CHAPTER 21: Of Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience
(Parts One and Two)
The Bible clearly teaches that Christians are not under the law but under grace (Romans 6:14). What does that mean? Some insist that since we are “no longer under the law,” we are no longer subject to obey God’s law. Is that so? Are we really free to murder, covet, and commit adultery since we are Christians? Hardly. So being “no longer under the law” cannot mean that.
Some misuse this biblical truth to dismiss the Old Testament, either in whole or in part. If one does that, what does one do with the myriad of quotations and allusions to the Old Testament scriptures in the New Testament? And what of Jesus’ clear teaching that He “did not come to do away with the law but to fulfill it,” while pronouncing a curse on those who teach otherwise (Matthew 5:17-19)? Not being under the law doesn’t mean that either.
What it does mean is simply this: Christians, whose sins are forgiven, are no longer under the condemnation of the law (Romans 8:1). Why? Jesus took that condemnation for those He came to save.
Furthermore, being born again and filled with the Spirit, we are empowered to live lawful lives (see 1 John 5:4-5). We are not saved by our obedience. We are saved by Christ’s obedience, but once saved, we are to live lawfully rather than sinfully.
We have no liberty of conscience to disobey the commands of God.
(Part Two)
In addition to being liberated from the condemnation of the Law (Romans 6:14, 8:1), another aspect of Christian liberty is that we are liberated from bondage to sin (Romans 6:6-7, 16-18). Yes, we still feel the pull of sin, but when we are born again, we no longer have to sin. We do it willingly. We do it because we choose to sin. The good and liberating news is that we do not have to.
A second aspect of our liberty in Christ is that we are free from bondage to the devil. The scripture is clear that Satan has a measure of authority over the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 2:1-3). His is a delegated and limited authority. He can only do what God allows for the accomplishment of God’s purposes (Job 1:12) but the devil has authority—until we are saved. After that, we are free!
A third aspect of Christian liberty: We are free from the fear and the sting of death (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). As mortals, we still experience physical death. But we are completely liberated from spiritual death, the wrath of God, or what Revelation 20:11-15 calls the “second death” in a “lake of fire.” Because of that, while we still may have certain apprehensions about how we will die physically, we have Christ’s iron-clad assurance that if we believe in Him, we “shall never die” [spiritually] (John 11:25-26). That liberty is the ticket to fearlessness in death.
More on our liberties in Christ next time…