"But
whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being
not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in
his deed." (James 1:25)
The idea of TRUE liberty and freedom can be confusing these days... especially with all the excesses and strange teachings going on.
Every person in this world wants freedom -- the problem is that most don't understand true freedom.
Today, in Churches, we have two false and opposing ideas concerning freedom.
1. Some false church teachings try to put us under the Law. Many denominations and leaders have not been able to deal with true freedom. They have come up with LOTS of useless rules. These rules allow for manipulation and control. Do this. Don't do that. etc. Legalistic mindsets try to take our freedoms away by dictating our choices.
The perfect law of liberty is a law that does not imprison us with useless rules and regulations. It sets us free from rigid and man-made confinements. When we are burdened by performance, achievement, or sin consciousness.
2. The other side of the pendulum exploits the truth of freedom in the opposite way. Love and freedom to them means that every person (regardless of their religion and lifestyle) is already a Christian. And... further... that there aren't really any rules.
Many think that "freedom" is a sort of a license so they could do anything they want to do - even if it is outside moral and ethical framework.
What is freedom for the Christian? Is it the right to live any way you choose and do whatever you want? Does it mean that your life choices don't matter? Should we really just all "do our own thing" because anything goes? Does freedom really mean that everyone is already "saved" no matter what they do, think, or choose?
What is most alarming about this liberal present move in the church is the diminishing of values, standards, moral principles, and ideals. This new influence of inclusive "Freedom" often flagrantly disregards ethical choices in the name of this false freedom. Consequently, many have become slaves of lawlessness, anarchy, and wantonness.
This free-thinking kind of freedom is artificial and false. It is the "spirit of this age" that too many follow -- it is the natural (old) man.
· "The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Cor. 2:14)
My friend, Godly freedom should cause us to desire to make right choices.
Freedom IS LAWFUL. It is not a license to sin.
If the Church is to survive, she must comprehend true Freedom and not embrace delusion, debasement, or corruption.
There are few things in life as important as "liberty." The writers of the Declaration of Independence stated that liberty is the unalienable right of all humanity.
Believers know that the Creator gave us "free will." We must remember that what was important to the Lord from the beginning was that believers would voluntarily "choose" to follow Him. God didn't make us a bunch of robots or automatons. He gave us the freedom to choose to love Him and serve Him.
Later, the codified Law came - The Law of Moses in the Old Testament. The Law was not able to forgive sins, but it was the holy and precious way given to keep God's people together and following the Lord. It "covered" sin and provided parameters and boundaries.
"I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free" (Psalm 119:32).
The Mosaic Law represents:
What DO I HAVE TO DO to please God?
It works from outside inward.
The New Testament eliminates that codified system of law. Differing from the Old, the greater Law of love and freedom is written on our hearts (Jeremiah 31.31).
True FREEDOM means we now can joyfully CHOOSE to do right things - not that we legalistically HAVE to do them.
There old law binds us and the new law liberates us. That is why the new law is both perfect and free.
The Spirit of LIFE in Christ Jesus has sets us free from the law of sin death. The law of liberty is the law of love. That is why it is "perfect!: It is a higher law. It is CHRIST Himself living in & through us. As us. For us. Through us.
Love is the fulfillment of the Old Law and the release of the NEW.
The New Law of freedom is that of Love:
I know that I already please God!
Perfect freedom works from inside OUT!
Christian freedom is about what Christ did for us and gave to us - He set us free! Freedom is the PERFECT LAW of the New Testament. It is already perfect (See Jms. 1:16-17, 21-22, 24-26, 3:1-3).
This perfect freedom came only by the sacrifice of Jesus. He alone gave the New Divine law to "liberate" humans from the consequences of the Fall by conquering both physical and spiritual death. When we accept this sacrifice, we are:
· Free from obligatory and unnecessary rituals and duties.
· Free from the law of sin and death.
