“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty”
“Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (2 Corinthians 3:17, KJV), Let us think about what God’s word teaches, “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” (1 John 5:7, KJV). We are blessed to be Saved by God’s Grace and to have The Holy Spirit dwelling inside each and every one of God’s Children, (Rom. 8:28-30, KJV).
Because of this, we enjoy Liberty in the Lord that those who aren’t a child of Grace don’t have. Now, being a Child of Grace, we can enjoy Blessings in this life, putting on Christ, walking in that True Liberty in this life.
This is the United States Semi-quincentennial, marking the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026. I’m reminded of those that assisted towards the formation of this great Country and how it's a blessing from God.
Remember Patrick Henry’s speech and how it had scriptural basis and background, especially applying our opening text. In March of 1775, the Second Virginia Convention met at St. John’s Church in Richmond to discuss the state’s strategy against the British. It was here that Patrick Henry delivered his most famous speech.
“Gentlemen may cry, ‘Peace, Peace,’ but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? ... Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!"
Wow, if we understand what was said, we can think about the application of Scripture to what He meant. When he used the word Liberty, it was the True Liberty that’s in the Lord. The Bible begins with "In the Beginning God." That means nothing existed except for God, who there is no beginning and ending
God’s always been. Scripture says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” (Genesis 1:1-2, KJV). It takes one that God has revealed Himself through the effectual call mentioned in (John 3:3-8, Rom. 8:30, KJV) to be born again by the Holy Spirit by God’s Grace.
We are given Spiritual Life by having this; we can enjoy knowing what God has done through His Creation and how His Spirit moved across it in a way that pleased Him, just as it pleased God to save us by His Grace and put His Spirit in Us!
Jesus Christ is our Life and Liberty and blessed us through him with eternal Life; He is our everything, as Scripture tells us, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6, KJV). This tells me Jesus Christ is our Life and Liberty.
The Word of the Lord tells us also, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:1, 13, KJV).
We need not be going through life entangled with the bondage of sin, unscriptural laws, bad traditions of men, bad political policies, wicked family ties, and friendships that don’t honor the Lord. Liberty doesn’t give the license to do whatever we want; it is a great privilege and honor as God’s children to have liberty, and we need to be good stewards of it to honor God with it because true Liberty is in Him.
I’m reminded of the scripture, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” (John 10:9, KJV). Saved by His Grace we can by Christ timely go In and Out and find Pasture with true Liberty to enjoy the Blessings among God’s People in the Church that’s in the Kingdom of God. In other words, we have doors we enjoy going in and out of in our home, but it’s still in the home; the same in the Kingdom of God.
Like sheep there is a door the sheep can go in and out of but still in the fences, parameters, and pasture of their Shepherd. The Sheep only answers to their shepherd and enjoys their Liberty with Him as found in, (John 10:4-5, KJV).
As a Christian we have the same enemies as Christ did, false prophets and antichrists which were around during our Lord. See warning given in, ( 1 John 2:18-19 & 22, 2 John 1:7, KJV). The scripture also teaches us, “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:” (Galatians 2:4, KJV).
The Enemy, Satan, doesn’t want us to follow God because of his Hate of God and he does all he can to stop, distract, interfere, discourage, and hinder God’s Children from being faithful to God who is our Heavenly Father. He is faithful even when we are unfaithful but we enjoy blessings in this life for our obedience in faithfulness in this life.
The Scripture teaches, “For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 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.
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.” (2 Peter 2:18-20, KJV). How often have many so-called religions promise one form of liberty, or the promises from worldly leaders, and it’s not what they promise; it’s a trap. When we’re in God’s word and following it, we enjoy True Liberty that is in the Lord.
I’m reminded in Acts 15:1-20, how some new believers seeing truth were afflicted by others that wanted to put the yoke of bondage on them. They that did so were rebuked by apostle Peter. We are under Grace not the Law.
Scripture teaches, “For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Galatians 2:18-21, KJV), there is life and Liberty in God’s Grace.
God has blessed us with His Spirit, and we have Liberty in the Lord; let’s discern between the Spirit of God and the spirit of antichrist mentioned in (1 John 4:3) and see Hebrews 5:14 KJV).
Now we can understand and hold to the True Liberty in the Lord and refuse the False Liberty that is in those things that are worldly.
I’m thankful for Good Men like Patrick Henry, in assisting towards the founding of this Country. He knew where the True Liberty lies in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, it wasn’t in people and things of this natural world.
May God Bless
Elder Brad Hansard
Editor and Publisher
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