Before you storm out of here in a huff casting accusations of being a Pharisee, consider what Christian 'liberty' means in scripture. And how you distinguish between legalism and holiness "without which no man shall see the Lord" (Heb.12:14)
1 Cor. 8:9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
1 Cor. 10:29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?
2 Cor.3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Gal. 2:4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
Gal.5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Gal.5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
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.
James 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
1 Pet.2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
What then is ‘this liberty of yours’; what is the nature of it? We hear the continual cry of the modern Christian that they have liberty to do this or that. But liberty from what; liberty to what we might ask? When we look at the verse right before Gal.5:1 we read this- “So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.” (4:31). Briefly, Paul through an allegory (4:24) is demonstrating that Abraham had 2 sons which would represent the 2 covenants in the allegory (v22). One was by the bondwoman and the other by the freewoman. These represented the old covenant, which genders to bondage (v24) because sin has dominion over those under the law (Rom.6:14), and the new covenant which brought liberty from sin and the law. Consider Paul’s explanation:
Rom.7:1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
So when we consider again Gal.5:1 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” we understand him to be saying that we are free from the bondage of the law. And this would agree with the Rom.7:1-6 account- that liberty is from the law and therefore sin.
Now this raises another firebrand of a topic- what are we referring to when we say the law? And deeper in this topic- which parts of the law of Moses do Christians establish and which do they set aside? We would do well to study closely Romans 6-8 and Galatians here; however this is outside our scope for now. But summarily Paul demonstrates that the law of sin (law- like a force operating in our flesh) has dominion over us because of the law of Moses.
Rom.7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
1 Cor.15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
But that there is another law placed in us at regeneration by the Holy Ghost and this is the law (the divine nature of God) of the Spirit of life.
Rom.8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Tit.2:11-12 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
And these 2 laws are warring against each other within the Christian:
Rom.7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
1 Pet.2:11 …abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
Gal.5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Rom.3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. (v31) Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
And because we are led by the Spirit under the law of the Spirit of life we are not under the law of Moses:
Gal.5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Gal.2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Gal.3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. v24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Now this created quite a disputation in the early Jewish dominated church:
Gal.2:4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
Act.15:1-2 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
v5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
The church was delivered from the condemnation and wrath of the law altogether and certain types and shadows given as a schoolmaster under Moses to lead them to Christ. Once Christ came those things are no longer binding to the conscience of the Christian- he is set free or given liberty from these things. Among these things were circumcision (Rom.2:28-9, 1 Cor.7:19) the sacrifices (Heb.10:1-22) the priesthood (Heb.7) unclean meats (1 Tim.4:3-5, Act.10:11-16) Sabbath days and feast days (Col.2:16-17, Rom.14:1-23, 1 Cor.5:7-8). Although the death of Christ brought deliverance from the condemnation of the law and the obligation of obeying certain laws that were types and shadows, the resurrection of Christ enables us to establish the other laws by walking in the Spirit. We walk in love which is the fulfilling of the whole law (Mt.22:36-40, Gal.5:14, Rom.13:8-10, Jam.2:8). So the Christian is free from the law and should not allow themselves to be entangled again with the yoke of bondage by having their consciences bound and feeling obligated to keep feasts, circumcision, sacrifices etc. But also the Christian is free from the power of sin– “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” (Rom.6:14) And so being liberated from the presence of sin by his grace we can serve God in newness of spirit, and by doing this we will do the things that the law reveals as the divine nature of God. For example, God gives life and mercy and he is love, and so a person walking in the Spirit will not murder. However this same person might “eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat… but only for the priests” (Mt.12:4) A person walking in the Spirit will not commit adultery or follow after covetousness. But a person walking in the Spirit mightbreak the Sabbath (Mt.12:1-5, Jn.5:17-18) as the priests who “in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless”. Because the former law is revealing the immutable divine nature of God, and the latter law was symbolic pointing to Jesus Christ, and once he came we do not need to be bound by it; although it is instructional doctrinally. The former laws never change because they are rooted in the nature of God, but the latter laws passed away (In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away. Heb.8:13) as the need passed after Christ fulfilled the law.
So this is the basic teaching in the New Testament. But what happens in practice is that some Christians who declare their liberty from the law with more zeal than knowledge will follow after worldly lusts defiling their conscience while thinking they are walking in liberty and freeing their consciences. But yet on the other side of the imbalanced Christian life are the ones overzealous for the laws that passed away who seek to bind men with a yoke upon their necks and desire to lord over them. And in the middle is the balanced Christian who rightly divides the scriptures as the word rightly divides them (2 Tim.2:15, Heb.4:12). He is slandered on the one hand by the worldly Christian as being too legalistic and judgmental. But then he is slandered on the other side by the legalistic Christian as being too lenient and liberal:
Matt.11:16-19 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
Truly the church is continually confronted with the Nicolaitanes on the one side or Jezebel and Balaam on the other.
