The Perfect Law of Liberty Pt3 of 3

Introduction

This morning we bring to a close this brief series we’ve done on an expression that we read in James chapter 1 and in verse 25, where James refers to the word of truth, God’s word, as the perfect law of liberty. If you’ve been with us in the two previous lessons, then you know how we’ve broken down that phrase, and today’s topic will be of no surprise to you. Our first lesson, we highlighted the fact that it is perfect. The word of God is flawless, complete, and final. Last Lord’s Day we saw that the New Testament is a law. It’s a law in that when it is violated, we are guilty of sin. But it’s a different type of law than the old law. It’s not a law system.

It’s a grace or a faith system. And this morning we want to highlight the third aspect of James’ phrase there, when he says that it is a perfect law of liberty. At first glance, that’s a seeming contradiction, isn’t it? That it’s a law of liberty. We noticed last week that law is by its very definition constraining and condemning. But that’s what makes the New Testament, the testament of Jesus Christ, so unique and so beautiful is that it is a law, but a law of liberty. I hope you’ve enjoyed this series. More importantly, I hope you’ve benefited from this series as we’ve stopped and just paused to reflect upon the Word of God. What a glorious word it is. The Word of God, this perfect law of liberty, does so much for us.

It is the only revelation of who God truly is. Anything, everything you are to know about God, you know because of the Word of God has revealed it. It’s a beautiful word because it answers so much so many of life’s questions. The most fundamental and important of life’s questions, like who am I? Why am I here? How did I get here? And where am I going? It answers those questions and does so so profoundly that I think sometimes we as Christians take for granted the beauty of having those questions answered. Just think about those who do not believe in God are in the Word of God. They do not have answers to those questions. Who am I? Why am I here? And where am I going?

It’s a beautiful word because it not only answers all of life’s questions, but it supplies all of life’s needs. It instructs me in every relationship, really every situation of life. And it’s a beautiful word because it answers the most important of all of life’s questions, and that is what must I do in order to be saved. It’s a beautiful word because it’s the power of God to salvation. And it’s perfect. And it’s a law. And it’s liberty. Let’s talk about the liberty that Christ offers and affords us through his word. Liberty is something, liberty and freedom is something that we cherish, don’t we?

In our narrow-minded view, we tend to think that we as Americans invented that, and we have kind of a monopoly on the idea of liberty and freedom because one of our statues, our most famous statue is devoted to it. We have a national holiday that celebrates it, but all of mankind longs for freedom. And I would say that probably those who live in countries and situations where they do not enjoy that liberty and freedom as we do in our country probably appreciate it, long for it, and desire it more than you, even you and I.

1. We Need Liberty Because Sin Will Enslave Us

As spiritual beings, we long for liberty and freedom. And as James says and lets us know in this phrase, that the word of God, the word of truth that produces righteousness, that word that we should hear, James tells us, and that word of which we should be doers of and not just hearers, affords us liberty. Because it’s the perfect law of liberty. And we need that liberty. Because sin will enslave us. Look with me in the book of John, chapter 8. Jesus speaks a truth to a group of people who thought, maybe like many Americans today, who thought because of their national status that they were free. Notice what he says in John chapter 8. Let’s begin in our reading in verse 31. John 8, verse 31.

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed him, if you abide in my word, you’re my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Let’s pause here. It is the word of God, Jesus says, that will make us free. Keep reading. Verse 33. They answered and said to him, we are Abraham’s descendants, and we’ve never been in bondage to anyone. Let’s pause again. What a high-minded concept. Because of who we are genetically or nationally, we don’t need the freedom that you offer. How foolish. And how just wrong historically. We are Abraham’s descendants, and we’ve never been in bondage to anyone. Now that may have been true of them in their lifetime, but that could not be said of Abraham’s descendants, could it?

In fact, very early in the history of Abraham’s descendants, they were slaves in Egypt. They hadn’t forgot that portion of their history, surely. But being Abraham’s descendants did not protect them from being slaves. And being 21st century Americans doesn’t protect us from being in bondage. So how can you say, finish verse 33, how can you say you will be made free? What they were saying is we don’t need this freedom that you offer. Jesus answered and said to them, verse 34, Assuredly I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore, if the son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. You, yes, even Abraham’s descendants, and yes, you 21st century Americans who have a statute devoted to liberty, who have a day that we shoot off fireworks to celebrate our freedom, you are a slave to sin if you live a life of sin.

