Liberty in secular terms is defined as; the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The power and scope to do as one pleases.
Perhaps it would be worth our consideration that we as Christians might be suffering a loss of our "spiritual liberty" imposed upon us from within our own nature? How so ? By the oppression of the Law and the flesh. This may be seen clearly; if one begins to judge His inner man or the "new creation" we are as that of one being identified within his minds self perception; as having adopted the biblical contextual explanation of his Christianity: as one who sees and understands himself as found in the Fathers eyes, as to being seen in Christ, viewed by God as heavenly. Or, if you will, His mind's appraisal of us; we held in the same exact esteem He has for His Son who is there beside Him. "Brethren you are called into liberty" Gal 5:13. Paul added, "It is not liberty for the occasion of the flesh".
If the flesh, is our mental posture [little or no knowledge of our identification in Him] one cannot see clearly the law and the flesh attempting to rule. In other words we happily engage the flesh and the law. Ask yourself which man you choose the new creation of God's mind and His Word, or the old of Adam of sin law and the flesh. Then ask yourself on what ground you choose. If the answer is vague perhaps you have some work to do. "For me to live is Christ" Phil 1:21.
Are we even aware of our loss of so great a benefit, whose absence in awareness is instigated by our very nature, the preponderance to perform well? Can we see clearly in the eye of our faith by knowledge the grace and freedom we have been provided by God's gift of our being placed and identified within His Son "Hid in Christ" as life, where He lives by Grace through us even in our unawareness?
The above definition of liberty is of course the secular meaning of the word. But have we become numb to liberty's absence in our spiritual life by not knowing our preexisted/predestined heavenly [spiritual] condition as new creatures "hid in Christ", as proven in this world by a life consisting of faith resting in those facts? This absence of a clear understanding of our actual status our very identification before God results in a Christians catastrophic loss of freedom..... as the natural default is to the effort of the flesh. Just as true liberty has been sequestered in the secular realm we also suffer liberty's loss not only to our normal daily Adam flesh natural life but in the spiritual life as well. Really few have liberty in either.
We find ourselves "in the natural" restricted on all sides by a oppressive government, a constant war machine. We are forced to support it financially and then are propagandized into declaring all who partake in death dealing as heroes. We bow down to a bankrupt and corrupt banking/monetary system stealing our prosperity and economic freedom slowly but surely. We tolerate our business and work place being hampered on all sides by excessive laws and taxes. As well as accepting as inevitable a breakdown in family unity prompted by a secular worldly media bombardment shaping our world view, which we often gleefully participate in, and on and on it goes. All of this is so obvious and is simply the Adam mans natural produce. But in our spiritual existence, the weight of self servitude and oppressive restrictions is however made more subtle.
For just as in our secular lives we have been furnished with bread and circus for a diversion there is a wall of comfort surrounding us that is restricting a clear biblical guided spiritual life. Shown by the accepted traditions surrounding us with good intent, which often serve to divert true spiritual liberty. This includes satisfaction in our moral behavior as a marker of Christianity; observances, ordinances, stimulation of the senses by entertainment and overt charismatic physical expressions evoking emotions. Countless sermons on how to feel better and serve God in our Adam sinful personality. All of which we often mistakenly define as something godly or spiritual, something of good repute, perhaps like Jesus would do we might suppose, making the self effort God's message. "But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you" 2 Thess. 3:3.
Where then may we find this elusive power liberty which we all should be longing for? In our daily physical life there is little one can do, even isolation cannot escape the tyranny we all face in the deceivers world system. Alone we are simply left with our selfish natural personality; all Satan's design for the Adam man, his sinful condition. Where is the hope then for true Godly joy and freedom found?
Give me liberty or give me death was the cry of our secular founding father Patrick Henry seeking secular freedom. Ironically for the Christian "new creation" its death that provides the path to spiritual freedom! "Knowing this that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should no longer serve sin" Rom. 6:6. So if we died with Him we are indeed free, for a dead man cannot sin. But do we really believe that "by faith's application"? My last blog dealt with this truth you might what to re-read it.
