2020-12-14 “continueth therein”

James 1:25  “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Those who “continueth therein” are those who remain faithful to “the doctrine of Christ” (II John 1:9) no matter how difficult their tribulations become or how strongly they are enticed by the doctrines of men.  Job, in his suffering experience, is a wonderful example of those who continue in their faithfulness to God no matter how difficult or trying or miserable their tribulations may become.  Joseph, in the moment of temptation, gives us another wonderful example of what it means to continue in faithfulness to God no matter how enticing other things may be (Genesis 39:12).  In this case, those who “continueth therein”; that is, in “the perfect law of liberty”, are those who are “blessed in his deed”.  The “perfect law of liberty” refers to “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” which “hath made” us “free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2).  Paul expressed it this way, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (Ephesians 2:8).  The pinnacle blessing in this present life, for born-again Children of God, is to know that our Lord has paid our sin-debt, that our Lord has made us “free from the law of sin and death”, and that our Lord has prepared us a Heavenly Home in our “Father’s house” (John 14:2).  “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.” (Hebrews 2:1); for, misery, pain, and shame in this present life awaits those who “let them slip”; but, there are great blessings for those who “continueth therein”!