7th November 2023

7th November 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read (Romans 14)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


The Westminster Confession of Faith is not the Bible and should never be treated as such. It is however a time tested summary of Christian belief and, as I'm sure you know, it is the confessed belief of all Presbyterian ministers and elders. What you may not know is that the Confession has a whole chapter on the subject of Christian liberty and liberty of conscience. These are the issues that Paul deals with in Romans 14 and I thought I'd take a few devotions to outline the Confession's summary of Biblical teaching around the issue of the Christian's liberty.


Here is what we read in chapter twenty, paragraph one of the Westminster Confession of Faith "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 a 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."


I know that the Confession can easily intimidate so allow me to explain what you've just read. By Christ's death and resurrection He has purchased a glorious freedom for every single child of God. By faith in Jesus we have been set free from the guilt of sin, the wrath of God and the curse of the moral law. We no longer have our sins counted against us, no longer do we need to fear the all consuming anger of God and no longer are we counted as law breakers deserving punishment. We are free in Christ.


If that weren't enough we are now free from the grip of the enemy. Neither sin nor Satan is our master and even though it has been appointed for us to die, death's sting is gone. When the Christian dies they go to be with Jesus which is better by far and we make that journey in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection to come. The follower of Christ will stand again upon this earth and although hell remains for those who oppose Christ, the Christian will never see it. We are free in Christ.


There's even more freedom in Christ. By the merit of Christ's work, we have free access to God - the curtain has been torn, the way has been opened and we now freely and willingly serve the Lord. We don't serve Him because He is a tyrant whom we fear. We freely serve Him because we love Him as a child loves a parent - this is what we call the fear of God.


Even though all of these blessings were given to the Old Testament faithful, Christians on this side of the cross know an even greater freedom than our brothers and sisters of old. The Old Testament church were required to observe the ceremonial law and they worshipped in type and in shadow. Today the ceremonial law has gone - you don't bring a lamb to church because Jesus is the lamb of God who came to take away the sin of the world. Indeed at this stage of redemptive history, you and I can be bolder in our approach to the throne of grace. This isn't out of arrogance but because Christ has come and in Christ we are free. Finally, although the Old Testament faithful knew the work of the Holy Spirit as we do, in some wonderful way we have a fuller and freer interaction with God the Holy Spirit.


Brothers and sisters, here is a brief explanation of the liberty purchased for us by Christ. Marvel at it and praise your God for in Christ, we are free.   


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q90 How is the Word to be read and heard, that it may become effectual to salvation? That the Word may become effectual to salvation, we must attend thereunto with diligence, preparation, and prayer; receive it with faith and love, lay it up in our hearts, and practice it in our lives.
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