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)
ON THE OTHER HAND THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE OUT THIS LIFE
IN ALL ITS FULLNESS OR ABUNDANTLY AS JESUS DECLARED (JHN10:10).
LETS CONSIDER WHAT WE HAVE BEEN FREED FROM AS BELIEVERS....
A) LIBERTY FROM THE GUILT AND DOMINION OF SIN (ROM 8:1-4) V13 -15.
JESUS HAS DIED FOR OUR TRESPASSES AND SINS THEY ARE ALL FORGIVEN – WE NO LONGER LIVER UNDER CONDEMNATION – SIN HAS LOST ITS STRANGLE HOLD UPON OUR LIVES.
• IN DECEMBER 2009 I SPOKE WITH A LADY WITH A ROMAN CATHOLIC BACKGROUND SHE SPOKE OPENLY AND HONEST TO ME ABOUT HER OWN PERSONAL GUILT ABD BURDEN OF SIN IN HER LIFE – SHE SHARED HOW THE ORDINANCES OF HER CHURCH TRADITIONS (CONFESSION, MASS) COULD NEVER RELEASE HER AND BRING HER INTO TRUE LIBERTY ALL BECAUSE OF THE GUILT WITHIN AND THE DOMINION OF SIN IN HER LIFE.
B) LIBERTY FROM THE CURSE OF LAW (GAL 3: 10 - 13)
ALL PEOPLE WHO RELY ON LAW RATHER THAN CHRIST TO BE JUSTIFIED ARE UNDER A CURSE OF THE LAW (10) THE REALITY IS THAT JESUS AS REDEEMED US FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW BY BECOMING A CURSE FOR US UPON THE CROSS - THROUGH THIS WE RECEIVE THE BLESSINGS OF THE SPIRIT AND FAITH.
C) LIBERTY IN THE MIDST OF OUR AFFLICTIONS (ROM 8:28).
ROM 8:18 FOR I CONSIDER THAT THE SUFFERINGS OF THIS PRESENT TIME ARE NOT WORTH COMPARING WITH THE GLORY THAT IS TO BE REVEALED TO US.
A BELIEVER IS NEVER IMMUNE FROM SUFFERING OR TRAGEDY BUT THEY KNOW THAT THEY ARE UPHELD BY A GOD WHO IS IN SOVEREIGN CONTROL AND IN ALL SITUATIONS BELIEVERS WILL BE ENABLED BY THE GRACE AND MERCY OF GOD TO WITHSTAND THE ONSLAUGHT OF AFFLICTION BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT NOTHING IN THIS LIFE NOT EVEN DEATH WILL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE THEM FROM THE LOVE OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS.
THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE THE ANSWERS BUT LIKE (JOB19:25 -) FOR I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES, AND AT LAST HE WILL STAND UPON THE EARTH . AND AFTER MY SKIN HAS BEEN THUS DESTROYED, YET IN MY FLESH I WILL SEE GOD. THEY HAVE SOMEONE TO TURN TOO, THIS BRINGS LIBERTY!
D) DELIVERANCE FROM PRESENT EVIL WORLD (GAL1:4). JESUS DELIVERS US....
EVILS FORCES THAT AT WORK ALL AROUND OUR WORLD. (EVIL WORLD AL THAT IS OPPOSED TO GOD.)
BUT JESUS SETS US FREE NOT ONLY FROM OUR SINS BUT HE ALSO SETS US FREE FROM THIS PRESENT EVIL AGE -FROM BEING SLAVES TO THE WORLD - LIVING TO THE RUDIMENTS OF THIS WORLD BEING IMPACTED AND INDOCTRINATED TO ITS PHILOSOPHIES AND WAYS. WE SEE IT FOR WHAT IT REALLY IS...
• ( THE MATRIX – THROUGH MORPHUS AND OTHERS - NEO COMES TO SEE THE WORLD AS IT REALLY IS THE MATRIX CONTROLLED BY MACHINES - LIKE NEO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BORN AGAIN COME TO SEE OUR WORLD AS IT REALLY IS FALLEN – DECAYING - CONTROLLED BY THE DEVIL WHO PROWLS AROUND LIKE A ROARING LION SEEKING THOSE WHO HE MAY DEVOUR – THIS IS VERY MUCH HIS TIME – THIS IS VERY MUCH HIS END GAME.
E) LIBERTY FREE FROM THE WRATH TO COME
JESUS HAS SET US FREE FROM THE COMING JUDGEMENT OF GOD AND HIS WRATH WHICH WILL FOLLOW.
