"With Freedom Did Christ Set Us Free."

by G. PRASHER, JR. | Category: General | Aug 1960

There is an arresting clause in Isaiah 14. 17, describing the despotic power of the king of Babylon; it says that he "let not loose his prisoners to their home." History has so often repeated this same feature of tyranny - prisoners immured in hopeless captivity. The longings of their hearts for home, the longings of their loved ones for their return, are all to no avail, through the relentless cruelty of monsters who trample the rights of others underfoot. What emotions are stirred in the hearts of those who do find release ! There is a glorious expression of joy in new-found liberty in Exodus 15, when Moses and the children of Israel exulted in the devastating victory with which Jehovah had broken the power of their former masters:

"Who is like unto Thee, 0 LORD, among the gods?

Who is like Thee, glorious in holiness,

Fearful in praises, doing wonders? "

The song pulsates with the joy of freedom! We vainly try to imagine the tremendous volume of praise which arose from those thousands of liberated hearts, as they beheld the horse and the rider thrown into the sea.

Satan's spiritual tyranny is absolute in callousness and cruelty. He delights in the ruin of souls. He will never' willingly let his prisoners go free. Many human tyrants have blotted the pages of history, but they reflect only to a limited degree the fearful character of the devil himself. To us who through redeeming love have been delivered from his power, the remembrance of God's great mercy should be fragrant indeed. Did not the joy and relief of this deliverance flood our soul when first the truth of salvation from hell was revealed? Perchance that joy has now waned? For the tongues that exalted Jehovah by the Red Sea were soon afterwards murmuring that God had brought His people out to die in the wilderness. May our hearts be quickened by a fresh appreciation of our freedom in Christ, for this can be a powerful spring of responsive devotion to the One who set us free.

TOTAL FREEDOM.

The believer's deliverance from that thraldom to Satan, which would have resulted in eternal judgement, is complete from the moment he puts faith in the Lord Jesus. Otherwise the Spirit would never have moved the apostle to write in such terms as these

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death" (Romans 8.1-2),

or again,

"I am persuaded, that neither ... angels, nor principalities ...nor powers ... shalt be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8.38, 89),

or yet again,

"Giving thanks unto the Father, who ... delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love" (Colossians 1.12, 13).

These are among many scriptures which constitute a divinely pledged charter of liberty" for the child of God. There is a finality about them which is entirely reassuring. Because God has so willed it that of all that which He has given to the Lord Jesus, the Lord should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day (see John 6.39), Christ is the Liberator, Christ is the Keeper. "Hallelujah! what a Saviour!"

Then why do so many earnest believers live a life of fear lest they should be lost again, lest, after all, they should find themselves in that most desperate of all plights-eternally lost in the lake of fire (Revelation 21.8)? It is through failure rightly to divide the word of Truth. The key to our enjoyment of our eternal freedom from the wrath of God is to realize that this aspect of our salvation was undertaken and completed by the Lord Himself. He through death brought "to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil," and delivered all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. He through resurrection led captivity captive. Then, "who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?

"Who is he that shall condemn? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God" (Romans 8.31-34). So that when the repentant sinner first believes in the Lamb of God as Saviour, he is at once translated out of the power of darkness and into the kingdom of the Son of His love. It is a divine work; it is an eternal work.

What then is the secret of freedom from the eternal penalty of sin? It lies in unreserved acceptance of Christ as our Sin-bearer, the Guarantor of our eternal salvation.

A TRAGIC ANOMALY - CHRIST'S FREEDMAN IN BONDAGE TO SIN.

At first sight it does seem a paradox. How can a true believer, set free from the eternal bondage which his sins deserve, become a bondservant to sin in his present experience? The Scriptures both explain and illustrate the possibility of this, and sadly enough many Christians must confess that it has come to pass in their own lives. Of course, God never intended that it should be so. A believer's liberation from eternal death should rightly be followed by an overcoming Christian life. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1.8). That stubborn fact is amply borne out by the believer's daily life. But " sin shall NOT HAVE DOMINION over you" (Romans 6.14). To walk by the Spirit is to Overcome the lusts of the flesh. This brings freedom from sin's power, a freedom which nothing but the Holy Spirit's indwelling and help can give. The believer living in victorious dependence upon the strength of the Holy Spirit will not be in bondage to sin, although the nearer he walks to the Lord, the more he will realize the truth "that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing" (Romans 7. 18). He will become more susceptible to things which had formerly not seemed a hindrance to his walk with God. His spiritual standards will be raised; his appreciation of the rich promise of 1 John 1.9 will be deepened.

