Do laws restrict or set free?

In chapter 2, James has been warning his readers against favoritism. They are not to grant preferential treatment to the rich or turn a blind eye to the poor. He notes how strange it is to honor those who exploit and to dishonor those chosen by God. In verse 8 he reminds his readers of a royal law they are to keep but in verse 12 of a law that “gives freedom.” Are they two different laws or the same law looked at in two different ways?
       That the first law is a “royal” law indicates how important it is. The king himself has issued the law because what it calls for is so vitally important for the life of his subjects. It is basilikos, kingly. And what is this “supreme law of scripture?” (NJB). Unlike most laws of our day, which are long, complicated, and intentionally vague, it is short and simple: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” What this command calls for is a complete and authentic commitment of oneself to a way of living that regards the needs of others as important as our own. It is the dramatic reversal of our inherited narcissistic nature. No longer do we remain our own “god,” loving self to the virtual exclusion of others.
       I recognize that stating the point in such dire terms doesn’t make it sound like a way of living most would choose. But let’s see if verse 12 throws any light on the subject. Here James speaks of the law by which we will all be judged and calls it “the law that gives freedom,” or as the NLT and others have it, “the law that sets us free.” But what exactly does it mean to be “set free” from law? As we use the expression today we would more likely understand it as not having to pay the penalty for some misdemeanor. The truth is that the goal of every rule or law is freedom from the consequences of doing the opposite. When local authorities say, “Not over 55,” it isn’t to deny you the exhilaration of driving faster, but to free you from the inevitable results of reckless driving. When parents tell their daughter, “Be home by midnight” it is not to rule out the “fun” of a late night party but to guide her in a way that will make her life wholesome and rewarding. It spares her the penalty of a bad decision.
       I remember when I first became aware of the freeing nature of “law.” I was used to thinking of
God as good but just a little bit too severe. Certain “pleasures” were off limit. But law as personal protection rather than restriction brought a band new and encouraging outlook for a teenage boy. How good to know that our God is not a disapproving taskmaster who withholds pleasure, but a loving father who has given us “laws” so we need not make mistakes and pay the penalty. He’s kind, good, protective, and fun.