15th October 2024

15th October 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read (James 2v8-13)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


Are you aware that the moral law of God still has a role in our lives? What is the moral law? It is more commonly known as the Ten Commandments and although Christ has fulfilled both the civic and ceremonial law, Christians are bound to keep the moral law. How do we know the civic and ceremonial laws are fulfilled? Amongst a multitude of reasons we can say that we no longer worship at the temple in Jerusalem, we no longer offer blood sacrifices in our worship and the people of God are no longer organised into a nation state called Israel with a King on the throne.


The moral law on the other hand is still in force - you are still required to keep the Lord’s name holy and honour your parents. It is common for us to speak of the threefold use of the law. Use one is that the law shows us how sinful we are and how holy God is - it is like a mirror. Use two is that the law shows us what is pleasing to our God. Use three is that the law acts as a restraint for sin - the human conscience knows that it is sinful to bear false witness against our neighbour.


It’s no wonder then that James was able to say that if you are loving your neighbour as yourself then you are doing well (v8). Forgive my repetition but we are not saved by loving our neighbour but it is certainly a fruit of our Gospel changed lives. However, if we fall into the sin of showing partiality then we have broken the law (v9). Do you see the incredible standard of God’s “royal law” (v8)? Most of us think we’re good people because we’ve never murdered anyone. Yet if we have ever favoured the rich man over the poor then we have failed to love our neighbour and by extension it is as if we have broken the entirety of God’s law (v10). Remember these verses the next time someone tells you they have kept the moral law fully and therefore are alright with “the big man upstairs”. They haven’t and they’re not.


James goes further and says that if you don’t commit adultery but you do murder then you have become a “transgressor” of the law (v11). The word “transgressor” simply means someone who breaks a law or moral rule and frankly there isn’t a single soul alive who hasn’t transgressed the law of God in some way. This explains the goodness of the Gospel because Jesus by His active and passive obedience has kept the law perfectly on our behalf.


It is Christ who transforms the moral law to a “law of liberty” (v12) or a law of freedom for the Christian. How so? He has kept it, He has saved us and therefore we are no longer condemned by our law breaking but we are free to keep the law as we respond to the Gospel. Therefore brothers and sisters, remember these things. Speak and act as those who have been saved by the law keeping Christ (v12). His mercy to hell deserving sinners trumps judgement (v13) and so we should never allow partiality to cloud our love of neighbour.


Even so, there is no mercy for unrepentant law breakers. My friend if you are reading this devotion confident that you are a law keeper and St. Peter will open the gates of heaven to you, then please think again. Only Christ has kept the law in its entirety - no one else ever has and certainly not you. Your transgression condemns you and judgement awaits. But the Gospel is sweet and it is for you. The one who repents of their sin and trusts Christ by faith will be saved. Such a person will be shown mercy and their sin will no longer be held against them. Will you not be saved? Call upon Jesus today and you will know true freedom.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q9 What is the work of creation? The work of creation is, God’s making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good.
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