Christian life is to be characterized by liberty. Through the gospel of Jesus Christ we receive freedom from sin, freedom from the law, and freedom to act as we will in non-moral matters. We follow “the law of liberty,” which means freedom to do God’s will and to obey His Word (James 1:25; 2:12).In no case does Christian liberty give us license to commit sin, violate God’s Word, or gratify the lusts of the flesh. Furthermore, our exercise of Christian liberty must always be regulated by four questions: (1) Can I glorifyGod in this activity? (2) Is this activity detrimental physi- cally,. mentally, or spiritually? (3) Can this activity gain mastery over me and bring me under its control? (4) Is this activity a stumbling block to another believer or to an unbeliever? These guidelines even extend to things morally neutral or innocent in themselves.If the Bible condemns a practice either specifically or in principle, then we must obey. If the four basic guidelines for exercise of Christian liberty point to a certain course of action, then again we obey. If an issue is morally neutral and the four guidelines do not define a certain response, we apply the teaching of Romans 14. We must grant liberty to others and not treat our private convictions as gospel. We must not impose our tradition, preferences, or habits upon others and condemn them as sinners if they do not conform. The participator should not despise the abstainer and the abstainer should not condemn the participator, but everyone should avoid contention, seek peace, and seek to edify. No one should judge another in the matter, but each must be true to his own convictions.When we implement the concept of Christian liberty, we will find that it does not detract from but rather it enhances holiness teaching. It is the biblical alternative to legalism. A mature understanding of our liberty in Christ will motivate us to live a holy life worthy of the freedom given to us. Christian liberty will lead to a life of greater holiness, because it enables us for the first time to submit voluntarily to the will of God. Liberated from the bondage of sin and the law, we freely choose to obey the Word of God. (From Practical Holiness - A Second Look, by D.K. Bernard)
Posted on: Thu, 24 Apr 2014 13:48:31 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015