2. Sin Is Enslaving

Sin saves us. But how? How am I a slave to sin? I have a free will. God gave me that free will. And even if I rebel against him and commit sin, my free will still intact, isn’t it? I’m still a free person, am I not? How am I a slave to sin if I live a life of sin? Many ways. Sin is enslaving. In one sense, because the more we practice it, the easier it becomes. At first we may commit a sin and feel remorse and guilt. And we feel like it even shows on our face that we’ve committed that sin. Surely everybody knows. And but if we continue in that sin, then in other sins, that blush removes and diminishes. And the guilt and remorse diminishes.

And there’s no longer a pause before we give in to that sin. It just becomes easier and easier. Sin can enslave in the sense that many sins are addictive in nature. Drinking and drug abuse. But they’re not the only ones. Other sins just become so habit forming and so addictive. Sins of lust. Adultery and pornography can become addictive in their nature so that I feel like I am, I am may not be, but I feel like I am powerless to resist them. I’ve become enslaved. Sin is enslaving because sin often leads to other sins. I think of the horrible incident in King David’s life. Lust led to adultery, which led to lying, which led to murder.

Murder. And involved others in that sin and in that murder. And sin’s that way. Sin is enslaving also because it becomes the default position. Without the freedom that Jesus Christ offers, it just becomes inevitable, and why not?

Because I’ve sinned. And I’ve broken the law of God, and that has condemned me. And so why try otherwise? I’ve used this illustration before, I think, here. If not, it’ll be new to you.

You had everyday dishes and what we called them was company dishes. We weren’t fancy enough to have china, but we did have company dishes. That was the corral ware that wasn’t chipped yet. And with that, mom had a tablecloth. And cloth napkins, you remember those? And little napkin rings and little dishes that we never saw on an everyday basis. And when we were having company, especially special company, mom would get out the company dishes and the tablecloth. And the little jelly jar with a special spoon that was made just the right size. And that pretty gravy boat that her grandmother had that handed down to her. And she’d set it up and she would step back before company got there and make sure everything was just right.

And without fail, after she had surveyed her kingdom, me and my brothers got the speech.

It went something like this. Don’t you mess up my tablecloth. In fact, if you spill anything on this tablecloth, you’re going to bed without supper. And when company’s gone, we’ll have a talk. I might as well, as soon as that speech was made, just went and took a little of that gravy and sprinkled it on the tablecloth and went to bed. Because it was inevitable. I was going to mess something up. And so why not? And sin is kind of like that. All have sinned. I’ve already messed up, and if there wasn’t freedom, if there wasn’t forgiveness, sin is enslaving because I might as well, because I’ve already messed this up. Two sins aren’t going to send me to hell any more than one. And a dozen surely won’t.

And what about a hundred more? And so sin becomes enslaving. Sin is enslaving. Go back to James, James chapter 1 this time. Sin is further enslaving, not just in the practice of it, in the sense that some sins are habitual, addictive, that one sin sometimes has to be led to another sin that covers it up, and that sin becomes easier to commit, or because I’m condemned, I might as well sin. But sin is further enslaving because of what it leads to. James 1, verses 14 and 15. Each one is tempted when he’s drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death. Sin is enslaving because it has chained me to the destiny of death.

3. Christ Has Set Us Free

But we have a perfect law of liberty. And thanks be to God, Christ has set us free. Let’s look at a couple passages that highlight that. Look over in the book of Galatians, chapter 5. This is the liberty, this is the freedom that Christ offers us, is freedom from that enslavement. Galatians 5, verse 1, stand fast, therefore, in the liberty by which Christ has made us free. And do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. The law itself was a co-conspirator with sin because a law system provided no out from being a slave. But Christ has set us free. Look over the book of Romans, chapter 8. You ready for some deep theology? Romans chapter 8 comes after Romans chapter 7. And Romans chapter 7 is that chapter that we wrestle with that talks about our struggle with sin.

I don’t want to do it, but I did it. And I wanted to do good, but I did bad. That’s the theme of Romans chapter 7, and it’s the struggle of man being enslaved under a law system that gave no outlet, that gave no freedom from that bondage. But chapter 8 is the answer to that struggle when he says in Romans chapter 8, the very first verse, there is, therefore, now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. That struggle, a universal struggle to those who would come to God, but find a system of law frustrating as a way to come to God because of the enslaving nature of sin, is answered in the freedom of Jesus Christ.

