James 1:25" But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom.."How much the NT writes about the law? In fact, Jesus' teachings on the mount is the highest interpretation of the law - His perfect law.
The reason why James exhorts us to 'look intently into the perfect law' is purely because it is the Law Of Liberty! Whilst it may sound contradictory - law and freedom?
- Freedom has high value by God
- God is free! and yet He is completely lawful
- God is God - He does what is good. God is love - what He does is love (there is no bondage os self consciousness)
- 2 Cor 3:17 " Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom"
- The counterfeit of freedom is that of "lawlessness", which is ungodly
Definition of Freedom - Being in a situation where all your needs are met and protected from harm
- Freedom is not equal to independence (story of the poor man who made it in life to go into the space)
- On the contrary, freedom involves dependence (Is61)
- The place where we are most 'free'? In your mother's womb!
- Freedom is always defined by law (eg laws of traffic observed so that we have good traffic flow, professionals spent years of study and training to learn a specialisation so that they can do what they are good at. Cardiologist vs Cook. Likewise, music is very rule-oriented. Good musicians when they perform, becomes very liberating for those who watch or listen. Sportsman like Michael Phelps, Tiger Woods, Nadal - their disciplines into the training.
- Our human spirit longs for freedom. God is free , so we are created to be free
- Moral freedom is the freedom of the heart - ie free enough to be what we are created (John 8:32 "..the truth shall set us free")
Freedom is about learning and mastering the Laws in life. But how?
Through the Spirit!
The spirit of the king in us will always fulfil the laws of God
But are we really truly free in the Spirit?
The sermon on the Mount - teaches us beyond the spirit of the law on murder/ anger,, adultery, marriage, vows, loving the enemy, sabbath . The letter of the law and the spirit of the law.
"Fill me with your spirit" "Rule me by your Spirit"
Not overnight stuff. A lawyer's mistake goes the prison, a doc's mistake goes to the grave and a minister's mistake goes to hell.
Jesus fulfills without the need to struggle.
Hence to master life in freedom and true liberty, we must learn to understand the law of the Spirit.
Freedom is designed and created by the Creator King. To change the entire world, we need to learn and master His laws. So live in the Spirit!
(extract teachings from Peter Tsukihara's conference)
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