Wk 2 | True Freedom

John 8:31-36

Not only is God good, but His commands are intended for our good and the world’s good.

Psalm 19:7 – The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 – 12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?

There is a real right and wrong.

Romans 2:14-16 – 14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

But, what if people disagree with you? Doesn’t that make truth relative? No!

C. S. Lewis famously noted how belief in objective right and wrong is inescapable:

“Whenever you find a man who says he does not believe in a real Right and Wrong, you will find the same man going back on this a moment later. He may break his promise to you, but if you try breaking on to him, he will be complaining, ‘It’s not fait’ before you can say Jack Robinson.”

The pastor, Voddie Baucham, explained it this way. The moment you hear someone say morality is relative, punch them in the face. When they ask why you did, just tell them that it’s what you really wanted to do. It’s what you felt was right. They will immediately disagree.

Objective morality is not always seen from our actions, but always from our reactions.

The moral law that God has written on each person’s heart and in His Word is inescapable. It can be denied. You can try to live contrary to it. But just like if you try to overcome the law of gravity you will get hurt, you will get hurt if you try to overcome the moral law that is on your heart.

Living the sexual ethic of Jesus brings true human flourishing.

But, doesn’t it often feel like it’s a hindrance? Following what Jesus says? It goes against what we want. We want freedom. What does it mean to be free? Is the person who does whatever they want free? I’m not sure they are.

Is an alcoholic, someone who is free to drink whenever they want free? I want you to think about this: are they free not to take a drink? No. They are a slave to their passions and pleasures.

Titus 3:3 – For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.

The truly free person is the one who is able to say no to alcohol. The free person is the one who is able to say no to looking at porn. Who is able to say no to sexual activity outside of marriage.

Freedom is not doing whatever you want. It is cultivating the right wants.

If freedom is doing whatever you want, nobody is truly free. People can’t fly or see through walls or become an elephant. If this is what freedom is, nobody is truly free.

Is freedom doing what you want without restraint? I’m not sure here also.

Think about this: Are you freer if you bang on piano keys without restraint, or if you follow the guidance of a teacher who disciplines and guides you? You know the answer. The instructor helps restrain your actions so you can use a piano as it was meant to be used. Discipline and restraint are necessary for producing beautiful music.

The same is true in sports. I used to think this in terms of people who knew the Bible well and things of the Bible, how they could just spout them out. I wanted that freedom. Now that I’ve been in PhD work myself, I see how they got there. From reading book after b