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GIRS syllabus index: Survey Studies in Reformed Theology Unit Index: Nomology |
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Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience
by Pastor Bob Burridge ©2000
Westminster Confession of Faith XX
I. The liberty which Christ hath purchased for believers under the gospel consists in their freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, the curse of the moral law; and, in their being delivered from this present evil world, bondage to Satan, and dominion of sin; from the evil of afflictions, the sting of death, the victory of the grave, and everlasting damnation; as also, in their free access to God, and their yielding obedience unto him, not out of slavish fear, but a childlike love and willing mind. All which were common also to believers under the law. But, under the new testament, the liberty of Christians is further enlarged, in their freedom from the yoke of the ceremonial law, to which the Jewish church was subjected; and in greater boldness of access to the throne of grace, and in fuller communications of the free Spirit of God, than believers under the law did ordinarily partake of.
II. God alone is Lord of the conscience, and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are, in anything, contrary to his Word; or beside it, if matters of faith, or worship. So that, to believe such doctrines, or to obey such commands, out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscience: and the requiring of an implicit faith, and an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience, and reason also.
III. They who, upon pretense of Christian liberty, do practice any sin, or cherish any lust, do thereby destroy the end of Christian liberty, which is, that being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
IV. And because the powers which God hath ordained, and the liberty which Christ hath purchased, are not intended by God to destroy, but mutually to uphold and preserve one another, they who, upon pretense of Christian liberty, shall oppose any lawful power, or the lawful exercise of it, whether it be civil or ecclesiastical, resist the ordinance of God. And, for their publishing of such opinions, or maintaining of such practices, as are contrary to the light of nature, or to the known principles of Christianity (whether concerning faith, worship, or conversation), or to the power of godliness; or, such erroneous opinions or practices, as either in their own nature, or in the manner of publishing or maintaining them, are destructive to the external peace and order which Christ hath established in the church, they may lawfully be called to account, and proceeded against, by the censures of the church.
The Idea of Liberty
There are related words which have areas of common meaning, but which
also diverge into unique meanings. Commonly people see little difference
between independence, liberty, and freedom. It is often supposed that to
be truly free a person must be at liberty to choose any option of which
he is aware, and that he must be able to act independently of any
external constraints upon that choice. But since God is the only truly
independent being (Revelation 4:11 Exodus 3:14 and Acts 17:25), then
only he could be considered as free according to this definition. Yet we
must be careful not to imagine God progressing in his knowledge as if he
first considers potential futures, then freely selects among them.
Rather, there is never any change in the eternal knowledge or
determinations of God, and no progress in his intentions as if they
develop in some sequential manner. This rules out any hypothesis that
would have God base his decrees on the foreseen actions or intentions of
beings he would create in time. (See the syllabus on Theology Proper
pages 61-71 on WCF V of God's Providence.)
There is another concept of freedom in keeping with biblical principles. Personal freedom is the liberty of a person to act in accord with his own choices. In this sense the will of man is always free, since he rebels and sins most willingly, and comes to Christ most willingly. But there is also a bondage to his will. A person's human moral nature internally constrains his choices. In the fallen estate he is in bondage to sin and error. This means that in his rebellion, at the deepest level of his being, he will not choose to do what truly glorifies God, nor will he legitimately trust in Christ as his Savior, until his spiritually dead nature is given life by the Holy Spirit. That enlivened soul is set free from its bondage to sin and death as his master and therefore most gladly comes to the same Christ he had once despised. Yet he comes most freely, most willingly. (See the syllabus on Subjective Soteriology pages 1-10 on the WCF IX of man's Free Will.)
This personal freedom is not independence however. A person's choices, though free, are always rendered certain by the unchangeable and eternal decrees of God as discussed in the first paragraph of this chapter. This points out some of the areas of divergence of the terms we often us synonymously.
At yet another level there is liberty to fulfill our creaturely duties in a manner that pleases God. This liberty is only possible to those who are regenerated. And this liberty is always imperfect while believers undergo the process of subjective sanctification. We are only set free morally, after our glorification in Christ at the resurrection. This liberty is defined by the moral boundaries explained in God's law. Without these revealed moral absolutes it would be impossible for us to know what pleases our Creator. To be at liberty to live a sinful life, is to be in bondage to sin. To be at liberty to live righteously is to be in bondage to righteousness. There is no neutrality of the soul. No middle ground is possible given the facts revealed in God's Word. These moral limits define moral liberty. There can be no liberty without such boundaries. We are at the most perfect level of liberty when we are able to honor God with perfect obedience and motive unhindered by any tendencies to sin.
