Saturday, July 1, 2017

Liberty or License?

In the United States, our weekend celebrations commemorate America’s independence from England in 1776. Wishing US readers a joyous holiday, and all readers the joy and peace found only in the perfect liberty of Christ, May you enjoy this repost from the archives. 
As we consider the battles the fledgling American nation endured, we realize that they were motivated by the quest for freedom from tyranny, taxation, and religious oppression. Liberty was the prize sought after at all cost, for as patriot Patrick Henry declared, “Give me liberty, or give me death!” Our Declaration of Independence says that our Creator has given us “unalienable rights” to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Even more important than political and religious liberty is eternal liberty, which only Jesus Christ can provide. Every born-again believer (John 3:3-8) who has trusted in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6) has liberty from the oppression of sin. In His mercy, God spared His children from eternal death and damnation (Romans 3:25; 6:23). In His grace, He gave us eternal, abundant life with Him and our loved ones who know Him as Lord and Savior (John 3:16; 10:10). 
Jesus Christ has forever removed us from the penalty of sin, which is physical, spiritual, and eternal death (Romans 3:25; 6:23) He was the perfect, complete sacrifice, Whose finished, perfect work on the cross was sufficient to pay for all the sins of all mankind, past, present and future (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2). When God looks at the born-again believer (John 3:3-8), He no longer sees our sins, but the perfect righteousness of His Son (Romans 3:22,25;5:18).
But does liberty from the penalty of sin entitle us to lawlessness? Because of the curse of sin brought on by Adam’s disobedience, no man can perfectly keep God’s law (Exodus 20:1-17; Romans 3:23). Should we even try? Our society, country and even some churches seem to be marred by permissiveness that often promotes individual liberty over morality and the common good. They have rejected the Creator, Who has turned them over to the consequences of their own sin (Romans 1:28-31). 
Followers of Jesus Christ have the freedom of knowing that even when we do sin, we cannot lose our salvation (Romans 8:35-39). We are saved by grace, not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9), and Jesus Christ has freed us from bondage to sin (Hebrews 9:14-15). We can't earn our salvation by being "good" or by not breaking the law (Romans 3:10-12). Given our liberty in Him (Luke 4:18), are we not freed from the law? (Romans 7:4-6)  
If we are guilty of breaking even a single point in the law, whether in deed or even in thought, we are considered guilty of breaking the whole law (James 2:10-13).  Only One Person could keep the law perfectly, and that is Jesus, Who died and rose again so that we could be freed from sin and death (Hebrews 9:14-15). We still need the law, not for salvation (Romans 3:19-21; Hebrews 7:19), but as a mirror to show us our sin and our need for a Savior (James 1:22-25).
Our liberty in Christ does not give us license to sin, because we are to love God and love one another (Matthew 22:36-40), showing our love by obeying His commandments (John 14:15,21). When asked if we can sin freely so that God’s grace can much more abound, Paul replied, “God forbid!” (Romans 3:31; 6:1-15).
Once we are saved, we should be in the world to spread the Good News of the Gospel (Acts 1:8), but not of the world (John 15:19; 17:14-16). This requires us to be a living sacrifice to Christ (Romans 12:1), set apart from worldly habits, holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). Only then can others believe our testimony that Jesus is our Lord Who has redeemed us from sin, for they see proof of it in our lifestyle (2 Peter 3:11).
The greatest fear of the apostle Paul was that he would be a castaway, or put on the shelf and removed from active service to God (1 Corinthians 9:27). Even Paul, arguably the greatest man of faith and Christian service ever to walk the earth, had this fear, and so should we. 
 Paul was highly sensitive to the potential consequences of his actions. He knew that Christians were no longer bound by the dietary laws of Moses, and that whatever he ate could not jeopardize his salvation. Yet Paul was careful not to do anything that a babe in Christ might perceive as sin, such as eating food known to be offered to idols (1 Corinthians 8:4-13), because that might cause the newly saved to stumble in his Christian walk (Romans 14:13). 
 Modern day examples might be drinking alcohol, indulging in off-color humor, or attending worldly entertainment. We can do all these without losing our salvation, yet they weaken our testimony to others and even cause them to be discouraged or to fall (2 Peter 3:17). There are consequences for them and for us, because we may lose our health, joy, peace, and opportunities for service. 
Every day we must fight the battle between our “old man,” or sin nature, who wants us to fall back in our sinful ways, and the new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15), who wants us to yield to the Holy Spirit by following and serving Jesus (Romans 6). We can refrain from sin only by yielding to the Holy Spirit within us, Who cannot sin (1 John 3:9).
When we do sin, breaking the commandments in thought or in deed (Matthew 5:28), as we do nearly daily by having a covetous, angry or lustful thought, it is because our old sin nature has momentarily won out over the Spirit (Romans 7:14-25). May we daily put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-13) to fight the devil and his traps luring us to lawlessness (1 Timothy 3:6-7), and praise God for the liberty He has given us in Christ!
© 2016 Laurie Collett

6 comments:

Frank E. Blasi said...

Dear Laurie,
Although you say this is a re-post from the archives, it's also good to see that it has a "clean" comments forum.
I agree with everything you have written here. We are saved by grace through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And as for eternal security, I'll say AMEN to that!
How we live our Christian lives does matter to God, since we are the only testimony, other than Creation itself, of God's existence and his efforts to reconcile us to himself.
As such, if Paul had asked the question:
CAN we sin that grace may abound?
Surprisingly, the answer to that is: Yes we can.
But he did not ask such a question. Instead he asked:
SHOULD we sin, that grace may abound? - which is a different question altogether. Indeed, God forbid!
As are are, I consider it to be a wonderful privilege to be shining lights by means of the Holy Spirit living within us.
An excellent post. God bless.

Laurie Collett said...

Dear Frank,
Thank you for your encouraging comment and Scripture references. We are not to test God by willfully sinning to give Him an opportunity to show His mercy, love and grace. But what a blessing that where sin abounds, His grace does much more abound! May we glorify Him by allowing His Spirit to shine through us.
God bless,
Laurie

Donald Fishgrab said...

Just as important today as when it was written Laurie.

Far roo many do not consider that every right also bears certain responsibilities. They must be exercised withing certain boundaries. The right to keep and ber arms does not give me a license to kill, and the right free speech does not give me the right to deny other people that right. I have a responsibility to protect other people's rights when I exercise mine. If I ignore my responsibility, I give up the liberty to exercise my rights.

Laurie Collett said...

Thanks, Donald! Great point, that with liberty comes responsibility. Many also fail to realize that what they claim as their right is in fact a privilege that should be granted only if certain conditions are met proving suitability, as in a license to drive or to marry. Thanks as always for sharing your insights.
God bless,
Laurie

Brenda said...

Hi Laurie,
I always think that there are many scriptures that encourage us to do what is right according to God's ways as we learn from the Holy Spirit's teaching, showing us that there is a vast difference between the carnal mind and the mind of Christ. I find the more I eat of my daily manna the more I want to walk in God's ways.
Romans ch. 8 v.1 says that:- 'There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.', and this is a very encouraging Word always to me to endeavour to walk according to the Spirit and not the flesh.
God bless you for sharing Laurie.

Laurie Collett said...

Amen, Brenda! May we feed daily on the living bread of His Word so that we follow the mind of Christ, and not yield to our sin nature. Thank you as always for your inspiring comment, and may God bless you too!
Laurie