I've entitled this message, Don't
Be Moved from Liberty. Let's read the verse again. Galatians
chapter 5, verse 1. Stand fast. It simply means don't
be moved. Be stationary. Be established. Be set. be grounded, be founded. Stand fast, therefore, in the
liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled
again with the yoke of bondage. Now, what is meant by this yoke
of bondage? Well, he's talking about the
law. Turn to Acts chapter 15, and let me show you that. Really much of this book of Galatia
centers around the passage I'm getting ready to read. This was
the inspiration of this book. Verse one, and certain men, which
came down from Judea, taught the brethren and said, except
you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be
saved. Now these men were a part of
a gospel church. James was the pastor and yet
they come from Jerusalem teaching this horrible error. It can happen here. It can happen
anywhere. May God deliver us from that.
When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation
with him, They determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain
other of them should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and
elders about this question. And being brought on their way
by the church, they passed through Phanisee and Samaria, declaring
the conversion of the Gentiles, and they caused great joy unto
all the brethren. And when they were come to Jerusalem,
they were received of the church and of the apostles and elders,
and they declared all things that God had done with them,
but Here's where the problem was. There rose up certain of
the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying that it was
needful, it was necessary to circumcise them and to command
them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and elders came
together for to consider of this matter, and when there had been
much disputing, Peter rose up and said unto them, men and brethren,
You know how that a good while ago, God made choice among us
that the Gentiles, by my mouth, should hear the word of the gospel
and believe. He's talking about what took
place in Acts chapter 10. And God, which knoweth the hearts,
bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did
unto us, and put no difference between us and them, purifying
their hearts by faith. Now therefore, why tempt ye God
to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither
our fathers nor we were able to bear." He's talking about
the law. Why are you tempting God? But
we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we
shall be saved even as they. And I think that's so important.
He doesn't say they're going to be saved like we are. He says,
we're gonna be saved the way those Gentiles are saved. Now, the law of God, and he's
warning them about being entangled again in this yoke of bondage
with the law of God, the law of God is one. What do I mean
by that? It cannot be separated. I've heard it said, We're not
under the dietary laws, we're not under the ceremonial laws,
we're not under the sacrificial laws, we're not under the civil
laws, but we're still under the moral law. I've got two things
to say about that. Number one, who has the right
to pick and choose which part you're under and which part you're
not under? Who's got the right to pick and
choose that? Anybody here? Can you make a decision like
that? Can you go into the word of God and say, well, I believe
we're under this part, we're not under that part. And number two,
included in the 10 commandments is the commandment regarding
the Sabbath day. Now this is so important. the Sabbath day. That's part
of the Ten Commandments. I think it's almost interesting
that people like to post up the Ten Commandments, put them up
in courtrooms and so on like that, and people just altogether
neglect the Sabbath day. Remember the Sabbath day to keep
it holy. Now, if we are under the law, we better be keeping the Sabbath
day holy. Well, somebody says, well, that's been negated because
we now have the Christian Sabbath Sunday. Where's that in the Bible?
It's not there. There's not a hint of anything
like that. It's still on Saturday. And what happened to the Sabbath
breaker? Turn with me for a moment to Numbers chapter 15. Beginning in verse 32. And while
the children of Israel were in the wilderness, Numbers chapter
15, verse 32, and while the children of Israel were in the wilderness,
they found a man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath day.
Now that doesn't seem like a real severe activity. Maybe it was
a cold day. Maybe he was trying to get sticks
to firewood, cook, who knows what, but all he was doing was
gathering sticks. He wasn't out selling dope or
doing some kind of illegal thing. He was gathering sticks. And
they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses
and Aaron and into all the congregation. They put him in a ward because
it was not declared what should be done to him. And the Lord
said unto Moses, the man shall surely be put to death. All the
congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
And all the congregation brought him without the camp and stoned
him with stones and he died as the Lord commanded Moses. Now,
that is the rule of the Sabbath. If you don't keep it, you're
to be put to death. Now, the believer is not under the
law, period. Not under the dietary law, not
under the ceremonial law, and not under the moral law, the
Ten Commandments. Now somebody may be thinking, are you saying it's okay for
a believer to break the law? Did I say that? No, I didn't say that. It is
not okay for a believer to break the law. In fact, I love God's
law. I love what Paul said when he
said, I delight in the law of God after the inner man. I love
the Ten Commandments. I know them, quote them, and
I love the Ten Commandments. But here is the fact of those
Ten Commandments. I have not kept one commandment
one time. And do you believe that about
yourself? Not just because you've been taught that and it's what
the scripture teaches. Do you believe that about yourself
that you personally have not kept one commandment one time? What about the commandment regarding
having no gods before him? You know, every time you sin,
every time I sin, we're putting something before Him, aren't
we? Every single time. What about the commandment against
graven images and idolatry? How many times have you concocted
a false view of God to make you more comfortable with the direction
you're going or the things you're doing? That's idolatry. What about taking His name in
vain? Every time I use his name, there's an element of a lack
of reverence and fear when I take his name. We've already seen
what happens on the Sabbath day, and listen, the Sabbath day had
some strict rules. I know I've never kept that.
