Why Not Practice Biblical Freedom in the Church…by
Trusting God?
Galatians 5:1, 13
The Bible is a
Book of ‘freedom.’ By its very nature, it tells of God time and again bringing
freedom to His people. From the point of creation, God has poured out His love
upon His people. One of the ways that He did this was through the giving of His
law. However, His law was never intended to be turned into a rule book of
judgmentalism and legalism. It was intended to show us His all-consuming love that
pointed the way to His ultimate expression of love, Jesus Christ.
Of course, we as people want to define our own
way and, all too often, that landed God’s people in subjection and oppression
to pagan unbelievers. He delivered His people from bondage to Egypt, freedom
from the fears and unbelief of a prior generation as they entered the Promised
Land across the Jordan River, freedom time and again and again throughout the
Book of Judges, freedom from Babylon, and ultimately freedom from sin through faith
in Jesus. All God asked was that His people worship Him and live in obedience
to what He asks us to do. But, we always want to ‘add to’ or ‘detract from’ His
Word.
The apostle
Paul, having been a Pharisee, was all too well acquainted with the almost
endless twists, definitions, definitions of definitions, loopholes that the
Oral Traditions had added to often mistaken interpretations of God’s Law. For
the average individual who had to make a living, keeping the Law, which the
Pharisees taught was the way to please God, was a burden that kept more people
frustrated than freed them. After Paul was chosen by Christ to be His
messenger, he soon came to realize that what God had given was modified by
people, most likely with good intentions, to become something that God never
intended it to be. Paul understood the simplicity that was to become the New
Testament Church. The Church flourished under the clear understanding of what
God had done.
Paul writes in
Galatians 5:1, “So Christ has truly set
us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in
slavery to the law.” (NLT) Today, we do not make ourselves slaves to the
law typically, but we do often make ourselves slaves to other bodies of law
created by Churches that all too often tie our hands and hinder ministry. Many
are also guilty of serving this law to the degree that needed ministry or
timing is lost because it may violate some clause in a Constitution or By Law.
In essence we create another law to which we are slaves.
Today,
luckily, many Churches are restructuring themselves to do away with monthly and
even quarterly business meetings. Many are streamlining Constitutions and By
Laws to where they are very short documents structured for the purpose of
facilitating ministry and being able to quickly respond to opportunities that
avail themselves. But even in this streamlining, it is made clear that the
Bible is truly the guide to doing Church. Along with that is also a statement
of belief that is again pointed back to Scripture.
But most of
all, they reflect a trust in a God who brings us freedom. Let us get back to
believing God once again in the Church. Let us trust Him to guide us in the
right way instead of making up endless rules to define things or attempt to
make people behave a certain way or dress a certain way. Let all of us practice
what God’s Word tells us as an example for others to follow. I truly believe
that God wants us to trust Him instead of trying to legislate morality,
behavior, dress, etc. in the Church. Let us take the words of Galatians 5:13-15
to heart, “For you have been called to
live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy
your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For
the whole law can be summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as
yourself.’ But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware
of destroying one another.”
I believe in
the Church. I do not believe in a Church that looks and functions like a
business or the government. The Church that Jesus reigns over is a place of
freedom, safety, joy, and thankfulness for the gift of salvation. That Church
wants to share these things with others, not make rules. I have spotted the
truth, have you?
Jeff Woolum, Pastor
FBC Perrysburg, OH