It is a pathetic thing when a believer is in bondage to sin. He does not need to be, but his own carelessness of heart has caused it. Neglect of the simple spiritual needs calling for daily exercise of heart can lead to a drift into this bondage. Failure to pray, to read God's word devotionally, to gather at assembly meetings, to have a care for the salvation of others; insidiously such neglect weakens the spiritual tone. Then the flesh gradually asserts itself. From seemingly small beginnings the believer finds the desires of his flesh and his mind bringing him into bondage, hampering his service for the Lord. The remedy? Simple, yet radical!

"Present yourselves as bondservants unto obedience" (Romans 6.16 Mg.).

The bondservant yields himself, his will, his strength to another. So must we to God. Will this then make us free? Yes, wonderfully free! The degree to which we yield ourselves to Him is the degree to which we shall know true liberty. Of course, the mind of the flesh will resist our response to this totalitarian claim of our Lord ! It will raise endless objections ; it will remind us of indulgences to be sacrificed, "legitimate enjoyments" which may be affected; it will subtilly suggest some compromise of a less exacting nature. But the Lord's claim is not to be watered down. It stands in challenging simplicity

"Present yourselves as bondservants."

Abundant, self-renouncing service will flow from such dedication to the Lord. It was so with Peter, Andrew, James and John:

"They left ALL, and followed Him" (Luke 5.11).

It was so with the Macedonians:

"In much proof of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality ... but first they gave their own selves to the Lord" (2 Corinthians 8.2, 5).

Let us each enquire, "Have I ever in this way yielded myself in bondservice to the Lord? Or having once done so, has the vision become dim? Have I failed to fulfil the promise then made?

For whatever value there may be in a definite act of consecration, that alone would be of little effect if not followed by a daily yielding of oneself as the Lord's bondservant.

What then is the secret of freedom from the bondage of sin in our daily Christian experience ?

It lies in unreservedly yielding ourselves as bondservants of God, and daily relying on the Holy Spirit's power to overcome the law of sin which is in our members.

"THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE"

It was the Lord Himself who said:

"If ye abide in My word, then are ye truly My disciples; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8.31,32).

Spiritual knowledge must be by divine revelation. Response to God's revealed truth brings freedom; disobedience enslaves. It was so from the beginning. While Adam and Eve were subject to the truth entrusted to them, they knew the perfect freedom of fellowship with God in Eden. Satan misrepresented God's goodness, suggesting that He had imposed restrictions to their disadvantage. Why should they not be free to eat of the forbidden fruit? Eve believed Satan's lie, and thus she and Adam were brought into bondage.

We inherit the same tendency! Take for example a common reaction to the truth affecting our service for God as believers. The word of the Lord is plain. For it was He who commanded that the gospel should be preached, disciples baptized, and then taught to observe all things whatsoever He had commanded (Matthew 28.18-20). How the apostles gave effect to the Lord's command is the theme of the Acts of the Apostles. What was the product of their work? The result that the Lord intended-the formation of "churches of God," comprising local companies of obedient disciples, separated from the world, gathered according to the will of God, continuing steadfastly in His commandments. The principles of their association for service to the Lord were the same throughout those churches of God. They together formed one people for God, one kingdom, one spiritual house. Disciples who are today stirred by God's Spirit to give effect to the Lord's will in this way find themselves gathered together in such churches of God. Knowing the truth, the truth has set them free. It is a freedom which results from assurance of the Lord's will as to His revealed way of divine service.

