Now more than ever before, it seems that matters of doctrine and practice differ from person to person. What has long been considered true is now (in the eyes of many) debatable, while those things that we have always believed to be false or in opposition to the truth, are now being adopted and accepted. We all have the right to believe whatever we want, and it is sure that no one or no one group will ever have a corner on the truth. Yet, the Word still encourages us to be likeminded about both our doctrine and practice. The commandment in II Timothy 2:15 to rightly divide the Word of truth still directs us to show ourselves approved by doing so. This challenge is still accomplishable. God would not ask us to do something that we could not.
When proper workmanship produces truth that we agree upon, the logical thing to do is to adhere to it until our workmanship improves and we learn more. Change is proper and right, but it must be taken with caution and humility. There is safety in a multitude of counselors, and the independence and autonomy which we cherish and maintain at the price of our personal integrity must be weighed against the clear exhortations of God’s Word to function together as a Body fitly framed together.
At times our individual and collective pursuits, cause us to throw aside the principles of truth to pursue a sense of freedom that is completely void of truth. For some odd reason, we have bought into the lie that the freedoms we want to experience in Christ as believers, can come about without certain rules and boundaries. . . certain checks and balances.
Unfortunately, too many of us long for the mystical to occur in our lives. We want something magical to happen to us. Well, you better hope nothing magical does happen. Rather than embrace the truths behind sowing and reaping, we want gain without doing what is required. . . doing what the word says. God’s grace doesn’t eliminate effort, an honest realization of the grace of God brings out our best possible effort because of our love and appreciation for what God did for us in Christ. (I Corinthians 15:10)
As believers, we sometimes get this freedom thing all messed up. We are free to love, free to serve and free to give. We are not free to do whatever we want. That’s called lasciviousness or anarchy. Isn’t it interesting that the very first time the word “free” is mentioned in the Bible, God follows it up with a boundary in which that freedom can occur.
Genesis 2:15-17:
And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Here we see God from the very beginning, providing mankind with instructions on how he can flourish freely within the garden He provided, along with the boundaries he needed to observe in order to live and succeed.
Psalms 119:45:
I will walk at liberty for I seek Thy precepts.
When doing God’s Word and will is our priority, we will walk at liberty. God wants us free. Jesus said the truth would make us free. Apart from the truth there is no real freedom. That’s why when we find the truth we stay put.
Galatians 5:1, 13:
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. [We must avoid legalism.] 13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, [We must avoid license.] but by love serve one another.
The freedom God provides us requires boundaries. God will help each of us to establish boundaries that will protect us and provide for our safety and growth. Unless we establish proper boundaries with the truth of God’s Word, our lusts and addictions will take over and our freedom in Christ will disappear.