What is the Royal Law and the Law of Liberty?
James 2:8-12
8, If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: 9, But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. 10, For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11, For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. 12, So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
It is the same Law given in the Old testament and spoken of by Jesus who says on these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets....
Matthew 22:36-40
36, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37, Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38, This is the first and great commandment. 39, And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40, On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Jesus was quoting from the Old Testament writings.......
Deuteronomy 6:4-6
4, Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5, And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6, And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Leviticus 19:13
13, Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning. 14, Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD. 15, Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour. 16, Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD. 17, Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. 18, Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.We are only saved by God's Grace through faith in His Word............
Ephesians 2:8-9
We are only saved by grace through faith and not of ourselves it is a gift of God lest any man should boast.
We need a new heart and our faith must work by love...................
Galations 5:6
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which works by love.
Rom 2:29
But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Love is the fulfilling of God's Law (10 commandments)
Romans 13:8-10
8, Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loves another hath fulfilled the law <Matt 22:36-40; Deut 6:5; Lev 19:18>. 9, For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10, Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. <links with James 2:8-12 >
James 2:8-12
8, If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: 9, But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. 10, For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11, For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. 12, So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
Lets put it all together...........
We need a new heart (circumcision) to love. The Royal Law is love to God and man that works by love through faith in God's Word. Faith in God's Word allows God to change our hearts from stone to flesh to love as he first loved us. Love is the fulfilling of God's Law (10 commandments) in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit....
We are better off pointing people to God's Word over the teachings and traditions of man because it is only through God's Word that anyone can find Jesus....
May God bless you all as you seek him through his Word.