2 Tim 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
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LIBERTY IN THE SPIRIT
TUESDAY, JANUARY 21
2 Corinthians 3:17-18
Galatians 5:13-17
“And where the Spirit of
the Lord is, there is liberty.”
LIBERTY IN THE SPIRIT
There are advocates of social justice who view 2 Corinthians 3:17 as a call to champion human and civil liberties. However, this verse deals with a far greater liberty: a spiritual liberty that involves not just the body, but the soul.
What then is this liberty we have in the Holy Spirit? In the preceding verses, Paul talked about the veil that has been placed over the hearts of men preventing them from understanding the truth. Thus, the liberty mentioned in verse 17 has to do with a man coming to Christ, and Christ removing the veil by the Spirit. He is then delivered from the bondage of sin. Before a man comes to Christ, he is dead in sin (Eph 2:1b; Col 2:13). He cannot help but serve sin. However, once he is regenerated by the Spirit, he is now dead unto sin (Rom 6:2, 11, 18). He no longer serves sin but righteousness.
We must not, however, equate the liberty from sin as a license to sin. Sadly, there are those who teach that a person is free to do what he wants because all his sins are forgiven in Christ. This is a perversion and an abuse of the doctrine of grace. To such teaching, Paul retorted, “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself ” (Gal 5:13-14, see also Rom 6:18-23). The Apostle Peter also declared “that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness” (1 Pet 2:24). The freedom Christians have in the Spirit is thus the freedom to do that which is right and pleasing in the sight of God.
Finally, consider how in the Spirit there is liberty from the penalty of sin. The Bible tells us that the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). However, in Christ Jesus we no longer have eternal death but the gift of eternal life. “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Cor 15:55). What a glorious freedom we have in the Spirit!
THOUGHT: How can I best use my Christian liberty to please God?
PRAYER: Father, I thank Thee for the liberty I have in the Spirit.