The Confession, therefore, in detailing our liberty as Christians, speaks both of those corrupt things from which we are set free, and those honorable things to which we are inclined and enabled.
That from which Christ sets us free
Our error is often to think of freedom as a removal of all restraints
and duties. But that is chaos, not freedom. Therefore many approach this
subject in terms of what obligations and limits are lifted from us. That
is not the proper place to begin. The freedom underlying our behavior is
the liberation of our soul from its bondage to sin and its consequences.
This bondage, which keeps us from honoring God as we ought in all
things, we received in Adam. It includes the corruption of our nature,
the guilt of sin, the condemnation demanded by God's justice according
to the curses attached to his covenant, the dominion of sin in our lives
together with our evil desires, the sting of death, and the outpouring
of the deserved wrath of God eternally.
That to which Christ sets us free
From this bondage we are set free in Christ on the grounds of his
eternal decree to redeem, and the now completed atonement. Being
restored by the declaration of righteousness in Christ's merit alone,
his children have full access to God in prayer, and the ability gladly,
lovingly and gratefully to obey his holy law. The condemnation is gone
along with the fear it instills in the lost heart. In place of our
bondage to sin we are brought into bondage to righteousness which is the
perfect state of liberty to be able to do what pleases our Creator and
Savior.
John 8:36 "If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free
indeed."
Romans 6:22 "now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you
derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome,
eternal life."
There are New Testament Advantages
Though the redeemed in all ages enjoy the liberty of reconciliation with
God, there are special blessings of liberty afforded to those living in
the New Testament era. They are set free from the obligations of the
ceremonial law of symbols, confinements and sacrifices. They have a
greater knowledge of the work of grace and the means by which God sets
his people free. Due to a more informed conscience, greater glory is
able to be given to God on behalf of the more complete revelation
available concerning his redeeming work.
God alone is Lord of the Conscience
Though we are set free by Christ in these ways, there remain areas of
dispute among believers concerning matters not directly forbidden or
required in God's word, but which are considered morally binding by
certain groups of men. Because of weaknesses in the flesh, or
associations with sinful behaviors, some with pure intentions add
prohibitions to those of the Scripture. Because of an uninformed but
honorable desire to show devotion to God, some presume obligations not
imposed by divine revelation. These kinds of issues can become causes of
contention or offense among believers. They can bring about divisions
and strife where their ought to be union and peace.
Since God alone made us and redeems us, he alone is Lord of our
conscience. The only perfect rule in matters of faith and practice is
the word of God preserved for us in the inspired Scriptures. When
dealing with issues not directly addressed in the Bible, we are left
with determining what is necessarily derived from Scripture regarding
the application of moral principles in the society and circumstances
around us. We are driven to the Bible to make a diligent investigation
of those boundaries and then to zealously guard the liberty afforded
within those bounds.
Acts 5:29 We must obey God rather than men.
Moral issues not grounded in principles of Scripture are often called adiaphora. Though we may be free morally to engage in some things in and of themselves, we may not be at liberty to pursue them if they cause a brother to stumble or make him believe that his conscience is bound by man and not by God. A conviction not grounded in God's revelation is not to be raised to the level of moral requirement. This applies not only to those who wrongly find offense in things God has not proscribed, but also to those who insist that men engage in a liberty not understood by them as pleasing to God.
A detailed study of Romans 14 reveals some good guidelines in such
matters. True liberty of conscience must not be abandoned as if to
require submission to rules not understood as coming from our Lord.
Liberty of conscience ought not be abused with disregard for the weak
understanding of those not mature in their knowledge of God's work as
revealed in his word. Consider these statements from Romans 14 as such
matters are evaluated in the communion of the saints:
14 I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in
itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is
unclean.
20 Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things
indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives
offense.
23 he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from
faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.
Then also consider the warnings and principles taught throughout
Scripture, including these portions:
1 Peter 2:16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering
for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.
Galatians 5:13 you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn
your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve
one another.
Dr. G. I. Willimason writes, "It has been said, there is a Pope in every man's heart. We are all tempted to think that we could improve our fellow Christians if we had charge of their conscience." (The Westminster Confession of Faith for Study Classes page 152)