Christian Liberty
What is Christian liberty? This question has been answered in many ways by many people. True Christian liberty is rarely exercised. The reason for this is that man has put his definition onto it and thus he thinks that he exercises it in his dealings with fellow Christians. There is a saying, "Perception is not always reality." If the basis or premise is wrong, then the perception or understanding is also wrong. If the perception is wrong then actions and conduct based on that perception will likewise be faulty.
Many translations substitute the word freedom in place of liberty. Jesus made two important statements in regard to freedom. We find these words recorded in John 8:31-32 & 36, "To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set youfree. So if the Son sets you free,you will be free indeed.’" Yes, Jesus and his teaching have set us free indeed. The Jews that believed on Jesus were freed from the bondage of the Law. Though this is true there is always the danger of allowing oneself to be drawn in again to another kind of bondage. Listen to the warning spoken by the Apostle Paul in Galatians 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." (NKJV) This danger is ever present in any Christian fellowship that does not exercise the spirit of true Christian liberty.
Why is our Christian liberty so often attacked by those who would take away our freedom in Christ? We would like to suggest that intolerance based on judgmental attitudes is often the cause. Legalism is exercised in many Christian fellowships rather than liberty. Legalism sets up its own rules of acceptability and anyone who does not agree or conform to them is judged to be out of step with the group and a danger to that beliefsystem. Legalism is a power play for control. The Pharisees were experts at legalism and went to the extreme to maintain their control and power over the people, even to having oursinless Savior -- Jesus Christ, crucified.
The following are some of the signs or indications that would identify the conditionsthat exist in a system ofspiritual bondage:
Members of a particular group try to get people to suppress their ability to critically analyze and instead to accept the teachings of its founder and those in positions of leadership.
Once a person has accepted the group, they are then isolated and discouraged from fellowshipping with any other Christians who do not believe as they do in some areas.
A religious cult is one where the religion --rather than God-- controls a person's life.
Personal works are stressed in order for one to be found acceptable to God and to the group.
“The earn as you go” philosophy places their future in the hands of their own ability to achieve, accomplish, and sacrifice and one is made to feel guilty if they do otherwise.
They are encouraged to take on the giving to get mentality.
There is often a position ofsuperiority manifested in the actions and words of those in the group towards those who might ask questions or challenge their beliefsystem.
The members of the group look down on others outside of their fellowship, stressing that they alone are special and are the only ones with whom God is working. It plays the us versus them game.
Any idea or thought expressed that is contrary to what has been taught by the group is considered an attack on their beliefsystem.
Passivity among its members is encouraged under the guise of its being humility.
Uniformity is put in place of unity. (Unity allows diversity.)
They believe that only members of theirspecial group have forsaken and sacrificed all to follow the Lord.
Attendance and involvement in the group's meetings, activities and works are used as a measure of one's faithfulness to God.
They live in their own world with their own set of rules and are unwilling to be with anyone who does not abide by these rules.
The founder's words are more often quoted than the Scriptures and are often used to clinch a point, being regarded as the convincing proof on the understanding of a topic.
The focus is based on the group's system of doctrinal beliefs rather than a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
The members of the group are convinced that only they have had special knowledge revealed to them.
Labeling and judging other religious groups to be Babylonish is commonly practiced.
The following is a list of Scriptures that will help us to get a true perception of Christian liberty:
(These will be quoted from the NKJV.)
2 Corinthians 3:17 - "Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."
Galatians 2:4 - "And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage)."
Galatians 5:13 - "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."
1 Corinthians 8:9 - "But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak."
1 Peter 2:15, 16 - "For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men -- as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God."
1 Corinthians 10:29 - "‘Conscience,’ I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man's conscience?"
James 1:25 - "But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does."
James 2:12 - "So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty."
What istrue Christian liberty and how isit exercised?
Liberty is defined as having freedom from slavery, exempt from obligations, and able to do as one pleases. Is this what we mean when we talk about Christian Liberty? The answer is yes, if applied in accordance with Christian principles. The Jews who believed in Jesus were freed from the bondage of the Law. They, along with us who are Gentiles, have been set free from the bondage of corruption, sin and death. The Jews who believe in Jesus are exempt from the obligations of the Law. We and they are no longer under the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2 states, "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (NKJV) We are able to do as we please as long as it is pleasing to God.
