Freedom In The Perfect Law Of Liberty

James 1: 22-25 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. (ESV)

The perfect law of liberty. What a description for the gift that we have in the Word of Almighty God. In our country we like to talk about freedom but we really do not grasp the concept very well from an eternal standpoint. There is no true freedom in this world. The Bible says that the world is bondage and darkness. The world takes a concept such as freedom and turns it into issues such as reproductive rights and marriage equality. The freedom to do what you want with your body despite the life growing within it. The freedom to marry whom you please, regardless of the design of God. These are just a microcosm however of the type of freedom the world believes in every day. Like anything else outside of God, it becomes distorted. It will appear logical and sane to the non-believer because as the Bible explains; they simply do not understand God:

We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1Corinthians 2: 12-14 (NIV)

It never ceases to amaze me though when Christians act surprised when the world behaves like the world. This week New York State became the sixth state to legalize gay marriage. Let me assure you. God knew it was going to happen. God was not surprised. God is still on the throne. To the world, this act was an act of liberty. To them the things of God are foolishness. Yet still the church gets it so wrong sometimes. We spend our time and resources railing against a world that does not understand what we are saying. The world does not need the morality of Christianity; they need the love of Christ. We do this with our lives before our words. It is our lives that should direct them to the path that leads to the foot of Calvary's cross. Because true freedom is found at the foot of the cross. True liberty is birthed there. In the world we did not know. We did not understand but now we have the blueprint in the Bible and the translator we so desperately were lacking in the Holy Spirit. As we celebrate Independence Day this year, let us reflect on what true freedom is and where it comes from. It does not come from our government or even our country. It comes from our Creator. It is found in His Word. The perfect law of liberty.

First it is perfect. The dictionary defines perfect as; "complete beyond practical or theoretical improvement." The Word of God is complete beloved. There is nothing missing from it. Nothing will change it. Nothing needs to be added to it. The world changes with each shifting of the sand and blowing of the wind but God's Word has remained complete and intact for centuries despite being written by over 40 different authors spanning 1400-1800 years. Quite frankly, man couldn't pull this feat off without divine intervention. We simply are not smart enough in the temporal and certainly do not see time as God does; from above.

The world however changes its views all the time. Today's "science" is tomorrow's old wives tales. What I grew up being taught has changed today. Experts in the world will tell us that they are constantly looking to "improve" upon existing science. God's Word does not need improvement. It is complete already. There are no grey areas only black and white. The absolute truth of God. The world believes it is a positive thing to be able to practically or theoretically improve. That is because they are not looking at it through eternal eyes. The reality is that if something needs practical or theoretical improvement then of what use is it now? It is either incomplete, insufficient or inaccurate. The same Word of God that we read today was read by the 17^th century monk and the 4^th century Roman soldier. When we read the Old Testament today it is the same from when Ezra read it aloud to the people of Judah. God's Word is transcendent beloved. It transcends time, culture, generations, societies and kingdoms. The world reacts and changes to suit the culture it finds itself in, as determined by the people. But the Word of God defines how we should live and THAT never changes. So first of all, it is perfect. It is complete. Nothing can be improved on it; either theoretically or practically.

Second however, is that it is the law! The dictionary defines law as; "the principles and regulations established in a community by some authority and applicable to its people." Amongst the community of human beings, the Bible is the operational manual. The authority is God, the creator of the community. No one drives a car without understanding how to operate it. We don't buy the latest technology and not bother to read the instructional manual. Yet we can continue to try and navigate this life without bothering to read the guidelines God has set out for us in His Word. The freedom the world offers is a freedom to do what we want; based upon our values. The problem is that the world values do not line up with God. We have economic freedom in this country yet see every day corrupt business people stealing money. We have political freedom in this country yet every day we see corrupt politicians seeking more and more power through illicit means. While no system of man is ever perfect and we still live in the best country the world has to offer, it still pales in comparison to the liberty God wants to provide for us. To enjoy true prosperity and success, we must know His Word, remember His Word, speak His Word, and believe His Word. When Joshua was given the reigns to rule Israel, here was the instruction from God:

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1: 8-9 (NIV)