I know what it means, thank God. It means to rest in Christ. But
as far as keeping that law, no. What about honor your father
and mother and respecting all God-placed authority? How have
you done there? What about killing? You know,
the Lord tells us all we got to do is get mad at our brother
in our heart without a reason, and we're guilty of murder. To
be envious of your brother is to murder him. What about adultery? Name me one day when you haven't
committed adultery in your heart. What about stealing? Have you stole time? Have you
robbed God of glory? What about telling the truth? Every time we speak, we put some
kind of slant on it, even if what we're saying is so, that
somehow makes us look better and clouds the truth, every time. Do you believe that? Do you believe
that? You know, David one time said,
all men are liars. Boy, I believe that, don't you?
All men are liars. And what about covetousness,
desiring that which God hadn't given you? Well, all I got to
do is say, don't covet. And what do you start to do?
You can't stop it. So I'm saying, honestly, I have
not kept one commandment one time. Now, I love God's law. I do. I love God's law. And I've
not kept one commandment one time and I have kept them all
personally in the person of my Redeemer. When He kept the law,
I did too. And I stand before that law without
guilt because my sins were paid for. because he kept the law
for me, and when he kept the law, I did too. I'm not just
saying that his righteousness is imputed to me, although it
is, but I'm saying this also, when he obeyed, I did too, because
I'm united to him. So yes, I love God's law, and
we are not under it in any way. I love what we looked at last
time out of Galatians 4.21, tell me ye that desire to be under
law, Don't you hear what it's saying? And he didn't do what
I just did. I just quoted the Ten Commandments. And I like to quote the Ten Commandments
actually pretty often. It reminds me of how much I need
the righteousness of Christ every time I go over the Ten Commandments.
But when Paul was saying, tell me you that desire be under law,
don't you hear what it's saying? He tells that story about Sarah
and Hagar. And Ishmael and Isaac. And you
remember the story. Sarah said, Abraham, we got to
do our part. God's promise won't take place
unless we do our part. There's Hagar. He went into Hagar. And there is man doing his part.
There was nothing supernatural about it. Now, if any part of
salvation, listen to this real carefully. If any aspect of salvation
in any way to any degree is dependent upon something for me to do or
to stop doing, There's no hope for me. And there's no hope for you.
You see, salvation by law excludes all hope. Now, why would anybody
want to be under the law? I mean, you think of old Adam
in the garden. He was given one relatively easy
law to keep. And he had an innocent nature.
And he fell before the law. You think you'd do any different?
You think you'd be any better? Absolutely not. Salvation by
law is impossible. And that's why he says, don't
be entangled again in that yoke of bondage. Aren't you thankful
that this is a command? It's a command. Stand fast. in
the liberty, in the freedom wherewith Christ hath made us free and
be not entangled again in that yoke of bondage. Now would you
turn with me for a moment to John chapter 8. Stand fast in the
freedom wherewith Christ hath made us free. Look in verse 36. If The Son, therefore, shall make
you free. You shall be free indeed. Now,
if presupposes the fact that it's possible He had made you
free. He doesn't make everybody free. That's why it says, if
the Son shall make you free. But if He does, you are free
indeed. Now, let's see what led up to
this statement. Verse 32, we have, I think, probably one of
the most well-known verses of the Bible. People quote this
all the time. They don't know what it means, but they quote
it all the time. It's where the Lord said, and you shall know
the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Now, why did he
say that? What led up to this statement?