The following is Strong's enhanced definition according to Logossoftware:
# 1657 (Greek) eleutheria {el-yoo-ther-ee'-ah}
1) liberty to do or to omit things having no relationship to salvation
2) fancied liberty
2a) license, the liberty to do as one pleases
3) true liberty is living as we should -- not as we please.
Let us considersome of the texts mentioned earlier:
2 Corinthians 3:17 - "Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is,there is liberty. "
The Apostle is telling us that if liberty is being allowed, then the Spirit of God is working among those who are exercising this Christian liberty. Conversely, if liberty is not allowed, then the Spirit of the Lord is absent.
Galatians 2:4 - "And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage").
The Apostle is warning the Galatia church to beware of those Christian Jews who were trying to put4 their brethren back under the yoke of the Law. Even today, Christian legalists would like to impose the yoke of their rules and traditions upon their fellow Christians and thus bring them into bondage to their religious system.
Galatians 5:13 - "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."
Even though we have been set free from the law ofsin, this does not give us the license to do as we selfishly please if it is harmful to someone else. Our liberty should be exercised positively so that love and not just obligation will be the controlling factor.
1 Corinthians 8:9 - "But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak."
This text is much like the one above in that it tells us that we should be cautious in the exercise of our liberty so as not to stumble one who may not understand and may be weaker in faith. Again, liberty does not give us the license or freedom to selfishly do something that could hurt someone else.
1 Peter 2:15-16 - "For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men -- as free,yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God."
The Apostle is saying that we should be using our freedom and liberty in God's service in doing good so that our good deeds themselves will nullify any criticisms of those who oppose God's way.
1 Corinthians 10:29 - "...For why is my liberty judged by another man's conscience?
The Apostle Paul was being attacked by the legalists of his day. Apparently he was not conforming to their expectations or rules and they found fault with him. They were attempting to wrestle away from him hisliberty in Christ because his beliefs did not conform to their way of thinking. They wanted to impose their conscience upon him. This is still a great danger and a very common practice today among many Christian fellowships.
James 1:25 - ”But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does."
When liberty chooses to align itself with obedience to God's will, it will manifest itself in actions and works that are pleasing to God. The exercise of true liberty chooses not only to bless others, but it yields a blessing to all those who properly exercise it. The perfect law of liberty is always motivated by love, and love would not use liberty selfishly but always for the good of all.
We have a responsibility to our Lord Jesus who paid a great price that we could have this liberty. His death has set us free from all bondage. To live in bondage to sin is to nullify the grace of God. To live in bondage and be subject to Satan's wiles is to nullify the grace of God. To live in bondage to the dictates of any religious group or system is to nullify the grace of God. To live under the tyranny of trying to please others at all costs is nullifying the grace of God. To live under the constant demands of having to perform in order to earn and maintain God's love is bondage which nullifies the grace of God. To exercise true liberty and be loyal to the Lord alone will probably cost you much because you will be misunderstood by others as liberal loose and as one who has gone out of the truth! You might even be labeled as a heretic because you no longer will subject yourself to a system. Once we have5 accepted this liberty accorded us by God's grace, it will be something we must defend and even fight for in order to stand fast in it. Once you have it do not let anyone or anything take it from you! It is a gift of unconditional love to you from your Heavenly Father through His Beloved Son. Let us glorify and praise Him for such grace and love towards us in giving us "this glorious liberty of the children of God."
"How narrow is my love--Embracing my own kind--Those of the same mind--But to all others--blind- -How narrow is my love!
How narrow is my world--Just the house I’m in--Kin who dwell within--No one of different skin--How narrow is my world!
How wide is Thy world!-- Covering earth and sky and sea--How wide is Thy love! Covering sinnerslike me.
Oh God, help me grow to the height and depth of Thee!"
© 2012 CDMI – Free Bible Students