“Freedom In Morality”

Sunday, March 25, 2018

In ministry, I sometimes encounter people who complain that the church’s teachings are too moralistic. That is, that the church only tries to get people to behave perfectly, but not to love Jesus from the heart. And so, in rebellion against that viewpoint, many have presumed that we should continue in sin, abandon-ing antiquated morals, so that grace may truly abound. The thought is that while the former confines us, the latter will truly set us free.

But the line between moralistic religion and a riotous presumption upon grace is not so fine as some might think. In fact, the gap between them is large enough to accommodate another whole idea: Biblical moral freedom as God has actually ordained it.

When God created mankind, he imposed a standard of morality upon us in order to preserve our freedom to speak openly with him, our freedom to enjoy the prosperity and rest of an abundant garden, and our freedom from death (cf. Gen. 3:22-24). It was only when we rebelled against this code of morality that we became slaves.

And when God brought the Israelites into Canaan, he imposed a standard of morality upon them in order to make them free to live at peace with their political neighbors, free to be economically rich and prosperous, and free to enjoy a society of harmony and equality (cf. Deut. 4:5-8). It was only when they rebelled against his morality that they oppressed the vulnerable and became slaves themselves.

Morality is not inherently a prison. When morality is objectively dictated by God, it is the key to release us from a prison we make for ourselves. That is why we need law from God. And that is why we need to follow his law—for our own good and the good of all others.

- Dan Lankford, minister 

*We are in the midst of a sermon series on the 10 Commandments—a moral code which, if followed, can still bring freedom and equality to all societies. Click here to hear those messages.*

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