Well, look in verse 20. These words spake Jesus in the
treasury as he taught in the temple and no man laid hands
on him for his hour was not yet come. Then said Jesus again unto
them, I go my way and you shall seek me and shall die in your
sins. Whether I go, you cannot come. That's strong language, isn't
it? Then said the Jews, will he kill
himself? Because he saith, whether I go, you cannot come. And he
said unto them, you are from beneath. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not
of this world. I said therefore unto you that
you shall die in your sins. For if you believe not that I
am, You'll notice that he is in italics.
I am that I am. They knew exactly what he was
saying. And I believe it scared him at this time. You know, that's
strong language. If you believe not that I am,
you shall die in your sins. Then said they unto him, who
art thou then? And Jesus saith unto them, even
the same that I said unto you from the beginning, I have many
things to say and to judge of you, but he that sent me is true.
And I speak to the world those things which I've heard of him.
They understood not that he spake to them of the father. Then said
Jesus unto them, when you have lifted up the son of man, then
shall you know that I am and that I do nothing of myself,
but as my father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me,
the Father hath not left me alone, for I do always those things
that please him. And as he spake these words,
many believed on him. And that's one of six times in
the book of John where it says, many believed on him. But without any exception, it's
all temporary. Let me show you, turn to John
chapter 12. Nevertheless, verse 42, nevertheless
among the chief rulers also many believed on him. But because
of the Pharisees, they did not confess him, lest they should
be put out of the synagogue, for they love the praise of men
more than the praise of God. Now I'm going to ask you, do
those people really believe? Did they have the faith of demons?
The devils believe in tremble? Or did they have saving faith?
You know the answer to that. They love the praise of men more
than the praise of God. But at any rate, it says, as
he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those
Jews which believed on him, if you continue in my word, then
are you my disciples indeed. You talk about being a disciple
now, you talk about believing me now, but if you continue,
if you remain in my word, then are you my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth
and the truth shall make you free. I love that statement. By him saying the truth shall
make you free, that lets us know that he's not simply talking
about knowing accurate doctrine. When he says you shall know the
truth, you know what he's saying? You shall know me. I am the truth. You shall know me. I am the way,
the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but
by me. I'm the truth. You know, He is the truth, isn't
He? He's all that God is. If you
want to know the truth, He is the truth. It's not your knowledge
of the truth or your understanding of the truth that makes you free.
I don't care if you're the smartest guy alive and have the clearest
grasp of the gospel intellectually. That's not going to make you
free. The only way you'll be free is if the truth himself
makes you free. You shall know the truth and
the truth shall make you free. Let's go on reading. Verse 33,
they answered him, we be Abraham's seed and were never in bondage
to any man. They were under Roman occupation
while they were speaking. They were in bondage to the Romans.
They were in bondage to... What a lie. You know, there's
so many false freedoms. I'm free. You know, that's kind
of like when somebody's really miserable and they try to make
you think, well, everything's great. Everything's wonderful.
Everything's hunky-dory. We've never been in bondage to
anybody. We're fine. And look at the next statement
he makes. Verse 34. Jesus answered them, Verily,
verily, truly, truly, amen, amen, I say unto you, whosoever committeth
sin is the slave of sin. Now, a little free grammar lesson
here. The word committeth is a present
active participle. I brought out a participle before.
A participle is a verb that can be used as an adjective or a
verb. The one who commits the sin,
that's what he is. And that's what he does. All
the time. And anybody who commits sin,
I've heard people say, well, believers don't practice sin.
Do you practice sin? Honestly, do you practice sin?
I hate it when people say things like that. Well, they don't practice
sin. Well, I don't know anybody that
doesn't practice sin. In practice, you can do it more
than once. And whosoever committeth sin,
doesn't matter who you are, if you commit sin, and like I said,
that's present. That's present tense right now. Commit is to
do it. To do it. Whosoever commit a sin is an
absolute slave of sin. You can't get out from under
sin's bondage. Now that's what the Lord says.
You fellas that talk about being free and never being in bondage
to any man, you're in bondage to sin, he says. You're bound
to it. You can't get out from under
it. Verse 35. And the servant abideth not in
the house forever. He sins, he gets kicked out.
But the son abideth forever. Therefore, if the Son shall make
you free. And the only way I can be freed
from sin is for the Son to make me free. If the Son shall make
you free, you are free indeed. That means free from the law. Christ is the end of the law. He's the fulfillment of the law
and he is the termination of the law. He said, think not that
I'm come to destroy the law and prophets. I've not come to destroy
but to fulfill. Now, he kept the Ten Commandments. He fulfilled every type. He is
the substance of which the law was simply a shadow. Now, turn
with me for a moment to Luke chapter 4. Luke chapter 4. Verse 16. And he came to Nazareth, where
he had been brought up. And as his custom was, he went
into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to read.
And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah.
And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was
written. And wouldn't you have loved to been in this audience
to see just how he read this? Oh, I'd love this. Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor.
He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the
captive and recovering sight to the blind, to set at liberty
them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he
gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of
all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he
began to say unto them, this day is this scripture fulfilled
in your ears. Now when he came to preach the
acceptable year of the Lord. That was a reference to the year
of Jubilee. I don't know of anything I think
is more instructive than this year of Jubilee. Every 50 years,
every 50 years. If you were in debt, a Hebrew
in debt, your debt was canceled. If you were a slave, you were
set free. Whatever you lost was returned
to you, and you were given a year's vacation. The land was given
a year's rest. The year of jubilee, and a silver
trumpet would usher in with that sound. But you know something
that's very interesting about the year of jubilee? Well, let
me make another comment before I get to this one. Can you imagine how you would
have felt if you were a slave in debt. And you hear that sound
and all of a sudden you're free. Completely free. Debt free. You're not a slave anymore. Everything
you lost is returned to you. You've got a year's vacation.
You're free. Can you imagine how you would
feel when you hear that silver trumpet blow? But how would you
feel Your servant still owed you six years' labor, $100 million. And all the stuff you got from
him has to go back to him. How would you feel when you heard
that trumpet? You wouldn't like it. You wouldn't
like it. Now, there's something very interesting, I think, about
the year of Jubilee. We don't have one example in
the Bible where it was ever kept. And I can understand that, can't
you? If I was the man having money owed to me, I'd try to
keep it from happening. We don't have one example of the year
of Jubilee ever having been kept. But what does our Lord say? This
day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. Verse 22, and all bear him witness
and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of
his mouth. And they said, is not this Joseph's son? Now, how is it that we can be
freed from the law? I need to know. I want a scriptural
reason is to know how I really am freed from the law. A couple
of scriptures, turn to Romans 7. You know, people will always
make all kinds of remarks about this type of teaching. They say,
well, that'll lead people to sin. That'll lead people to antinomianism.
I mean, that's antinomian doctrine. That's lawlessness. That means
anything goes. Well, you can say that if you want, and I feel
quite sure that that's not the case. And I also know that no
one has ever preached the gospel who wasn't accused of being an
antinomian. You can just write that down. If you've never been
accused by somebody of being an antinomian, you never told
anybody what you believe. Because that is what, that's the natural
man's response to the gospel. Are you saying we should sin,
that grace may abound? That's the natural man's response.
Now, look in Romans chapter seven, verse one. Know ye not, brethren,
for I speak to them that know the law. How that the law hath
dominion over a man as long as he liveth. And what can he do
to shake himself out from under that dominion? Absolutely nothing. It has dominion over him whether
he likes it or not. Then he gives us an illustration.
For the woman which hath a husband is bound by the law to her husband
so long as he liveth. Now let's see, her husband is
a jerk. Let's say he criticizes her every move. Let's say he's
mean to her and verbally abusive and doesn't show her any affection
or any love. Does she have any right to divorce
him? Not according to law. Not according to law. She's stuck
with him and she can't get out from underneath. But if the husband
be dead, She is loosed. She's set free from the law of
her husband so that if while her husband lives, she'd be married
to another man, she'll be called an adulteress. But if her husband
be dead, she's free from that law so that she's no adulteress,
although she'd be married to another man. Wherefore, my brethren,
you also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ. The law has absolutely nothing
to say to you. Turn to 1 Timothy chapter 1,
I think this is the most powerful scripture regarding this. Verse 8. But we know, 1 Timothy 1, but
we know that the law is good if a man use it lawfully, knowing
this, that the law is not made for a righteous man. but for
the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly, for sinners,
for unholy, profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers,
for whore-mongers to defile themselves with mankind, for men-stealers,
for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be anything other
thing that's contrary to sound doctrine. Now, the law was not
made for a righteous man. If you're a righteous man, you
don't need law. Why do you lock your door? Because there are
thieves out. We always think somebody's going
to steal some of our stuff. Well, if there's thieves out,
I need those locks, don't I? But what if there are no thieves? What if there are no thieves?
You don't need a lock, do you? You see, the law is not made
for a righteous man, but for the lawless and the disobedient.
Now, by his life and by his death, he made the believer free from
sin. Now, turn to Romans chapter 6.
I want you to see these scriptures. Verse 18, being then made free
from sin, you became the slaves of righteousness. Verse 22, but
now being made free from sin and become slaves to God, you
have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life. I am free from sin. The law has
nothing to say to me. The scripture says, and I love
this scripture, Romans 5 to 10, for if when we were enemies,
We were reconciled to God by the death of His Son. When were
we reconciled? When we were enemies. That means
it had absolutely positively nothing to do with any work I
performed. I was reconciled to God when
I was still an enemy. God reconciled me. having made
peace through the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all
things to himself. By him I say, whether they be
things in earth or things in heaven, and you that were four
times alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet
now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death
to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight."
Now somebody that's holy and unblameable and unreprovable,
what kind of law do they need? They don't need a law, do they?
They don't need a law. They're righteous. The law was
not made for a righteous man. It's what the Bible calls justification. Justification. Now, somebody asked the question,
if you're free from sin, why do you still sin? Good question. If you're free from sin, why
do you still sin? Well, let me answer that question
from Romans chapter seven. You know, I was thinking about
this. I would be afraid to say this if the Bible didn't say
it. Look what Paul says about his
sin in Romans chapter seven. Verse 15, For that which I do,
I allow not. For what I would, that do I not.
But what I hate, that I do. If then I do that which I would
not, I consent unto the law that it's good. Now then, it's no
more I that do it. I didn't do it, but the sin that
dwelleth in me. It wasn't me, it was Him. That's
what He's saying, isn't it? It wasn't me, it was Him. Go
on reading. Verse 18, for I know that in
me that is in my flesh dwells no good thing, for to will is
present with me. But how to perform that which
is good? What are the next three words? I find not. Well I know what he's saying
to you. For the good that I would, I
do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that
I would not, it's no more I that do it. but sin that dwelleth
in me. I find then a law that when I
would do good, evil is present with me, for I delight in the
law of God after the inward man. But I see another law in my members,
warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity
to the law of sin, which is in my members, O wretched man that
I not was, but am. Who shall deliver me from the
body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ
our Lord. So then, with my mind I myself
serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. Now,
it wasn't me. It was him. Are you making an
excuse for sin? No, I'm not. But I'm giving an
explanation for it. It wasn't me. It was him. The new man does not sin. The
old man does nothing but sin. Now, when Paul was saying those
things in Romans 7, was he speaking as a believer or an unbeliever?
He was speaking as a believer, wasn't he? An unbeliever wouldn't
understand anything like this. Now, does that mean we have no
law? If we're not under the law? No,
we have something called the law of faith. The law Where is
boasting then? It's excluded. By what law? Works? Nay, but by the law of faith. The law of faith does something
that the law of Moses can never do. It works like this. For in Christ Jesus, neither
circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith
which worketh by love. Now the law of Moses is never
going to make anybody love God, but the law of faith is going
to make people love the Lord Jesus Christ. The sting of death is sin and
the strength of sin is the law, but thanks be unto God which
giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now you
stand fast. and that liberty wherewith Christ
has made me free. Now being free from the law and
free from sin, we now have freedom of access to the Father. We can
come boldly to the throne of grace right now. Nothing holding
me back. Ephesians 3.12 says in whom we
have access boldness with confidence by the faith of him. Now where
does this boldness come from? Because I'm talking about coming
into the very presence of God, into the very throne room of
God with boldness. Where does that come from? How
can somebody do that? Well John says we may have boldness
on the day of judgment because as he is so are we in this world. That's where that boldness comes
from. I really, however Jesus Christ is, that's me. That's
me because I'm united to Him. Is He righteous? Is He perfect?
Is He beautiful to the Father? So am I. Is He always welcomed
in the Father's presence? So am I. That's the boldness
we have in Christ Jesus. This is what the Holy Ghost witnesses
to us. Turn to Hebrews chapter 10. Verse 14, for by one offering
he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Whereof,
this is what the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us. For after
that he'd said before, this is the covenant that I'll make with
him after those days, saith the Lord. I'll put my laws into their
hearts and their minds while I write them and their sins and
iniquities while I remember no more. Now where remission of
these is, there's no more offering for sin. Don't try to bring something.
Having therefore brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by
the blood of Jesus. That's where that boldness comes
from. I love that statement in Romans chapter 3 verse 25, through
faith in his blood. Do you have faith in his blood?
Do you believe his blood gives you right of access to come boldly
under the throne of grace? Now, we're free from man-made
religious rules. I want to go ahead and read this.
Colossians 2, I'll be quick. Colossians 2. Verse 16. Let no man therefore
judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day
or of the new moon or a Sabbath day, which are a shadow of the
things to come, but the body is of Christ. Let no man beguile
you of your reward in a voluntary humility. You know, whenever
you volunteer to be humble, that's the most wretched pride there
is, isn't it? I mean, a voluntary humility. And worshiping of angels,
intruding into those things which ye have not seen, vainly puffed
up by his fleshly mind, and not holding the head from which all
the body by joints and bands have nourishment ministered,
knit together and increaseth with the increase of God. Wherefore,
if you be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, Why,
as though living in the world, are you subject to ordinances,
man-made rules, touch not, taste not, handle not, which all are
to perish with the using after the commandments and doctrines
of men, which things have indeed a show of wisdom and will worship.
Worshipping your own will and humility and neglecting of the
body, asceticism, but not any honor to the satisfying of the
flesh. You know, because of the freedom Christ has made me free
with, I don't have to pay attention to any man-made, silly, stupid
religious rules. Aren't you thankful for that?
I'm so thankful because there's so many of them. And finally, Stand fast in the liberty where
with Christ is made us free. I'm free to do what I want to
do. Now, freedom, first of all, is not having any debts at all.
None at all. And I'm free to do what I want
to do. And what I want to do, I want
to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to be a follower, a disciple
of Christ. I want to follow Him. That's
what I want to do. I get to do what I want to do. I love what Bill Clark said,
trust Christ and do what you want. Do what you want. You know, if you trust Christ,
I know what you're going to want to do. Now, if I just said, do
what you want, we'd have some trouble, wouldn't we? Do what
you want. Doesn't matter what you do. Do
what you want. I mean, well, we'd be out robbing banks. What
else would we be doing if we just do? But if I say trust Christ
and do what you want, if you trust Christ, I know what you're
going to be wanting to do. You're going to want to follow him.
You're going to want to be with him, be in his presence. I'm free to do what I want to
do, and I want to be found in him, and I want to please him.
Now, most people's religion is a very sad thing. It's people
not doing what they really want to do and doing what they really
would rather not do. That would summarize most people's
religion, but the scripture says something about the glorious
liberty of the children of God. Here's the last scripture we'll
look at. Look at Romans 8. The glorious liberty of the children
of God. Verse 21, because the creature
itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption
into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Now, what
is this glorious liberty? Wherein is it? Well, first it's
this, verse 31. What shall we say then to these
things? If God be for us, who can be against us? This glorious
liberty is heaven got for you. I mean, he's all for you. No
anger, no judgment. He's for you. How come? Well, he that spared
not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall
he not with him also freely give us all a thing? There's nothing
to stop him from blessing me freely. Nothing. He's already not spared his own
son, so what could possibly prevent him from blessing me freely? Now, there's freedom there, isn't
there? It's a free blessing. And also, there's nothing to
accuse me of. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It's God that justifies. There's nothing
to accuse me of. Can't bring anything to my charge.
I can't be punished. Who is he that condemneth his
Christ that died, yea rather that's risen again, who's even
at the right hand of God who also makes intercession for us?
I can't be separated from the love of Christ. Who shall separate
us from the love of Christ? Now that, my dear friends, is
glorious liberty. Now this is a command. This is
a command to every believer. Stand fast, therefore, in the
liberty, the freedom, wherewith Christ hath made us free. And
be not entangled again in that yoke of bondage. And the amazing
thing is our flesh will become entangled so quick if we don't
stand fast by the grace of God in that liberty. People love bondage. May God
deliver us from that. Let's pray together. Lord, thank you for the liberty
that we have in Christ Jesus and enable us by your grace to
stand fast in that liberty. and to not be entangled again
in that yoke of bondage. Lord, you said in your word,
if the sun shall make you free, you'll be free indeed. And Lord,
our prayer is that you'll make every one of us free indeed by
your gospel. We give thanks for the gospel
that provides us with this glorious liberty. In Christ's name we
pray. Amen. I suppose an appropriate hymn
you might already have.