4. Free to Do What?

He has set me free from that. He has cut the chains of bondage that bound me to sin. But here’s the question of the hour. Free to do what? Sin had me enslaved. Christ freed me from that through his justification through the forgiveness of Christ Jesus. He has freed me. But what do I do with my newfound freedom? This forgiveness, this washing away of my sins that has made me a new person, cleansed of every sin that I have ever committed, and given me a new life to be a new person. But free to do what? Or maybe another way of asking that question is free to be what? How do you view the freedom that forgiveness of sins offers you? The freedom that Christ offers us through his blood.

Here’s how I fear some view it. Sunday night is garbage night at our house.

Sometimes very early, sometimes a little bit later. And so to be safe, we take the garbage cans to the street on Sunday night. Sometimes, since there’s just two of us, sometimes there’s very little trash in there. But sometimes that trash is full. The lid won’t even close. We’ve got so much garbage to get rid of. We wheel those cans out to the street. And they come by and they pick it up. And they empty that can. And all of that garbage has been removed. And what do we do with that new empty can? We fill it up with more garbage. Because they’ll come next week and take it away. That’s the way I fear some Christians view forgiveness. That it’s like garbage day at your house.

The forgiveness can wash away all of my sins and iniquities and give me that fresh new can, and I’ll fill it up with more sins and iniquities. Because Jesus will come along and he’ll.

Way to pay it off. Imagine the stress. And almost the enslavement that would come with that. But now imagine someone comes along, some generous person comes along and writes a check and erases all of your debt. The slate is clean. What do you do with that clean slate? Do you say, oh, for the first time in a long time, I have a credit card I can use. That has a high credit limit and no balance. Let’s go shopping. Not just let’s go shopping. Let’s go shopping in New York, not New York. Let’s go shopping in Paris. That’s what we’ll do. And you come with me because I’ll buy stuff for you because I’ve got all of this credit now. And it’s been wiped clean. That’s the approach some would take.

But how about this approach?

I don’t want to get in that mess again.

And so I won’t do what got me in that miserable position. Look at 2 Peter chapter 2. Christ has set us free. It’s the perfect law of liberty, but not set us free to live in sin again. That wasn’t the point. Because if we do that, Peter warns us, or the Holy Spirit through Peter warns us that the last state may be worse than the beginning. Look in 2 Peter chapter 2 at this warning. 2 Peter 2, verse 18. Read with me, if you will. For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, this is false teachers, they allure you through the lust of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error, while they promise you liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption.

For by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. For if after they’ve escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled and overcome. The latter end is worse for them than at the beginning. For it would have been better. It would have been better for them to not have known the way of righteousness than having known it to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it’s happened to them according to their own proverb. A dog returns to his own vomit and a sow having washed her wallowing in the mire. Those disgusting illustrations picture the child of God who has been forgiven, who has been freed from the bondage of sin and slavery, who would willingly walk back in and say, chain me up again?

5. Made Free, But Not Free to Sin More

We’ve been made free, but not free to sin more.

In fact, look with me in Romans chapter 6. This is Paul’s argument in Romans chapter 6 that for a true child of God to do such should be unthinkable. To go back into the same practices that enslaved us. Romans chapter 6, verse 1 says, What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? The argument may have been by some, when I sin, God forgives me by his grace, the more I sin, the more of the grace there is. Well, I like grace, so let me sin some more so I can have more grace. Paul asks.

Paul says, how can you even think of going back to that after you’ve been freed? Paul’s most fundamental argument here of why a Christian doesn’t live a life of sin is just simply because we don’t do that. We died to that. We’ve been raised to be a new creature, not to be the old creature, not to do the old things, not to be a slave again. We’ve been set free so that we can live a life for him so that he can be our master. And we can be in subservience to him. But he is a master who offers freedom. Freedom to live the life that we were intended to live. The life we were created to live. Because we were made in his image, and we marred that image by our sin, but we’ve been washed, cleansed, and made new in a newness of life so that we could be like him again.

Conclusion

The perfect law of liberty makes that possible. He who practices sin is a slave to sin.

But Christ offers freedom. What a mind-boggling thought that whatever sins we have committed, if we come to Him in obedience, if we believe in Him and confess that faith openly before men and repent of that sin, there’s the key of turning our back on that lifestyle of slavery and bondage. If we repent of that sins and are baptized, as Paul talked about in Romans chapter 6, and have those sins washed away, we can be made free. Sin no longer has a hold on us. And death, spiritual death, no longer has that hold on us. Would you be free? Christ can make you free this morning.

Why not come as together we stand and as we sing?