LIBERTY!

At every turn, it seems that we see another group or individual demanding 'Liberation!' Without fail, they all seem to have as their symbol, a clenched fist or a weapon of some kind, held aloft. These are symbols that would be far more fitting for a group advocating oppression instead of liberty. The truth is that when most of them explain their concept of the 'liberty' they demand it is a personal liberty measured in terms of the power they might be able to exercise over others.

Real liberty is that which Jesus told us we might have. John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. This liberty is not defined by the absence of governmental control. If there were no restraints on the actions of men only the strongest soon would have 'liberty' and the rest would have to please them.

Under the system where every man did that which was right in his own eyes, his right to work, play, walk and even the right of life itself would soon be subject to the whims of every one stronger. There can be no real liberty for anyone in anarchy.

The very real liberty of which Jesus spoke was not political, social, economic or even physical. The liberty which is free INDEED is that of the spirit. It comes, not from the clenched fist demanding power, but from the outstretched pierced hands of a loving savior.

A glimpse of what this liberty really means we might examine some of the events in the book of Daniel chapter six. His enemies had caused him to be thrown into the lions den in spite of even the efforts of the king to save him. Picture the two principals that night. According to the eighteenth verse, King Darius spent a sleepless night in the palace while Daniel rested peacefully among the lions knowing that as long as God was in charge everything was all right. The king, in spite of all his authority and power was made miserable by the mistakes he had made. Daniel, on the other hand enjoyed liberty through faith in a God who could, when necessary suspend even the laws of nature!
It is in the same Book that we read the account of three other men who placed their trust in God. Because they refused to disobey God they were bound and cast into the fiery furnace. Instead of the destruction their enemies had planned, they found liberty for the fire only freed them from their bonds to walk with the Lord in the midst of the flame.

The same wonderful liberty was seen working in the lives of the Apostles. When cast into prison because of their faith, they sang praises to God and caused even their jailers and persecutors to know of the freedom that was theirs through Christ.

As Paul stood, in chains, before Felix, though he was the accused prisoner, he spoke with complete confidence and it was the governor on his throne who trembled.

The martyrs, from Stephen through those of the dark ages and even down to our own day have all had a liberty their tormentors could not enjoy. Neither could this freedom be taken away by lions, torture, prison, hunger or the most stringent laws of any ruler. They were made free by the Son and they were free INDEED!

What kind of Liberty is this to be so great that no power on earth can take it away?

It is the freedom from the fear for judgment for sin. We know that Christ bore our sins in his own body on the tree. We know that He was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. I know that I have freedom from that awful dread that was once mine for 'I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day'.

I know the assurance of Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Through Christ we can not only have liberty from the fear of judgment for sin but we can actually be free from the power of SIN itself. Because of the sinful nature we all inherited from father Adam sin has had dominion over us. Man is a sinner by his very nature. He is a prisoner or a slave to sin. John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

Lest someone might say,"I had no choice in whether or not I was born a sinner, therefor God has no right to expect me to be anything else." let's do a little reasoning. Why did not our forefathers remain in the place of their birth? Did they not migrate to this continent because they were dissatisfied with the conditions of their birth? Most of us strive today to reach a higher standard than that in which we were born. Why then should we be satisfied with the state of bondage to sin into which we were all begotten? It is far easier to escape a lower standard of living by dint of much hard labor than to escape from sin but Christ has made it possible!

Through Jesus, we can be translated from the kingdom of darkness into which we were born, into the kingdom of God's own Son!

This great liberty is not simply freedom FROM everything. It is freedom to serve God. No man can be happy for long with nothing to do. Men long for retirement from a dreary job and dream of the liberty they will have when free. However if he retires with nothing to fill his hours he might soon start thinking that maybe the old rat race wasn't so bad after all! On the other hand, if his retirement gives him liberty to do something he finds useful and joyful, he will never long for the old paths.

In the liberty of Christ is Freedom indeed. There is a wonderful picture of it in the Old Testament. On the year of Jubilee all bond servants were to be set free. Many times these bond servants had no where to go and they dearly loved their masters. They were at liberty to go but it was to their advantage to stay. They could freely choose whether to go or to stay and serve their masters. So can we who have been set free by Christ. We have been redeemed with His precious blood and we are free. But where shall we go and whom shall we serve?
We COULD spend our lives serving the world but to what advantage? The world will pass away so there can be no eternal profit in that. We might serve self but Jesus said, Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Where then can the child of God use the liberty so freely given him to the best advantage? In the service of the Master who set him free! John 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

The liberty one can have through Christ is not determined by ones bank account or social standing. The poorest of men and the lowest on the social ladder have often been the most free and the happiest in the service of the King of kings.