James 4:11 says, "Do not speak against one another, brothers. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge." This indicates clearly that James wanted the believers to be doers of the law of Moses. If the royal law refers to the Mosaic law, surely the law of freedom also refers to the Mosaic law. He said that this law is perfect.

We may wonder how James could consider the Mosaic law as the perfect law, the law of freedom. Psalm 19:7 and 8 say, "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart." The term the perfect law did not originate with James but with the psalmists. Surely James must have been a lover of the Psalms. The thought of freedom regarding the law is also in Psalm 19. Psalm 19 tells us that the law of Moses is perfect and it causes people to be converted and to rejoice. To convert the soul is to make one's dead soul alive. This is to release him. Converting and rejoicing imply release, liberty, freedom.

Psalm 1 says that the one who meditates in the law day and night will be like a tree growing by a flowing river (vv. 2-3). The law is likened to a flowing river, and this flowing river makes a person living and released. Thus, the thought of the law being the perfect law of freedom was already in the Psalms.

James used another two terms to describe the Mosaic law, which he appreciated. James 1:18 says that God brought us forth by the word of truth. In Psalm 119:43 David said that the word of the Lord's law was the word of truth. The New Testament teaches us that God regenerated us by the word of the gospel, not by the word of the law. Paul said that he begot the Corinthians through the gospel (1 Cor. 4:15). Then Peter said that God regenerated us with an incorruptible seed, and this incorruptible seed is the living and abiding word of God (1 Pet. 1:23). These are New Testament gospel terms, but James said that God regenerated us with the word of the law. This shows us the mixture of James.

James 1:21 says, "Receive in meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." The implanted word here also refers to the Mosaic law. Psalm 119:11 says, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." This is the implanted word. If the law were only outside of people, it would not work out anything for them. They have to keep the law in their heart. The law has to be implanted in them. Then this law will keep them from sinning against God. This is also the liberty to which James referred.

Thus, all the different terms used by James for the law refer to the Mosaic law. The law, the royal law, the perfect law of freedom, the word of truth, and the implanted word refer to the same Mosaic law. By this we can see how highly James appreciated the law. It is no wonder that he was so zealous for the law. But the New Testament teaches us that the age of the law is over. The law should not be used in the age of grace. The law was given through Moses. That was of the old age, the age of the law. But grace came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17). The age of Moses is over. Now the age of grace is with Christ.