Christian Liberty
W. Jay. Galatians 2:4 And that because of false brothers unawares brought in, who came in privately to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus… I. Our liberty, which is in Christ Jesus, includes our freedom from the exactions and impositions of men in religion. Now observe, we say, "in religion;" because we do not here refer to civil things. No, my brethren, where religion is concerned, Jesus is the King in Zion. He is our Lawgiver. II. We observe, "Our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus," includes a freedom from the bondage of corruption. I was thinking, in my retirement this morning, what a number of tyrants does every sinner serve! What a tyrant is Satan! What a tyrant is the world! — they who have faith indeed "overcome the world"; but all others are overcome by it. What a tyrant is sin! "He that committeth sin," says the apostle, "is the servant of sin." Is he free who is under the dominion of pride and revenge and envy and malice? We are upholden by His free Spirit, and we can say with David, "We will walk at liberty, for we seek Thy precepts." III. We said, "Our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus," includes a freedom from the condemnation of the law. "The soul that sinneth it shall die." IV. We said, "Our liberty, which is in Christ Jesus," includes a freedom of access to God. He is the greatest and the best of Beings. In His presence is "fulness of joy"; at His right hand are" pleasures for evermore." V. We said, "Our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus," is a freedom to partake Of and enjoy the good things of nature and Providence. We have thus endeavoured to exemplify "our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus." How shall we improve it? The improvement will include four admonitions. 1. "Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free, and be not again entangled with the yoke of bondage." 2. Do not abuse your liberty. There is nothing too good to he abused. Beware of the Antinomian scheme — Oh, he is freed from the law; therefore he has nothing to do with it. But Paul had to do with it. Paul said, "I delight in the law of the Lord after the inward man." Though he turned away from it as a covenant of works, he viewed it as a rule of life. Remember, your liberty is not a liberty to sin. There is another abuse of this liberty, that is, of placing all who profess Christianity upon the same level in society, as if, because we are all one in Christ Jesus (for so we are), that the rich and the poor, the master and the servant, the ruler and the ruled, were all the same, in a civil condition. God Himself maintains the gradations and distinctions of life, and the duties and obligations resulting from them; and I never knew any violation of these distinctions but it was attended with injury, not only with regard to those above, but even to those below their level. 3. Improve this liberty. In one sense you cannot; its provisions surpass all expression and conception. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." But we mean we should make use of it and improve it. 4. Recommend this liberty to others; only see that you exemplify yourselves what you recommend, otherwise you may be more injurious than beneficial, as some are by their talking on religious subjects — otherwise you may draw forth the proverb, "Physician, heal thyself;" or the retort, "Thou that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself?" (W. Jay.) Parallel Verses KJV: And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: WEB: This was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who stole in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage;