The first is freedom. Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” It’s the next verse, so it makes sense to cover it. So, of course, the bible is it’s best commentary. I went through all the New Testament and pulled all the scriptures that had the word free, freedom, or liberty in them. I took all these and grouped them together into five different topics. And to these five topics I have adhered five different questions:
1) To whom does this freedom belong? Our Liberty
2) How secure is this freedom? The Law of Liberty
3) From what are we made free from? Free from Sin
4) How am I free? I am Made Free
5) To what are we made free for? Free to Serve
Lord willing, we will try to answer these five questions. But first, I’d like to look at a few things regarding freedom in general.
Freedom, a very interesting topic
Now in general, we are a particular people, living in a particular country, during a particular time in history. I don’t know if there has ever been a people, a place, and a time like there presently now in history. I’m sure there are similarities, but I believe it to be quite particular.
We are a people that are born free. That in and of itself is not common in the history of this earth. But on top of that, we are a people that have taken for granted the freedom in which we were born. We are a people that know not the value and worth of our freedom. And this I know to be true. Like Esau, we have sold our birthright for beans. We’ve sold the promises of our future for the desires of the moment. We are a particular people.
We live in a particular country. We live in a country like no other country that has ever existed on the face of this earth; a country that was founded on the solid rock of freedom; of liberty; of independence. This country has been a beacon of hope and freedom all around this world from the time of its inception. People from all around this world have come to our shores for one reason and that’s to be free!
And then we are a particular people, living in a particular country, during a particular time in history. The great experiment in freedom is very close to ending. Our freedoms are waning. Our debts are increasing. Our military is dwindling. Our influence is receding. This country has got some hard choices to make. And if we don’t make them, they’ll be made for us. Our country, the city upon the hill, is now in the balances. We’re living in a very crucial time right now for the future of this land. We are a free people that have forsaken freedom, living in a country whose foundation is freedom, that may see our foundation of freedom removed. Very particular.
I consider myself pretty average. And I can remember a time in my life that I was awakened to these concepts of freedom. I remember around my early 20s, self teaching myself about the founders of our country. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to know that most ALL children coming out of the public schools including myself know NOTHING about the founding fathers of this blessed country and what they believed. I’ve actually dedicated a part of my life to the study of this, and have read and researched, and I know little to nothing. So don’t worry. I speak out of knowledge. I’m not exaggerating. One thing that these pioneers in freedom believed was:
God is the author of civil liberty
The freedom that was instituted in this country when it was formed was based on the Bible and based on the freedom that God gives us in Jesus Christ and nothing else. I have some quotes from some of our founding fathers about how they regarded civil liberty and the bible.
I do not believe that the Constitution was the offspring of inspiration, but I am as satisfied that it is as much the work of a Divine Providence as any of the miracles recorded in the Old and New Testament. – Benjamin Rush
The only means of establishing and perpetuating our republican forms of government is the universal education of our youth in the principles of Christianity by means of the Bible. – Benjamin Rush
To the free and universal reading of the Bible… men [are] much indebted for right views of civil liberty. – Daniel Webster
The religion which has introduced civil liberty is the religion of Christ and His apostles… This is genuine Christianity and to this we owe our free constitutions of government. – Noah Webster
The Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children under a free government ought to be instructed. No truth is more evident than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people. – Noah Webster
These were some of our founding fathers, the ones that took part in the Revolution, and the framing of our Constitution. They knew that the liberty wrought in Jesus Christ was the basis for civil liberty. In other words, the freedoms that we enjoy today were the result of godly men that formed a government based on their Christianity. Therefore God was the author of civil liberty. And because of that…
Our civil liberty is directly proportional to our knowledge of the author of liberty
This means that the greater our knowledge of the God, the greater our civil liberties will be. The weaker our knowledge of God, the weaker and more scarce our civil liberties will be. “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need for masters” – Benjamin Franklin
There’s a song we all know. It’s actually in alot of hymn books. It’s probably in ours. But every time I do sing this song, my heart aches for this country of ours. I love this country and what it stands for, how it was formed and founded. I believe that God has given his people this land as he gave the Isrealites the land of Canaan. And God has used this country for his purposes throughout it’s history. And I’m proud to be part of it. This song really speaks of the godly nature of this country and the founding principles of Christian liberty that it was founded on. But to hear it makes me sad because these are quickly becoming forgotten principles; it’s becoming a forgotten song.