· This redemption makes it possible for you to enjoy LIFE and live in the peace and presence of God's Spirit.
Since James was the most Hebraic writers of the New Testament, we can expect that he truly understood BOTH the Law and redemptive Freedom.
Let's look again at what James tells us, "But he who looks (catches a glimpse - to look at with head bowed forward) into the perfect (complete , mature, of full age, adult) law of liberty, and continues (to stay near, remain, be permanent, persevere, abide) therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this person shall be blessed in his deed" (Jms. 1:25).
Freedom = legitimate and moral liberty. Liberty (in the Greek), is defined as a loosening or lessening of pressure. The Greek always carries the thought of relief from tribulation or persecution; Josephus referred to the rest from plowing the field in the Year of Jubilee.
Look how James 1: 25 reads in the Message Bible, "But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God - the free life! - even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action."
You must (1) look into the Law of freedom, (2) act on it, and (3) not forget it.
There are consequences to every action. You are blessed if you act and don't forget.
Not being blessed sounds like a hard life to live!
Don't forget...
James goes on to say that freedom requires that we guide or bridle our tongue, remain pure from polluted religion, and help widows and orphans.
Importantly, those who become truly free will embrace righteous responsibilities and obligations realizing that living in freedom expands God's Kingdom as its own reward.
As you LOOK into this Law of Liberty, your New Man delights in Godly freedom. That doesn't mean to continue in sin - ("Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God" 1 Pet. 2:16). but to desire to do right. Keeping God's precepts becomes the highest kind of liberty.
...
James 1:22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves (NAS). The New American Standard Bible says if you only hear and don't do what you've heard, you are misleading yourself. This should motivate you to continue in what you hear.
Paul said that where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty (2 Cor. 3:17).
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you FREE, you will be free indeed" (Jn. 8:34-36).
Liberty is the gift of free moral agency to wisely choose to follow God and to share the Kingdom with others.
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us FREE. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love" (Gal. 5:1,13).
The idea of TRUE liberty and freedom can be confusing these days... especially with all the excesses and strange teachings going on.
Every person in this world wants freedom -- the problem is that most don't understand true freedom.
Today, in Churches, we have two false and opposing ideas concerning freedom.
1. Some false church teachings try to put us under the Law. Many denominations and leaders have not been able to deal with true freedom. They have come up with LOTS of useless rules. These rules allow for manipulation and control. Do this. Don't do that. etc. Legalistic mindsets try to take our freedoms away by dictating our choices.
The perfect law of liberty is a law that does not imprison us with useless rules and regulations. It sets us free from rigid and man-made confinements. When we are burdened by performance, achievement, or sin consciousness.
2. The other side of the pendulum exploits the truth of freedom in the opposite way. Love and freedom to them means that every person (regardless of their religion and lifestyle) is already a Christian. And... further... that there aren't really any rules.
Many think that "freedom" is a sort of a license so they could do anything they want to do - even if it is outside moral and ethical framework.
What is freedom for the Christian? Is it the right to live any way you choose and do whatever you want? Does it mean that your life choices don't matter? Should we really just all "do our own thing" because anything goes? Does freedom really mean that everyone is already "saved" no matter what they do, think, or choose?
What is most alarming about this liberal present move in the church is the diminishing of values, standards, moral principles, and ideals. This new influence of inclusive "Freedom" often flagrantly disregards ethical choices in the name of this false freedom. Consequently, many have become slaves of lawlessness, anarchy, and wantonness.
This free-thinking kind of freedom is artificial and false. It is the "spirit of this age" that too many follow -- it is the natural (old) man.
· "The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Cor. 2:14)
My friend, Godly freedom should cause us to desire to make right choices.
Freedom IS LAWFUL. It is not a license to sin.
If the Church is to survive, she must comprehend true Freedom and not embrace delusion, debasement, or corruption.
There are few things in life as important as "liberty." The writers of the Declaration of Independence stated that liberty is the unalienable right of all humanity.
