Every church I have ever attended has church laws and in doing so miss the mark.  If St. Paul is right then until we get out from being under the law we are still in bondage.  We are not free.  We are not free from sin because with the law is the knowledge of sin.  We are not free from sickness because sickness entered the world through breaking the command of God.  We are not free from the burden of trying to keep the law when we are under it, and condemnation waits at the door when we don’t keep it.  In short as long as the church stays religious, governed by rules and regulations, she is not free.  Truly the right question to ask is, “How do we get out from being under the law?”  “How do we break away from being a religious person and become a spiritual person?”  “How do we stop being judgmental and condescending and begin to live in the light?”

            First we must learn how to love.  We must transcend prejudice whether it is blood, race, sex, creed, or culture.  Unless we do this we cannot say we love our neighbor as our self. That means anyone can be our neighbor.  That means we give to others as the spirit leads without any consideration of what we will get in return.  We must be free from the power money has over us in order to give cheerfully and generously as we are led no matter who it is.  If we begin to act from the Spirit we will get out from being under the law and experience freedom.

            Second, we must learn to live by faith.  Living by faith means believing what God has promised regardless of circumstances and facts.  We must live in the truth, the truth of scripture, for we shall know the truth and the truth shall make us free.  As we learn to act by faith and live by faith, the faith of Abraham, we become a friend of God and when we become a friend of God, we are no longer subject to rules, regulations, and law, and we become free.  We no longer fear making a mistake or getting God angry or doing the wrong thing and life opens up.  We get free.

            Third, we must not indulge the flesh.  That means we get delivered from fleshly spirits like anger, lust, fear, hatred, filthy talking and we learn how to walk in the Spirit.  The carnal mind is death.  The spiritual mind is life and peace.  When the flesh is no longer dominant and love is, we become free.

            Seek to become a spiritual person.  If you do, sin, sickness, oppression, and every form of bondage will have to depart and you will become free.  If you choose to live under law, earn your salvation, and quench the Spirit, you will never be free.  If you let love be your guiding light and let go of fear, you will get free.  If you live by faith, you will find life, and the life is a life of freedom.  Finally if you need deliverance, get delivered, ask God to mortify the flesh, confess it and believe God can deliver you and you will become free.

            The church desperately needs to become free.  If you are part of the church then you too need to be free. Get free! 

 

Amen