The Expository Files

 

Law and Liberty

 

There are many reasons people give for not becoming Christians. Mostly, they all boil down to not wanting to give up freedom and being bound to the Law of Christ. They see the life of a Christian as a rather restrictive and therefore unhappy and dull existence.

And they are right, at least a little bit right, but they are much, much more wrong than right. They are correct that being a Christian restricts one to living according to the will of Christ. Jesus insisted that His disciples “do the things that (He) said” and “keep (His) commandments.” But the Bible refers to His commandments, or law, as the “perfect law of liberty” and “the truth that makes you free” (James 1:25; John 8:32).

Many of us are accustomed to thinking that the more law there is, the less free we are. But law and liberty are not necessarily opposed to one another. In fact, good law enhances and promotes both liberty, happiness and well being. God’s Law is good! It is only bad laws that deter from freedom. And no law at all breeds insecurity and anarchy.

Think about it. Would any of us feel freer and happier if we had no law at all? Would be feel safe driving down the road or walking down the street. Are people who live in lawless places really happier? Not at all. They are miserable. Again, good law promotes happiness.

Christ’s law is good! His commandments are not unwise or arbitrary - they are designed to make life more complete; to give security and to give us the best possible in the widest set of circumstances that we may face in this life… to give us an abundant life (John 10:10). As the Bible says; “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.” (1 John 5:3).

By Jon W. Quinn
The Final Page 18.5
From Expository Files 18.5; May 2011

 

 

 

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