Article 21 Christian Liberty And Liberty Of Conscience Series

ARTICLE 21. CHRISTIAN LIBERTY AND LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE

TODAY WERE LOOKING AT THE CHRISTIAN LIBERTY IN LIFE CONSCIENCE AND CONDUCT AS FOUND IN ARTICLE 21 OF THE BAPTIST CONFESSION OF FAITH 1689.

OUR CHRISTIAN LIBERTY IS CENTRED UPON CHRIST AND IS EFFECTIVE THROUGH THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST APPLIED TO OUR LIVES (THROUGH REPENTANCE AND FAITH –WE BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD). IN CHRIST WE HAVE RECEIVED NEW LIBERTIES WE NEVER NEW EXISTED BEFORE . A LIBERTY IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD -A LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE – A NEW LIBERTY TO LIVE OUT A LIFE WHICH IS PLEASING TO GOD. BUT WE MUST BE VERY CAREFUL BECAUSE WE COULD BECOME PRONE TO TRADE IT ALL IN FOR SOMETHING FAR INFERIOR (AS WE SEE SO OFTEN).

PAUL WARNS HERE IN THE LETTER TO COLOSSAE CHURCH. TO GIVE IT ALL UP - TO BE DUPED INTO SOMETHING WHICH HAS THE APPEARANCE OF BEING LIBERATING BUT ITS ACTUALLY A TRAP. IT SO EASILY HAPPENS YOU SEE PEOPLE WHO ONCE WALKED WITH GOD BUT HAVE TRADED IT IN FOR SOMETHING ELSE WHICH THEN HOLDS THEM CAPTIVE TO THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THIS WORLD. (PHILOSOPHICAL IDEAS - SPIRITUAL INSIGHTS – MATERIAL GAINS – SENSUAL PLEASURES ). THESE THINGS CLAIM TO OFFER GREATER KNOWLEDGE, SPIRITUAL TINSIGHT, EARTHLY SECURITY AND PLEASURES BUT WHAT THEY BRING IS A TRAP TO THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THIS WORLD.

TIME AND TIME AGAIN THE APOSTLE PAUL HAD TO WRITE TO THE EARLY CHURCH WARNING THEM OF FALSE TEACHERS AND ERRORS THAT WERE TRYING TO GET A FOOTHOLD IN THE EARLY CHURCH.

• THE CHURCH AT COLOSSAE NO DIFFERENT

• WARNING ABOUT DECEPTIVE TEACHING 2:4-8.

• SUPPORT PACKAGE IN CHRIST 2:9-15.

• ADDITIONAL WARNINGS 2:16-23.

THESE FALSE TEACHERS WERE TAKING PEOPLE CAPTIVE DELUDING THEM THROUGH PLAUSIBLE ARGUMENTS (4) SHALLOW PHILOSOPHIES, EMPTY DECEIT (2:8) AND HUMAN TRADITIONS SPIRITS OF THIS WORLD. HE TELLS THE BELIEVERS TO HOLD FAST TO CHRIST, NOT TO LET ANYONE PASS JUDGEMENT UPON THEM IN REGARD TO JEWISH OBSERVANCES (16-17) . HE GOES ON TO WARN AGAINST ASCETICISM – THE WORSHIP OF ANGELS – PERSONAL VISIONS WHICH CAME FROM PUFFED UP INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT ANY REASON BUT WITH A SENSUOUS MIND (18). THESE INDIVIDUALS WERE OFFERING SOMETHING SUPERIOR BUT IN REALITY WERE TAKING BELIEVERS CAPTIVE AND TAKING THEM AWAY FROM THE LIBERTY AND FREEDOM THEY HAVE ‘IN CHRIST.’

• TO MANY PROFESSING CHRISTIANS LEAVE CHRIST AND OUR CHURCHES FOR WHAT? FOR ANYTHING AT ALL THAT THIS WORLD HAS TO OFFER? IS LIKE BEING DUPED BY A DODGY CAR SALESMAN INTO TRADING IN YOUR TOP OF THE RANGE ROLLS ROYCE FOR A CLAPPED OUT ROBIN RELIANT, YOU WERE PROMISED SO MUCH FROM THE SALESMAN – BUT IN REALITY YOU RECEIVE SO LITTLE, IN FACT A HEAP OF RUBBISH.

PAUL EMPHASIS THE ALL SUFFICIENCY OF BEING ‘IN CHRIST’ IN THIS CHAPTER ALONE HE SAYS,

A) 2:3 IN WHOM ARE HIDDEN ALL THE TREASURES OF WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE. (DON’T BE DELUDED, BY PLAUSABLE ARGUMENTS )

B) 2:6 YOU HAVE RECIEVED THE LORD JESUS SO WALK IN HIM , 2:7 ROOTED AND BUILT UP IN HIM . (DON’T FOLLOW SHALLOW PHILOSOPHIES, EMPTY DECEIT (2:8) AND HUMAN TRADITIONS. OR THE SPIRITS OF THIS WORLD)

C) 2:9 IN HIM ALL THE FULLNESS OF THE DEITY DWELLS BODILY

D) 2:10. YOU HAVE BEEN FILLED IN HIM.

E) 2:11. YOU WERE CIRCUMCISED IN HIM.

F) 2:12 IN HIM WE WERE BURIED AND RAISED UP.

G) 2:13. IN HIM MADE ALIVE TOGETHER WITH HIM.

H) 2:15. IN HIM TRIUMPHING OVER ALL THE RULERS AND AUTHORITIES IN HIM.

CHRIST IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN BRING US INTO TRUE LIBERTY OF LIFE - OF CONSCIENCE AND CONDUCT. I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THE LIBERTY OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.

A) THE PSEUDO -LIBERTY OF THE UNBELIEVER

MANY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD TODAY THINK THEY HAVE LIBERTY AND FREEDOM OF LIFE AND UPON THE SURFACE IT APPEARS THEY DO - AFTER ALL WE LIVE IN A DEMOCRACY – WE ALL HAVE HUMAN RIGHTS - ON THE WHOLE WE ARE FREE TO LIVE A LIFE AS WE SEE FIT, WE CAN DO WHAT WE WANT , WHEN WANT, HOW WE WANT, WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF A CHANGING MAN MADE LAWS.

WE ARE FREE TO FOLLOW ANY PHILOSOPHY – RELIGION – IDEOLOGY - WE ARE FREE TO CHOSE OUR OWN MORAL COURSE OM THE WHOLE WE ARE FREE TO DO AS WE PLEASE.

THERE IS A REAL SENSE OF LIBERTY IN OUR CULTURE TODAY – PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES, BUT IN REALITY OUTSIDE OF CHRIST PEOPLE ARE NOT FREE AT ALL THEY ARE ACTUALLY HELD IN A DEEP BONDAGE, BY THEIR OWN DEPRAVITY , BY THE RULER OF THIS WORLD.

• WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING IT – THEY ARE TERMINALLY ILL - HELD CAPTIVE BY THEIR SICKNESS WHICH HAS BECOME THE NORM.

1. THE LIBERTY OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE (V6-7) (V9-15)