As long as God is with us, we will have nothing to fear in this life. His Spirit is already indwelt within us but it is through His Word that we walk in that fearless freedom. And that brings us to the third aspect of His Word which is that it is in essence liberty. It is perfect complete and unchangeable. It is the very law we need to govern our lives. But it is also liberating. From what? From the world; its lies and its trappings. The world convinces us that we live in freedom when in reality the freedom it sells is enslavement. Worldly freedom is actually eternal bondage. Take a look at the faces of those you run across every day in this world. The sheer weight of the burdens they carry. Maybe someone never got past an abuse from their childhood. Maybe someone has tied their self-worth to their job only to be outsourced after decades of loyalty. Maybe someone is dealing with uncontrolled anger, bitterness, hate, or emptiness. Sure there are fleeting moments in the world where we can convince ourselves that things are well but ultimately, the lies it sells are always just that lies. The promises are always empty. But not so with the promises of God:

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. 2Corinthians 1: 20 (NIV)

All of the promises contained in the perfect law of liberty are always yes and amen in Christ Jesus. God is not fickle like man:

God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? Numbers 23: 19 (NIV)

Where the world lies, God never lies. Where the world changes its course constantly, God never changes. Where the world speaks and then fails to act, God always follows through. Where the world routinely breaks promises, God never fails. A 19^th Century English priest once said; "There are two freedoms - the false, where a man is free to do what he likes; the true, where he is free to do what he ought". Therein lies the apparent contradiction in worldly liberty versus true liberty.

When we are free to do what we like, we end up in bondage to the world. That is because worldly freedom deals with actions and not consequences. Godly liberty understands both. Worldly liberty will tell you to do what feels good but won't tell you about the ramifications of adultery; or fornication, or drug use. Newport cigarettes are not "alive with pleasure." Drinking Budweiser will not make you into a sports star. You have the worldly liberty to drink, smoke, or commit adultery if you so choose. The Bible however will direct your paths to the consequences of decisions, not just the freedom to make them:

"Everything is permissible"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. 1Corinthians 10: 23-24 (NIV)

The world does not discriminate between the ability to make a choice and the righteousness of that choice. It sells you slavery wrapped in liberty. Free to smoke but addicted to nicotine. Free to drink but damage to internal organs. Free to commit adultery but the destruction of your marriage. Free to make the choice but enslaved to the consequences of that choice.

But true liberty is found not within the hearts of man but within the mind of Christ. The world sells us on the notion that the human heart is somehow salvageable or even worse, that it is somehow righteous. That as long as your intentions are good, the decision is good. God does not care about what our intentions are only that we obey the perfect law of liberty He has provided for us. And when you think there is something redeemable within the hearts of man:

"The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked.        Who really knows how bad it is? Jeremiah 17: 9 (NLT)

The other side of the apparent contradiction works as well. In order to enjoy this liberty God so freely offers, we must becomes slaves to righteousness. We must become sold out for the Word of God our compass through this world. Our key verses remind us that we must not only listen to the Word. We must be doers of the Word. We can read that adultery is wrong and understand it but if we refuse to listen to it and follow it then we reap what we sow.

When we look in the mirror and see who we are, we should not forget that image just because we walk away from the mirror. God uses this imagery because the Word of God is like a mirror to our soul. It reflects back to us how we are measuring up to the standards God has set out for us. When we read it we gain insight into what we should look like in Christ. Walking away from the Bible should not result in us forgetting what we are supposed to look like.

True liberty this Independence Day is available for those who have professed Christ as their savior. It is ready for you today beloved. It is probably sitting on your coffee table or on your desk at work. It is waiting for you to pick it up and read it. To look at yourself in the mirror of its pages and discern where you need to line up with God more to enjoy the freedom He offers. Don't buy the false freedom the world sells and the eternal bondage it brings with it. True freedom and liberty is found in doing what we should, as God has outlined for us. Use God's Word today to guide you into all righteousness. As the key verses teach us that is where God's blessings are. Someone who merely hears will forget. But someone who is a doer of the Word will act according to the Word and thus be blessed in what is done. That is the liberty God offers freely to us all.

Reverend Anthony Wade June 28, 2011