THE FOUNDATION OF LIBERTY
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(By Pastor Larry Burkholder)
Psalm 119:41-48
"Liberty" is found in 119:45 where we read: "And I will walk at liberty: For I seek thy precepts." Genuine liberty has its moorings or foundation in the Word of God, and in the person and saving work of Jesus Christ, the Living Word. We read: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." (John 1:1;17:17) Then in John 8:36 tells us: "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." This is spiritual liberty which sets each believer free from the law of sin and death which all mankind are under. Romans 8:2 reads: "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." Believers all across the world, even those who live in political oppression do experience and appreciate spiritual liberty that they have in Jesus Christ.
Throughout all the reading of Psalm 119 we find many references to the Word of God. In this short, small portion of 119:41-48 we read such phrases as "thy word." Then in 119:43 we read "thy judgments." In 119:44 we read "thy law." In 119:45 we read "thy precepts." And in 119:46 "thy testimonies" and in 119:48 "thy statutes."
The written Word of God given by the Living Word of God through inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God is the basis and foundation for the spiritual liberty that each believer enjoys. Vain is the search for liberty by anyone who rejects "the glorious liberty of the children of God" as mentioned previously in Romans 8:21b.
That "glorious liberty" of which we who are the children of God have should cause our hearts and souls to rejoice and to motivate us to "witness" more. James 1:25a reads: "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty..." shows us without any doubt that there is a real blessing in reading and heeding God's Word. Obedience to God's Word prepares the way for freedom to enjoy His best for us. God's holy Word is our sure foundation for our liberty. Now, perhaps, we can understand why those of our nation's founding fathers mentioned liberty so frequently. It was the foundation of their liberty.
ILLUSTRATION: The people of Thailand break wild elephants to domestic use by chaining them to banyan trees. The pain the elephants experience by pulling against the restraint gradually breaks their will to resist. When an elephant finally refuses to lift its massive leg in an effort to free itself, the workers release it from the tree and secure it to a circus stake. The beast could pull the stake from the ground like a toothpick, but it remembers the pain and isn't smart enough to realize the circumstances have changed.
Although Christians are freed from Satan's power, we sometimes act as if we are still imprisoned by it. He lies, telling us we cannot escape. But we are not elephants; we are intelligent enough to see the shackles laid aside, to feel the freedom Christ brings us. He has entered our dungeon and set us free! Why continue to be chained to a spiritual stake when Jesus has freed us to soar!
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