21.3 Free Indeed: Righteousness of God

Table of Contents

The Text

Matthew 5:17–19 (CSB) “Don’t think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all things are accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

The Chapter

They who upon pretense of Christian liberty do practice any sin, or cherish any sinful lust, as they do thereby pervert the main design of the grace of the gospel to their own destruction, so they wholly destroy the end of Christian liberty, which is, that being delivered out of the hands of all our enemies, we might serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our lives.

The Confession

They who upon pretence of Christian liberty do practice any sin, or cherish any sinful lust, as they do thereby pervert the main design of the grace of the gospel to their own destruction

Romans 6:1–2 (CSB) What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

so they wholly destroy the end of Christian liberty, which is, that being delivered out of the hands of all our enemies, we might serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our lives

Galatians 5:13 (CSB) For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.

2 Peter 2:18–21 (CSB) For by uttering boastful, empty words, they seduce, with fleshly desires and debauchery, people who have barely escaped from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption, since people are enslaved to whatever defeats them. For if, having escaped the world’s impurity through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in these things and defeated, the last state is worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy command delivered to them.

And with the freedom of the glory of the children of God (Romans 8:21) and with the consciences given to us by God alone, there is one thing we are not free to do.

Christians cannot go on sinning without end.

Actual, real freedom does not give us freedom to sin. Think about this: the phrase, "freedom to sin" is an oxymoron--it is illogical. God, who is Almighty, sovereign, and free to do whatever he pleases cannot sin. Freedom and sin are at war with each other. You have freedom or you have sin--you cannot have both.

That is the backwards thinking of the world--if we can do these sins against God, then we will be free. Some Christians take it one step further: I can obey most of God's laws because they come easy to me and I don't struggle with them. But this one sin? I need to keep this because if I don't have it, I will not be free.

But the children of God who have been set free by the Son of God is free indeed.

Romans 8:14–15 (CSB) For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!”

Sin only leads to fear, slavery and death. There is no other destination.

But you might be asking, "I struggle with sin! I struggle with this one sin. Repent as I might, I keep falling! What can I do?"

You mean like Peter who went out of his way to deny the Christ three times?

You mean like Paul who loves the law but finds himself at war with it?

You mean like the tax collector saw his depravity and cried out to God?

Wretched man that I am! Who is going to save me from this body of death? God, have mercy on me--a sinner!

What is the response of our Lord Jesus Christ? What did he proclaim to you as a child of God? How do you think the Alpha and the Omega will respond to you in your sin state and desperate plea? Will he reject you? Will he turn you away? Will King of kings, the Lord of lord, the only Begotten Son of God turn his back on you?

No! He asks you:

Do you love me?

Yes

Can anyone condemn you?

No.

The Christ has declared, "Neither do I. Go and sin no more."

Why?

Because we have the Christ who is the Sinless One--the Worthy Spotless Lamb who was slain for me.

Glory, glory is he!