"Christian Liberty" Examined
The term "Christian Liberty" is often used to place the commandments of Yahweh under the category of things not to be in bondage to. Is this true or is this just another ploy to decieve?..
THE GOSPELTHE LAW


Satan, as a master of deception, has an old tactic of adding confusion to the point where darkness is put for light and light for darkness. The confusion is so great that the freedom which comes with being in Christ is taught to be bondage and the bondage of sin (Transgression of the Law) is taught to be freedom. The below prophecy concerning the coming Messiah and the Gospel He was anointed to preach speaks to those that he would set free.
Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Yahweh is upon me; because the Master hath anointed me to preach GOOD TIDINGS unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, TO PROCLAIM liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Notice that it say's He comes to Proclaim liberty to the captives. This prophecy is about the message that the Messiah was coming to proclaim. This very same prophecy in the book of Luke reads a little differently.
Luke 4:18 The Spirit of Yahweh is upon me, because he hath anointed me TO PREACH the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, TO PREACH deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
It is the Word of Messiah, the Gospel, that liberates. Yahshua expounds on this in HIs doctrine.
John 8:31 Then said Yahshua to those Jews which believed on him, "IF ye continue in MY WORD, then are ye my disciples indeed;"
John 8:32 "And ye SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, and THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE."
John 8:33 ¶They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
John 8:34 Yahshua answered them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the SERVANT (BONDMAN) of sin."
John 8:35 "And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever."
John 8:36 "If the Son therefore shall make you free, YE SHALL BE FREE INDEED."
This is the True Freedom that Yahweh promised through the prophet Isaiah that only comes through continuing in Christ's doctrine... His Words... In verse 34, Yahshua contrasts the freedom that comes thru knowing the Truth with those that are in bondage to sin. The freedom that is commonly taught today is in direct opposition to the teachings of Christ, in that they preach a freedom to transgress the Law (Sin) . Peter warns of this in the verse below.
2 Peter 2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
It is those that are the servants of sin that are in bondage not those that are the servants of Messiah. As Paul puts it, it is those that are born after the Flesh that are in bondage but those that are born of the Spirit are free.
Galatians 4:29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
Galatians 4:30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman.
Galatians 4:31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the LIBERTY wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Paul wrote this letter to the Galatian assembly in an effort to combat the teachings of those that were mixing the tradition of the elders (Judaism) with the truth of the Gospel that Messiah taught. The son of the free woman is born after the Spirit and the son of the bondwoman is born after the flesh. Paul then lists the works of the flesh, all of which are against the commandments, and states that people that practice these such things will not inherit the kingdom. He then writes that if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law and lists the fruits of the Spirit stating that there is no Law against them. The people that are led by the Spirit are the servants of Christ and not of sin. He was not telling the people to not obey and follow Christ, he actually rebukes them for not doing so in the verse below.
Galatians 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Yahshua the Messiah hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
Yahshua taught against the traditions of the elders and He in no way taught against the commandments that Yahweh gave through His servant Moses. In fact He rebukes the people that taught these doctrines because they taught against the commandments given through Moses. Note that in the below passage Yahshua equates the commandment of Elohim with Moses' writings.
Mark 7:7 "Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
Mark 7:8 "For LAYING ASIDE the commandment of Elohim, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do."
Mark 7:9 And he said unto them, "FULL WELL YE REJECT THE COMMANDMENT of Elohim, that ye may keep your own tradition."
Mark 7:10 "FOR MOSES SAID, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:"
Mark 7:11 "BUT YE SAY, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free."
The Truth of the Gospel are the Words of the Messiah and according to His Word those that lay aside the commandments of Yahweh for doctrines of men worship in VAIN. This is what Paul was warning the Galatian assembly about concerning the Pharisees that "believed". They were troubling these believers by teaching that salvation comes through circumcision which they were doing in order to bring them under their authority.
Galatians 2:3 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised: Galatians 2:4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have IN Yahshua the Messiah, THAT THEY MIGHT BRING US INTO BONDAGE:
We see certain "churches" and religious organizations teaching similar things today concerning church memberships and baptisms, teaching that people cannot not be saved apart from their organizations. All of these things are done in order to bring people under their authority and, although done ignorantly, to draw people away from following Christ.
Colossians 2:8 BEWARE lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the TRADITIONS OF MEN, after the rudiments of the world, and NOT AFTER CHRIST.
In the below passage Paul writes to the Roman assembly concerning obedience and servitude (slavery).
Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Romans 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? Elohim forbid.
Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants (slaves) to obey, his servants (Slaves) ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Romans 6:17 But Elohim be thanked, that ye WERE the servants (slaves) of sin, BUT ye have obeyed from the heart that form of DOCTRINE (TEACHING) which was delivered you.
Paul's words here mirror those that Yahshua spoke in John 8:31-36 where Yahshua said "Whosoever committeth sin is the SERVANT (BONDMAN) of sin.". Paul writes the exact same thing, although worded differently, in Romans 6:16. Yahshua begins by saying "IF ye continue in MY WORD, then are ye my disciples indeed and ye SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, and THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE.". Paul references this teaching in Romans 6:17 where he states that the believers WERE the slaves of sin BUT had obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine (Teaching) that was delivered. Whoever or whatever it is that we choose to serve it is that that we are in bondage to. We are either slaves of sin or slaves of Christ, it's one or the other. To be the servant of Christ is to be free of sin as Paul writes.
Romans 6:18 Being then made free FROM sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
The Liberty that comes through Messiah is freedom from sin, it is not freedom to sin.
Romans 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
Romans 6:20 For when ye WERE the servants (slaves) of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
Romans 6:21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
Romans 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to Elohim, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of Elohim is eternal life through Yahshua the Messiah our Master.
This is what it means to confess Christ as Master, or as translated in most Bibles "Lord". We are either yoked together with sin and the flesh or we are yoked together with Messiah which is to walk in the Spirit and to be free from sin.
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Yahshua the Messiah, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Yahshua the Messiah hath made me free from THE LAW OF SIN and death.
It is what Paul calls the Law of sin and death that those that walk in the Spirit are free from. This is the liberty that Paul continually wrote about.
2 Corintians 3:17 Now the Master is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Master is, there is liberty.
The below verse is commonly twisted to fit the popular lawless doctrines.
1 Cor 6:12 ALL things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
They will point to the word "All" and suggest that it is an all encompassing term and therefore anything goes, but is Paul saying fornication, adultery, drunkenness, etc... (Choose a sin) is lawful for him? Apparently not since he clearly states that none of the people that do those things will inherit the Kingdom. Look at the verses above this one verse for context.
1 Cor 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous SHALL NOT inherit the kingdom of Elohim? BE NOT DECIEVED: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1 Cor 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of Elohim.
1 Cor 6:11 And such WERE some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Master Yahshua, and by the Spirit of our Elohim.
1 Cor 6:12 ALL things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
The reality is we have no idea what questions Paul is responding to in not just this but all of his letters because we don't have the letters sent by the assemblies to Paul. This is probably part of the reason that Paul's letters can be difficult to understand, so much so that Peter had to warn about Paul's writings.
The truth is that the Law is Liberty and it is Perfect just as James wrote and as recorded in the Psalms.
James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Psalm 19:7 The Law of Yahweh is perfect, converting the soul, the testimony of Yahweh is sure making wise the simple.
Psalm 119:44 So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.
Psalm 119:45 And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.