The Abuse Of Liberty Leads To Bondage

The Abuse of Liberty Leads to Bondage

by Pastor Tim Gresham

Text: John 8:31-32

Freedom – A state of exemption from the power or control of another; liberty; exemption from slavery, servitude or confinement. Freedom is personal, civil, political, and religious.

Liberty – 1. Freedom from restraint, in a general sense, and applicable to the body, or to the will or mind. The body is at liberty, when not confined; the will or mind is at liberty, when not checked or controlled. A man enjoys liberty, when no physical force operates to restrain his actions or volitions.

2. Natural liberty, consists in the power of acting as one thinks fit, without any restraint or control, except from the laws of nature. It is a state of exemption from the control of others, and from positive laws and the institutions of social life. This liberty is abridged by the establishment of government.

I. Remember When You Were a Slave

Turn to Ephesians 2

A. We were bound by our sins.

Cp Proverbs 5:21-23 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins. He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

B. We were taken captive at the devil’s will.

Paul, by inspiration of the Holy Ghost, gave a young preacher instruction on pasturing he said:

Cp 2 Timothy 2:25-26 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

II. Remember the One Who Set You Free

Turn to Hebrews 2:14-15

A. The Truth shall make you free.

Cp John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Cp Romans 6:17-19 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness …even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

B. Jesus delivered us from Bondage.

Cp Romans 8:1-4, 21 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

III. Do Not Abuse Your Liberty

Turn to Galatians 5:13

A. The abuse of your liberty can cause a sinner to stumble

Cp 1 Corinthians 8:9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.

B. The abuse of your liberty is using it as a means of rebellion

Cp 1 Peter 2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

C. Mankind is sinful by nature and will use any excuse to get away with our transgressions.

Cp Romans 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Cp Romans 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

IV. How Americans Are Abusing Liberty and Returning to Bondage

You’ve heard before. You might have even said it a time or two. It describes the ideals of most westerners.

“I can do as I please, It’s a free country.”

A. “I have the freedom of choice. I can choose to end this pregnancy.”

The 6th commandment

Cp Exodus 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.

The Hebrew word for kill in this text is ratsach raw-tsakh’

a primitive root; properly, to dash in pieces, i.e. kill (a human being), especially to murder:--put to death, kill, (man-)slay(-er), murder(-er).

It’s amazing that the liberal will use this verse to rally against war or the use of force by our government and yet, the same liberal will insist that the right to choose to murder an unborn child is a fundamental right!