As we form Christ's death in our mind as faith's true reality toward us, not only as a substitutionary death, leaving us remaining in thought of ourselves as men in the the Adam condition. But now by His Word we may begin to form and experience the liberty of our death as a representative subjective experience us acquiring the actual new[Christ's] or second Adam Man's personality brought into our mind by His Spirit. By a secured knowledgeable faith in our co-death with Him. A death He provided in substitution yes, but just for the purpose that we might gain His identification before the Father in subjectivity as to His very life. So why is this, a firm biblical concept, taught without exception by Paul so elusive in our understanding? "For you died and your life is hidden with Christ [realized in active identification] in God" Col. 3:3.
Most Christians have a very cloudy understanding of Christian liberty as presented in full context by only Paul in his sharing God's voice. We limit our growth for lack of knowledge. We all should know we have a right standing before God in His Son called, justification [position]. In other words we are saved; but most stop there. " So then let us once and for all quit the elementary teaching about Christ... and continue progressing; toward maturity" Heb. 6:1. God urges us forward.
We unfortunately have a very low standard for growth because the institutional churches we attend teach on the basis of our position and therefore the responsibility for growth is ours. But no man will ever seek the Christ identification from his Adam dulled mind even knowing his position in Christ. Which remains in the forefront when only position or the relief of salvation is relied upon. But when it is known that God's standard for us is His Son, that our true spiritual life and liberty is found only in Him by faith's exercise; then all expectation of maturity leading to growth resulting in liberty is placed in God's hands, not ours. "For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus" Eph. 2:10. So simple trust in His Word opens the door. But we must know it to enter! "But God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" Gal. 6:14.
God has not left us to our old man. We suppose, when left to our own devices, that God's grace allows for our involvement in the world, the inclinations of our nature. But there is evil there and God will have no involvement and makes no allowances. He has put that all aside forever in our transfer into His Sons death, thereby gaining His Resurrected life for Himself and applying it to us. "For it is God which works in us both to will and do His good pleasure" Phil. 2:13.
We now have a new nature for His use, the old man is not subject to it or in any way a part of it! The new creation we are in His Son has another object all together, and it is another power that acts upon our consciousness and re-frames our very conscience being, in order to produce what is lovely and free. His Son is the only one acceptable. The Lord Jesus is the Father's only object. His ministry in this world is now entirely through and by the Holy Spirit who lives Christ's life through us and Who can and must only glorify the Son, 2 Cor. 3.
It is our work only to be available, by living in a faith, that all that we are as to something eternal, is found in The Lord Christ Jesus. He the image in God's mind which forms us in His sight. "For you have not come to a material object, all ablaze with fire, and to gloom and darkness and storm and trumpet-blast and the sound of words" Heb. 12:18. In other words it is Spirit and faith we come to, not laws and actions as a defining quality. By our works going forward resting in faith, from a mind centered upon His identification, as our level of personal evaluation, we truly may live out His life, in action and experience. "For we worship God in Spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus having no confidence in the flesh" Phil. 3:3.
Our problem is we naturally seek to attain, but do not rest in faith to obtain. As long as we perceive that our Christianity's blessings and function is dependent in any way upon ourselves as to Adam nature derived works, or behavior we miss the mark. Or even our allegiance to a church group, Or a way of life among people we find comfort with often only serves to keep us simply performing Christianity.
While these are not bad things still we are in these efforts trying to improve sinful mans condition. Therefore we have missed God's liberty. We seem to think that everything depends upon our diligence, but the Word says "the just shall live by faith"..... And thus liberty is explained. But without our identification being solely in Christ Jesus in His Death Resurrection and Ascension, in Whom we are not only positioned but must learn to become identified subjectively, in a conscious faith awareness that we live within Him. And thereby God is fellowshipping with us and including us spiritually "Hid in Christ" as taught by His Word. Will our liberty given by Grace always remain elusive? The answer is no it cannot be; "For He has given us a 'Spirit of liberty". "So now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death" Phil. 1:20. This was Paul's declaration. Shall we cry out with him, give me liberty!
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