My country ‘tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty, Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died, Land of the pilgrim’s pride,
From ev’ry mountain side, Let freedom ring.
My native country thee, Land of the noble free, Thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills, Thy woods and templed hills,
My heart with rapture thrills, Like that above.
Let music swell the breeze, And ring from all the trees Sweet freedom’s song;
Let mortal tongues awake, Let all that breathe partake,
Let rocks their silence break, The sound prolong.
Our father’s God to thee, Author of liberty, To Thee we sing;
Long may our land be bright With freedom’s holy light;
Protect us by Thy might, Great God, our King
God is the author of liberty. I believe that the people who founded this nation knew the author of liberty; hence, they knew the true nature of freedom. They shed their blood for it, and transformed this land into the sweet land of liberty. And for many years our land has been bright with freedom’s holy light. But things are changing and they’re changing fast. Our freedoms are eroding because our knowledge of the author of liberty and true freedom has eroded. I’m not talking about knowing about the author of liberty. I’m talking about knowing the author of liberty. This is how we know the effectiveness of our churches today, by how bright shines freedom’s holy light. As our liberties in this country erode, it speaks volumes of the condition of today’s modern church. It’s going to take more than this cool music and movies to turn things around. I’m not sure it can be. Show me a nation that has incrementally moved to freedom, and I can show you handfuls of them that have incrementally fallen to tyranny and despotism. “But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.” – John Adams It’s going to take more than good food and colorful flyers. It’s going to take more than T-shirts, fun and games. The only hope now for this country is another great awakening and revival to sweep across this land; a return to the Word of God, and a manifestation of the Holy Spirit in power.
Freedom Must be Fought for and Fought to Maintain
Freedom is something that must be fought for and fought to maintain. Until Jesus comes, this world will always have those that want to take that freedom away. There will always be those that want to enslave other people and rule over other people. Therefore, if you want freedom, it must be fought for. If you want to keep your freedom, you’re going to have to fight for it. That’s why the founding fathers of this sweet land of liberty gave us the Second Amendment: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” The main reason the 2nd amendment was given to us was not for hunting, not for personal protection, but to secure freedom.
I heard something the other day on the radio. I was listening to Gun Talk after church the other Sunday. The host said something that really stuck with me. He said that a gun was an instrument of liberty. I thought that was very interesting. Of course that brought me to where I’ve been studying these past few weeks. See, back in bible times, they didn’t have guns. They had swords! A sword was their instrument of liberty. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, implores us to put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel, the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation. The last thing he tells us to take up is the sword of the Spirit; which he says is the word of God.
The sword of the Spirit is God’s instrument of liberty! Now in the light of this doctrine of being filled with the Holy Spirit and walking after the Spirit, we see the Spirit’s sword more clearly. The Holy Ghost is a person, and in relation to His sword, he’s a warrior and a defender of liberty. He walks this earth, and with the power of His sword, he makes men free and keeps them free. To walk after the Spirit is to walk after the divine emancipator, the protector of liberty. To walk after the Spirit is to walk in this world under the protection of the Spirit’s instrument of liberty; with no threat to your liberty and no fear of ever losing it. To walk after the Spirit is also to partake and participate in the Spirit’s wielding power to free others. To be filled with the Spirit of God is how our liberty is protected and how other’s liberty is wrought. The Spirit is the one with the instrument of liberty. It’s the sword OF THE SPIRIT. If we are to benefit it, benefit from the word of God, we must be filled with Him, the Spirit of God. You see, God doesn’t want us to just read the Word of God, he wants us to wield it! Weild it as an instrument of liberty; an instrument of freedom!
Lord willing that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to ask the Sword of the Spirit some questions.
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