” says: Jesus, the Ultimate Human, has done for us what we could never do for ourselves, that is: live a righteous life, and by the great gift of His own planned death, give us access to His own life of relationship with God. Nothing we do could ever be enough to give us this. This is pure grace and mercy, providing for us both power and favor we do not deserve and keeping us from the certain hell we do deserve!

So, what kind of speaking and acting is prompted by such a law of freedom?

Humble…acknowledging that my position before a holy God is entirely His doing, and apart from Him I can do nothing…freedom from having to maintain my own righteousness!

Grateful…recognizing every good that is mine is a gift from Him, not anything I am owed…freedom from needing to earn anything.

Merciful…interacting with other flawed humans on the basis of this — that all of my sin and shortcomings —  past, present and future — having been already paid for at no cost to me…freedom from assessing whether I (or anyone else) measure up.

Gentle…knowing I can fail in every way anyone else can, and yet be restored…freedom from having to orchestrate other people’s lives to keep them from failing.

If I walk out of this merciful law, I am in danger of walking back into a law with no mercy at all!!! And because of this life-giving law I am continuously living in relationship with the Holy King of the Universe as my Papa-God!

I am so thankful that His mercy triumphs over judgment as I am

Following Jesus every day in the everyday,

Christi