F) FREE FROM THE BONDAGE OF SATAN (ACTS 26:18) (COL 2:15)
FREE TO RESIST THE DEVIL AND HIS TEMPTATION AND THE BONDAGE AND DESTRUCTION THAT HE BRINGS INTO THE LIVES OF SO MANY WE SEE ALL AROUND US AND IN THE WORLD TODAY. JESUS HAS MADE A PUBLIC SPECTACLE OF THEM THROUGH HIS WORK ON THE CROSS HE HAS DISARMED THEM HE HAS STRIPPED THEM OF THEIR POWER OVER US IN HIM WE ARE LIBERATED.
• DEMONIC FORCES MIGHT BE ABLE TO POINT THE GUN - BUT THE GUN IS EMPTY OF ANY BULLETS THEY CANNOT HURT US ANYMORE JESUS HAS DISARMED THE GUN . THE DEVIL CANNOT ACCUSE US BEFORE GOD ANYMORE ( DEVIL – Gk DIABLOS- MEANS ACCUSER ,SLANDERER) (9). BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD ABOVE VERSE 2 READ OUT.....
G) VICTORY OVER DEATH AND HELL. (1THES 1:10)
IN HIM FRIENDS DEATH AS LOST ITS STING - DEATH IS A DOORWAY INTO HEAVEN - HELL IS NO LONGER ON OUR TO DO LIST - THESE ARE REALITIES TO THE BELIEVER YET TO AN UNBELIEVER THEY ARE UNKNOWN AND UNCHARTED WATERS (WHICH BRING GREAT UNCERTAINTY AND EVEN FEAR) BUT TO A BELIEVER THESE ARE CERTAINTIES TO OUR FAITH AND THEY BRING GREAT LIBERTY IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.
H) ACCESS TO GOD AS CHILDREN (ROM 8:15).
GOD HAS COME CLOSE IN CHRIST HE IS NO LONGER DISTANT AND REMOVED IN CHRIST WE HAVE FREE ACCESS TO HIM WE HAVE BECOME HIS CHILDREN. WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE LIBERTY TO LIVE OUT OUR LIVES PLEASING IN HIS SIGHT - WE HAVE REAL SECURITY AND A GREATER SENSE OF OUR OWN IDENTIFY WHERE AND TO WHOM WE BELONG TO A SENSE OF REAL PURPOSE. (OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS WITH US)
I) THE LIBERTY OF CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE (COL:2.20 - 3:3).
• A NEW LORD JAM:4:12.
JESUS IS LORD OF OUR LIVES NOT OURSELVES OR ANOTHER.
• A NEW ALLEGIANCE (ACTS. 4:18-19,5:29, EX 1:8-17 1COR 7:23, MATT15:9).
NOT UPON THE LAWS OF MAN WHICH ARE CONTRARY TO GOD’S WORD BUT TOWARDS GOD AND HIS WORD.
• A NEW DEPENDENCE (1COR 3:5 2COR 1:24)
NOT UPON OURSELVES BUT UPON GOD HIMSELF
J) THE LIBERTY OF CHRISTIAN CONDUCT
THE LIBERTY WE EXPERIENCE IN OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE AND CONSCIENCE WILL IN TURN EFFECT OUR CHRISTIAN CONDUCT IN LIVING OUT OUR LIVES WITHOUT DOUBT INTO OUR CONDUCT. ANY TRUE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST WILL BEGIN TO EMANATE OUT OF THEIR LIFE A NEW OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST WHICH WAS NEVER THERE BEFORE - BECOMING MORE LIKE JESUS -FOLLOWING IN HIS STEPS NOT OUT OF FEAR , BUT OUT OF LOVE. ULTIMATELY BECOMING A NEW CREATION WE SHALL SEE HIM FACE TO FACE AND WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM FOREVER IN ETERNITY UPON THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH.
IN ALL THESE THINGS CHRISTIAN HAS COMPLETE LIBERTY IN LIFE, CONSCIENCE AND CONDUCT AND TO TURN BACK TO THE OLD WAYS IS FOOLISH. I PRAY THAT EACH ONE OF WILL GROW IIN OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE – CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE AND CONDUCT AND KNOW THAT TURNING BACK INTO SLAVERY IS NOT AN OPTION FOR IN CHRIST WE ARE COMPLETE.
HOW COULD WE EVER TRADE ALL THIS IN FOR SOMETHING FAR INFERIOR WE HAVE ALL WE NEED AND MORE IN CHRIST JESUS, WE STAND COMPLETE IN HIM
463 CLOSING HYMN: MAY THE MIND OF CHRIST MY SAVIOUR
