CHAPTER 21: Of Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience
(Parts Three and Four)
The greatest Christian liberty is that we have complete liberty (freedom) from everlasting damnation. In the short span of time during which our Lord suffered and died on the cross, He received all the damnation deserved by all the people He came to save. Think about it. Each person for whom Christ died deserves damnation that is infinite both in intensity and duration. Multiply that infinite double damnation by the number who will be saved. That is a whole lot of damnation! Here the miracle gets even more mind-numbing. Jesus received all of that in a relatively short span of time, whether in the moment of His death, or during the three hours He hung on the cross.
If all the force of all the water in all the oceans of the world were poured out at once, how much force would there be? But what if all the water from all the oceans of the world were forced through a small opening in a high pressure nozzle? That illustration is a finite picture of the infinite magnitude and force of the way our Savior experienced the wrath due those He came to save.
No matter what else happens in our lives, if our sins are forgiven by Jesus Christ we are free from eternal damnation. That sounds like something worth praising God for, don’t you think?
(Part Four)
Consider two Christian liberties God has given to all of His children. First, those who are “in Christ” have free access to the throne of Almighty God—any time. It is sad that so many, even many Christians, fail to comprehend what a blessing that is. Consider Isaiah 59:2, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” Sin demolishes all access to God.
But because of Jesus, access to God is not only provided, but according to Hebrews 4:16 we are encouraged now to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” While we fear God in the sense of reverence, we need not fear that God will ever do His children any harm.
Second, because we are no longer slaves to sin (John 8:32-36), believers are free to obey God. Our freedom to obey is not an obedience motivated by a slavish fear of God’s wrath. It is an obedience motivated by a child-like love, overwhelming gratitude, and a willing mind.
As Jesus said in John 8:36, “if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”
More on our liberties in Christ next time…