True Liberty

True Liberty

There is nothing that is more misunderstood than Christian liberty. We have no reason to doubt that we are called to liberty, but what this liberty consists of and what it does not include is and remains the great question.

There are quite a few widely different opinions about this, and therefore I have it on my heart to write this article to clarify what true Christian liberty is.

In contrast to this true liberty to which we are called, all else can be called false liberty or bondage.

I. Liberty From Committing Sin

John 8:31-36

Sinning, or committing sin, is doing what you know beforehand is against God’s Word and will. It is falling in temptation. It is perfectly clear from this text that Christ will liberate us entirely from sinning! This is the same as living a victorious life. We cannot imagine a more glorious liberty than always being victorious! Never sinning! The opposite of being set free is bondage, and Jesus’ word is: “Whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.”

II. Freedom From the Old Man, From Our Self According to the Flesh

Romans 6:6; Galatians 2:20, 5:24, 6:14

All conscious sin originates from the old man. The usual thing is for a person to sin and receive forgiveness for having sinned, which he can do for as long as he lives. The old man continues to live just the same, and therefore he is also active, and the person commits sin after sin. Many people speak about their old man as if they took it for granted that he is alive and will always continue to live. In other words, they think and speak in utter disbelief of the Word that tells us that our old man was crucified with Christ. By faith in this Word it is possible for us to be rid of our old man and thereby his works (which the Bible calls “works of the flesh”) forever. Gal. 5:19. Glorious liberty! Glorious life of victory!

III. You Were Bought at a Price; Do Not Become Slaves of Men

1 Corinthians 7:23

It is utterly unworthy of us to be slaves of men, letting others lord it over us. Sirach says, “Let neither wife nor child nor brother have power over you as long as you live.” Glorious liberty! Freedom from being lorded over by others, freedom from their dictatorship!

This is a very important chapter! It happens often that an individual succumbs to the domination of another person. The one has a strong personality while the other is a weakling. The weaker person would like to be helped, and the stronger person likes to help. However, instead of this being done in a Christian way, it often results in the one lording it over the other to such an extent that it appears as if the one is the master and the other one is the master’s hound. It was once my lot to contribute to the true liberation of a God-fearing sister from her mistress. This was a wonderful and glorious experience that liberated the soul who became a truly precious sister in the Lord.

One of man’s sinful tendencies is wanting to be dominated. He kind of gets by more easily that way by letting another person make the decisions. In both cases the person is ruled over by sin. Our glorious calling is to be free indeed, free from being and free from becoming other people’s slaves.

Not only can one person dominate another, such people can even presume to be lord and ruler of an entire assembly. It even happens that either a single woman or a married woman can be a dictator of an entire assembly or even over an entire organization that includes many assemblies, which is the strongest possible contradiction to the clear words of Scripture.

There is also a particularly deceptive and shocking manner in which God’s people can be dominated; namely by the misuse of prophecies or tongues with interpretation, by interpreting one’s personal wishes instead of bringing a message from God. So many people are so naïve and ignorant of the words of Scripture that they do not dare to think of the possibility that something could be wrong with a prophecy in Jesus’ name. Instead of testing what has been said, as the Scriptures clearly instruct, they bow blindly to anything that is uttered simply because it has been said in Jesus’ name.

This is how one can be caught and bound by anything. There is no end to what people are willing to be dictated by, even if it is contrary to the words of Scripture.

All in all, people are completely helpless and fall prey to just about anything because they are not grounded in the Scriptures.

IV. “Nor As Being Lords Over Those Entrusted to You.”

1 Peter 5:3

This is indeed a glorious liberty, free from dominating other people. It is just as bad to lord it over others as it is to be lorded over by them. It is good to let the light shine, and it is especially good to exhort people to that which is good. However, we must abstain completely from ruling over them. Every individual must be perfectly free to make his own decisions. We must show absolute respect for this liberty.

V. Liberty to Do as Much Good as You Want To

James 1:25, 2:12

This is also a cherished and glorious liberty, liberty to revel in doing good. You are permitted to give and serve as much as you want of all that is yours. Imagine if that were prohibited! Then all those who really love to do good with all their hearts would feel as if they were in a straightjacket; they would be in painful bondage. God be praised for this glorious liberty! Sin is the great hindrance. Things go full-steam ahead when the hindrance is removed.

VI. Liberty to Serve in the Assembly

2 Corinthians 3:17; 1 Corinthians 14:26

The failure in this area is practically complete in churches and assemblies all over the world. All in all, it is difficult to find a single assembly on earth where this liberty is present and is practiced in its entirety. This is a shameful blight on so-called Christendom, and there is no excuse whatsoever because the words of Scripture are sufficiently clear. We also see in Ephesians 4 that all the saints shall be perfected for the work of ministry instead of being pew fillers as they are now. The point is: should this ministry be practiced, many false ministries would arise. And if the leaders lacked wisdom, love, longsuffering, and forbearance, they would not be able to bear all these imperfections and deviations and neither would they be able to help and correct these straying souls. Consequently, there is nothing left for them to do—if they did not come into need over their deficiencies—than to muzzle and forbid all liberty, which is what has usually been done thoroughly almost everywhere.

This is how churches and pastors have arisen instead of members of the body of Christ who mutually serve each other. It is shameful and scandalous to muzzle or exclude the liberty and opportunities for growth that Christ has gained for us.