HOW TO ACT AS A FREEMAN
1 PETER 2:15-17
For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. (ESV)
Introduction: Independence Day for the believer is the day that they turned their heart over to the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ said that when one comes to Him they are truly free. Some see this freedom as license; but true freedom has its constraints. Liberty is not the right to do as we want but the opportunity to do what is right. Let us consider how we such act as freemen.
I. Exhibit Self Control
A. “Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil…”
B. A company advertising brakes came up with the slogan: "Without control, there can be no freedom." Self-control is using your brakes (saying "no") in order to keep your freedom. - Kent Crockett’s Sermon Illustrations, ww.kentcrockett.com
C. Galatians 5:13 “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
D. British statesman Edmund Burke argued, "men are qualified for civil liberty in exact proportion to their disposition to put moral chains on their own appetites. Society cannot exist unless a controlling power upon will and appetite be placed somewhere, and the less of it there is within, the more there is without. It is ordained in the eternal constitution of things that men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters." Imprimis, Vol. 20, No. 9.
E. 1 Corinthians 6:12 “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”
F. William Arthur Ward said, “"He loves his country most who values integrity above influence, conscience above criticism, freedom above favor, morality above money, character above comfort, principle above popularity, loyalty above license, greatness above glory, self-control above self-indulgence, and effort above ease.”
II. Respect Others
A. Honor everyone.
B. The definition of respect is the acknowledgement that someone or something has value.
C. Romans 13:7 “Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.”
D. How to show respect
1. Be attentive to what they are saying.
2. Be fair toward the other person. Don’t unfairly pre-judge another person or their views.
3. Give them time to say what it is they want to say.
4. Be sensitive to their thoughts and feelings.
5. Treat others with the same respect with which you hope they treat you
E. Abraham Lincoln respected people from many different backgrounds. During the Civil War, he met Union soldiers and their families from all walks of life. He showed respect to poor widows and to Supreme Court justices. Perhaps most impressive is that he respected the Confederates who were his enemy. In 1865, after he had been elected for another term, he gave his second inaugural address. It is one of his most famous speeches. In it he urged Americans to have “charity towards all, malice towards none.” – copied
F. Luke 6:31 “And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.”
III. Love the Body of Christ
A. Love the brotherhood.
B. The Amplified Bible paraphrases this portion of verse 17 as “Love the brotherhood (the Christian fraternity of which Christ is the Head).”
C. 1 Corinthians 8:9 “… beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.”
D. We are to walk in love which necessitates us strong to limit our freedom at points when failure to do so will hurt weaker believers.
E. “For love never disregards weak consciences. Love limits its own liberty out of respect for them. For to wound a weaker brother’s conscience is not only to distress him but to ‘destroy’ him, and that is totally incompatible with love.” (John Stott, Romans, p. 365)
F. “Liberty is wonderful, but love is even greater.” - (Douglas Moo, Romans NIVAC, p. 468)
G. As free in Christ we are to walk in love. Walking in love does not allow me to harm my brother by letting my liberty cause my brother to stumble.
H. Romans 13:10 “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”
I. Hebrews 13:1 “Let brotherly love continue.”
IV. Revere God
A. Fear God.
B. Hebrews 12:28 “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
C. Reverence is a respectful, submissive attitude of mind resulting in affection and esteem for the person to which it is directed.
D. True reverence manifests itself in actions.
E. Malachi 1:6a “A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence...”
F. When the Bible talks about fearing God, it’s not just talking about a sense of awe. It is talking about fear. - A.W. Tozer said: In the old days, people of faith were said to walk in the fear of God and to serve the Lord with fear. Wherever God appeared to people in Bible times, the results were an overwhelming sense of terror and dismay, a wrenching sensation of sinfulness and guilt. The self-assurance of modern Christians, the shocking disrespect shown for the Person of God are evidence of deep blindness of heart. – copied
G. We fear men so much because we fear God so little. - William Gurnall.
V. Practice Good Citizenship
A. Honor the emperor.
B. "If you are a Christian, you are not a citizen of this world trying to get to heaven; you are a citizen of heaven making your way through this world" – Vance Havner
C. 1 Peter 2:13 “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme”
D. Our Responsibility as Citizens of the Kingdom of God is to be good citizens here on earth.
1. We are to recognize and accept that the powers that be are ordained by God.
• Romans 13:1 “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.”
2. We are to pay our taxes.
• Romans 13:7 “Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.”
3. We are to pray for our governmental leaders.
• 1 Timothy 2:1-3 “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior”.
