Act As Free Men (2-7-12)

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."

There is a lot of discussion in the church today concerning our liberty as Christians. As Christians what are we permitted to do and how close to the fence are we allowed to walk? That's the way a lot of Christians think. They quote the apostle Paul and say "All things are lawful." which is certainly true, but they don't finish the verse, which continues, "but not all things are profitable." Instead of asking "What am I allowed to do?" we should be asking the question "Is this profitable?" And really the only things that are truly profitable are those things that bring us closer to God.
The apostle Paul says in Galatians 5:13 - "For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." God called us to freedom, but He also knows our reasoning. He knows that if we're told that He called us to freedom then our natural reaction is going to be to turn our freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, serving ourselves and fulfilling our own lusts, so He continues "but through love serve one another." Peter presents the same idea in 1 Peter chapter 2 when he says - "Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God." This is a strange idea and at first glance it seems like a contradiction. We're told to use our freedom as bondslaves of God. So he's basically saying that we are free to be slaves. God didn't set us free so that we could continue in sin, He died for us in order that He might deliver us from it. In the book of Romans the apostle Paul says that we were slaves of sin, but he continues in Romans 6:17-18 by saying - "But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." Our freedom is simply a change of masters. We were salves of sin but now we are slaves of God. We are free from our old master, namely sin. And because Christ has set us free we no longer have to obey our former master. And having been freed it is foolishness to once again want to accomplish the will of our old master. Instead of seeking what is permissible we should pursuing what is profitable. Instead of asking "what's wrong with this situation or that thing?" we should be asking "What's right with it? How does this thing bring me closer to God?" And if it doesn't then God has freed us to forsake these things and pursue those things that draw us closer to him. When talking to slaves about their service the apostle Paul says in Ephesians 6:6-7 - "Not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men." Everything we do is to be done as to the Lord and not to men. Therefore, if there is something that we cannot do to the glory of God then we shouldn't be doing it at all. That's the freedom we have. The freedom to be free from everything that does not draw us closer to God. That's true freedom.

John 8:34-36 - "Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.""