Believers know that the Creator gave us "free will." We must remember that what was important to the Lord from the beginning was that believers would voluntarily "choose" to follow Him. God didn't make us a bunch of robots or automatons. He gave us the freedom to choose to love Him and serve Him.
Later, the codified Law came - The Law of Moses in the Old Testament. The Law was not able to forgive sins, but it was the holy and precious way given to keep God's people together and following the Lord. It "covered" sin and provided parameters and boundaries.
"I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free" (Psalm 119:32).
The Mosaic Law represents:
What DO I HAVE TO DO to please God?
It works from outside inward.
The New Testament eliminates that codified system of law. Differing from the Old, the greater Law of love and freedom is written on our hearts (Jeremiah 31.31).
True FREEDOM means we now can joyfully CHOOSE to do right things - not that we legalistically HAVE to do them.
There old law binds us and the new law liberates us. That is why the new law is both perfect and free.
The Spirit of LIFE in Christ Jesus has sets us free from the law of sin death. The law of liberty is the law of love. That is why it is "perfect!: It is a higher law. It is CHRIST Himself living in & through us. As us. For us. Through us.
Love is the fulfillment of the Old Law and the release of the NEW.
The New Law of freedom is that of Love:
I know that I already please God!
Perfect freedom works from inside OUT!
Christian freedom is about what Christ did for us and gave to us - He set us free! Freedom is the PERFECT LAW of the New Testament. It is already perfect (See Jms. 1:16-17, 21-22, 24-26, 3:1-3).
This perfect freedom came only by the sacrifice of Jesus. He alone gave the New Divine law to "liberate" humans from the consequences of the Fall by conquering both physical and spiritual death. When we accept this sacrifice, we are:
· Free from obligatory and unnecessary rituals and duties.
· Free from the law of sin and death.
· This redemption makes it possible for you to enjoy LIFE and live in the peace and presence of God's Spirit.
Since James was the most Hebraic writers of the New Testament, we can expect that he truly understood BOTH the Law and redemptive Freedom.
Let's look again at what James tells us, "But he who looks (catches a glimpse - to look at with head bowed forward) into the perfect (complete , mature, of full age, adult) law of liberty, and continues (to stay near, remain, be permanent, persevere, abide) therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this person shall be blessed in his deed" (Jms. 1:25).
Freedom = legitimate and moral liberty. Liberty (in the Greek), is defined as a loosening or lessening of pressure. The Greek always carries the thought of relief from tribulation or persecution; Josephus referred to the rest from plowing the field in the Year of Jubilee.
Look how James 1: 25 reads in the Message Bible, "But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God - the free life! - even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action."
You must (1) look into the Law of freedom, (2) act on it, and (3) not forget it.
There are consequences to every action. You are blessed if you act and don't forget.
Not being blessed sounds like a hard life to live!
Don't forget...
James goes on to say that freedom requires that we guide or bridle our tongue, remain pure from polluted religion, and help widows and orphans.
Importantly, those who become truly free will embrace righteous responsibilities and obligations realizing that living in freedom expands God's Kingdom as its own reward.
As you LOOK into this Law of Liberty, your New Man delights in Godly freedom. That doesn't mean to continue in sin - ("Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God" 1 Pet. 2:16). but to desire to do right. Keeping God's precepts becomes the highest kind of liberty.
...
James 1:22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves (NAS). The New American Standard Bible says if you only hear and don't do what you've heard, you are misleading yourself. This should motivate you to continue in what you hear.
Paul said that where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty (2 Cor. 3:17).
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you FREE, you will be free indeed" (Jn. 8:34-36).
Liberty is the gift of free moral agency to wisely choose to follow God and to share the Kingdom with others.
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us FREE. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love" (Gal. 5:1,13).
It's
all about the revealing of Christ in a people (Rom. 8:19)
No comments:
Post a Comment