And so while we hate the deeds and doctrines of the Nicolaitanes, we likewise want to contend for the faith against those who wish to turn the grace of God into lasciviousness (Jd.3-4). Those who think holiness is legalism. Who are conformed to this world and follow after the customs of the world “And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations” (Jer.7:10) As though God’s grace permits them to continue in sin instead of “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Tit.2:12). Liberty from sin and the law does not mean liberty to be unholy and worldly. God has called us unto holiness (1 The.4:7). “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.”(Rom.6:22) “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” (Heb.12:14). God chastens us “that we might be partakers of his holiness.” (Heb.12:10) “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Cor.7:1)
So let’s guard our hearts from becoming inflamed by worldly lusts under a pretext of ‘Christian liberty’ and blindly walking after the course of this world, learning the ways of the heathen.
But another consideration is the spiritual maturity of each Christian. We have newborns (1 Pt.2:2), babes (1 Cor.3:3), children, young men and fathers (1 Jn.2:12-13) each able to bear a greater burden as they grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Pt.3:18). Let’s consider the judgment of the early church in agreement with the Holy Ghost concerning the newborn Gentile believers.
Acts 15:23-29 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
1 The.4:9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
Heb.8:11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
Here is an interesting passage of scripture (Acts 15). The early church when confronted with the question of whether Gentiles should be obligated to keep the law of Moses they basically came to agree with Peter’s words (v8-11) “And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.” One interesting thing is that they tell the Gentiles not to eat meats offered to idols. This is a liberty Paul later says Christians have (Rom.14, 1 Cor.8, 10). Another interesting thing is that there isn’t much else mentioned by way of restrictions. Now if you haven’t understood the first part of our discussion on liberty and the law of the Spirit of life you will have trouble here. The Nicolaitane influenced believer will follow the “certain men which came down from Judaea” (v1) who desire to bring into bondage the liberated. And the Jezebel/ Balaam influenced believer will conclude that there are no requirements other than love each other; and of course ‘loving’ here means not expecting any standards of holiness with other believers.
The Spirit led children of God will grow into liberty from legalistic bondage as well as liberty from sin and the worldly lusts into the beauties of holiness. The new covenant permits all of God’s people to ascend upon the mount and receive the pattern for worship- which is in spirit and truth. Not a different or contrary pattern to other believers as there is no contradiction with God- but the same Spirit is given to every believer to guide them into all truth. Notice what the apostle tells the little children:
“But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.”- 1 Jn.2:27-8
This is what Moses desired in his day “would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!” (Num.11:29) And so “they were all filled with the Holy Ghost” (Ac.2:4) as the Lord had said “I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy” (v17-18).
God desires his people to be free from sin and free from the yoke of any bondage to serve him freely (not be brought under the power of anything- 1 Cor 6:12) in newness of spirit (Rom.7:6), from faith to faith, not of constraint, not for pretense, just fully persuaded in their own minds as they seek to stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
Now this will account for some variation among Christians of differing spiritual maturity at diverse times in their lives. But ultimately having the same spirit of faith they will all come to the knowledge of the same truth by the selfsame Spirit. And so Paul instructs us to deal one with another in humility and love which is the bond of perfectness; following after whatsoever is true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of a good report with virtue and praise (Phil.4:8). And in these thoughts Paul instructs us to receive other brethren in the Lord even if there is disagreement on minor issues. Not major teachings like the gospel (Gal.1:9, 2 Cor.11:3-4, Tit.3:10) or damnable heresies (2 Pt.2:1) turning God’s grace into lasciviousness (Jd.4); but on less important things like what day you choose to rest or assemble in Christ’s name, or the eating of meats (Rom.14). For while Paul knew and was persuaded by the Lord Jesus (v14) that a Christian was free from the law and could eat whatsoever creature of God (1 Tim.4:3-5, Gen.9:3) or esteem everyday as equally the Lord’s (v5). But if someone was weaker and did not have the same measure of faith, then it would be a sin unto them as they lacked the faith- for ‘whatsoever is not of faith is sin’ (v23).
Yet even here we still have those carnally minded who are seeking for an occasion to justify their own worldly lusts saying they are free to ‘learn the way of the heathen’ and ‘be conformed to this world’. They say ‘all things are lawful’ and categorically include whatever particular ‘thing’ inflames their carnal mind. But we ask these brethren, does Paul include loving the world and the things that are in the world when he says all things are lawful? Obviously not (Rom.12:2, 1 Jn.2:15-7, Jam.4:4). Does he mean we are lawless when he declares that we are not under the law? God forbid- being not without law to God but under the law to Christ (1 Cor.9:21). Be free indeed!
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