There is a reaction against this in the minds of a majority of believers today. They reason that to insist on obedience to details of the word regarding baptism, church association," or similar matters, is an unwarranted interference with a Christian's liberty. They profess to be satisfied with a much broader basis of association. They have no compunctions about believers of widely varying doctrinal views uniting for the purpose of gospel testimony. This "tolerant freedom" is applauded in contrast to the "narrow bondage" into which others bring themselves by separation from what they know to be contrary to God's revealed truth. Now we do contend that this conception of freedom is a fallacy. It is the liberty desired by the natural mind which dislikes subjection to the word of the Lord. In point of fact it must lead to a measure of bondage! For it holds the believer back from coming to the full knowledge of the truth. It may often impose on him the need to compromise the Lord's word; for lest he should offend some with whom he is associated, he must keep quiet about vital aspects of the Lord's revealed will. How many Christians, for example, who know perfectly well the truth about believers' baptism, will co-operate in religious service with sponsors of "infant sprinkling," and hide their light on the subject under the bushel of "expediency" ? Or how many who have learned much truth concerning the Breaking of the Bread will patronize groups which insist that only an "ordained minister" may "administer the sacrament?" By such compr6mising, the knowledge and extension of the truth are hindered. Souls are saved through gospel testimony, and left to struggle amidst the conflicting doctrines and practices of various religious groups are counselled in fact that this diversity is a proper expression of the Christian's freedom of judgement. "Brethren, these things ought not so to be." We shall be accountable to the Lord. His criterion alone will count

"If ye abide in My word, ... ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

How can we be abiding in His Word when we disobey it, or countenance the disobedience of others? We cannot. We are seeking only a pseudo-liberty, appealing to the natural mind, but thoroughly unspiritual. Genuine spiritual freedom is gained by obedience to the Lord's word.

Abandonment to the Lord's will involves our going forth "unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach" (Hebrews 13.13). Separation from disobedience is a necessary prelude to gathering in obedience to the Lord's will. Was it not so with God's people under Moses ?

"Let My people go, that they may serve Me."

Pharaoh suggested several alternatives to complete freedom, but not the slightest compromise would Jehovah allow. Not a hoof must be left behind. There must be out-and-out separation from Egypt, or His people would not be free to give effect to the fulness of divine truth which awaited revelation at Sinai. So it must ever be ; so it is today. "Let My people go " When separated from all that falls short of the divine plan, there is liberty to give positive effect to the will of God for our time.

I will walk at liberty

For I have sought Thy precepts.

I have seen an end of all perfection

But Thy commandment is exceeding broad" (Psalm 119. 45, 96).

This is true to experience. To fulfil the truth within the churches of God offers full scope for spiritual exercise and activity. God's commandment is exceeding broad. It provides ample scope to fill the believer's heart and hands. To keep within the boundary brings real spiritual liberty ; to divert one's spiritual energy in fellowship with those who are prepared to compromise the commands of the Lord is to bring entanglement.

"With freedom did Christ set us free : stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage" (Galatians 5.1).

So wrote one of the most consecrated bondservants of Jesus Christ. He understood the nature of spiritual liberty. Truth sets free ; false teaching enslaves. The truth of the gospel had emancipated the Gentile believers from chains of idolatry or human philosophy. Were those so liberated again to be entangled in a doctrinal yoke of bondage by a perversion of the gospel, by insistence on the ritual of circumcision ? With Spirit-given earnestness Paul pleaded the cause of truth in his epistle to the Galatians.

The same principle applies to all who have known deliverance unto the divinely-given "pattern of teaching" (Romans 6.17 Mg.). "Be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage!" The present existence of churches of God is the result of godly concern in the hearts of believers who felt themselves to be entangled among the conflicting doctrines of "evangelical denominations." They found that they could not carry out the truths the Lord had revealed to them while still associated with Christians who did not accept those truths. Their coming out to give effect to the truth was to them a victorious emancipation from sectarian principles. So it has since been with many other believers who have been led by God to look for a place where He can be served according to the pattern of apostolic revelation, and that alone. Others have been associated with churches of God from the early days of their spiritual life. These may have little appreciation of the bondage of spirit which is involved for exercised believers when unseparated from what they see to be contrary to the word. Thus we do well to learn from the experience of those who have been in that position. For to all who have inherited a spiritual portion where there is liberty to carry out God's revealed will for our time, there is a special responsibility to "stand fast ... and be not entangled again."

What then is the secret of freedom from the bondage of doctrinal error as it affects our service for the Lord as believers?

It lies in unreserved acceptance of the whole counsel of God, and separation from all that we have learned to be contrary to His word.

G. PRASHER, JR. | Aug 1960
General