Souls Set Free

Explain Yourself! • Sermon • Submitted a year ago

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After exploring the authority of scripture we reach the question of who tells Christians how to understand the Bible. What is our freedom that comes in being untied with Christ, and what responsibilities come with it?

Notes

Transcript

Introduction and Recap

Last Sunday we heard from Rev. Joe Green, our new full-time hospital chaplain in Halifax, but before that we had started a series called “Explain Yourself” that I’ll come back to today. This series is working through some core beliefs for Christians, and specifically of Baptists, in order to better understand and even explain them, as well as reflecting on how we are living accordingly.

So far in this series we studied the concept of the Lordship of Jesus - the belief that Jesus is the boss for Christians individually and for the Church. He gets the last word, always.

But how do we know what Jesus wants ? Primarily the Bible. That was the last message in this series two weeks ago when I looked at what it means to consider the Bible “God’s Word” and hold it as the only sufficient authority for our beliefs and practices. We also explored some reasons why the Bible can be trusted in this.

So, Jesus is Lord, and the Bible is our authority for knowing how to follow Him. So far so good. But how do we know what the Bible means?

In the last two messages in this series I showed some results from the recent State of Theology survey that pointed to two things that are true of active churchgoing Americans. For one thing, they have a lot of respect for the trustworthiness and authority of the Bible. And for another thing, they don’t have a very strong grasp of what the Bible says about Jesus, among other things. I don’t know if Canadian churchgoers have the same level of respect for the Bible’s authority or not, but I find it unlikely that their theological knowledge is better.

A strong belief in the authority of the scriptures is good, but if it isn’t combined with a mature understanding of the scriptures and a real desire to imitate Jesus the results can be ugly. One danger is manipulation, where unqualified or false teachers can convince people that almost anything is supported by the Bible or approved by God.

This is a problem the Bible itself addresses quite a bit, especially in Paul’s letters to various churches. Because the faith was so new there were many false teachers in the early Church saying all kinds of things. Paul’s charge to his readers was to come together as the body of Christ - the Church - where gifted people could serve each other as God called them and help each other:

Ephesians 4:13–15 NIV

until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

That’s a passage that needs the spotlight shone on it in this age of Q and other conspiracy theories and some of the celebrity-driven Christianity that’s out there.

It is not enough to acknowledge God and respect the Bible. Followers of Jesus will want to live in a way that pleases Jesus - becoming “mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

When the Church fails to create disciples like this it leads to Christians who don’t find much value in their faith, and Christians whose faith can be corrupted and turned into something that doesn’t resemble Jesus.

So how do we know what is pleasing to God? Seriously. How? How do you do decide?

The Bible is supposed to be our primary guide, but we all know that there is a huge range of views about what the Bible says about many things. Pick just about any subject and you can find people giving Biblical arguments for several different positions. And we tend to read the Bible through the lens of our own intuition of right and wrong and sense of God’s leading.

So who gets to decide what is pleasing to God and consistent with the Bible’s teaching?

You do. I do. Individual Christians. Or, as Peter and the other apostles once declared to the Jewish religious leaders who wanted them to stop preaching about Jesus: “We must obey God rather than human beings!

There is a wonderful freedom and an important responsibility that go with this, and it’s what we’ll explore further, starting with a look at today’s main passage, also from the book of Ephesians.

Access to the Father

Ephesians 2:11-12 starts off with a message to the non-Jewish Christians in and around the city of Ephesus, reminding them of the way they used to be: outsiders. At this time Jews who were physically circumsized looked down on the non-Jews - Gentiles - who were not, and called them “uncircumsized” as an insult. They weren’t just different, they were lesser. A common prayer among some Jewish religious teachers in Jesus’ day was said to be: “O God, I give thanks that I am not a Gentile…”

Gentiles, even if they sought to practice Jewish religion or sought God in their own way, were excluded from citizenship in Isreal, they were not included in God’s covenants and the future glory and blessing promised to Israel, they did not have the hope that the Jewish people did of a future Messiah coming to them. Verse 12 says that they were “without hope and without God in the world.” Paul is casting judgement on the empty philosophies and traditions that were not able to bring people into the knowledge of God.

Ephesians 2:12–13 NIV

remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

But that changed. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. The social and spiritual separation of Jews and Gentiles had no place in the Church - Jesus’ death and ressurection made this very idea obsolete. As far as the risen Christ is concerned there is one humanity, not a bunch of different groups who have different relationships to God. However much we might divide or disadvantage or destroy one another as humans, we are one people, made in the image of God and loved by God so much that Jesus laid down His life to redeems us. It doesn’t matter where we come, what language we speak, our former religious background, or the colour of our skin. And, when people who may be otherwise very different, are united by their shared faith in Jesus, they are able to live at peace because of Christ.

Ephesians 2:14–17 NIV

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.

The Dividing wall of hostility between Jews and Gentiles isn’t just a metaphor, by the way. In the Temple in Jerusalem there was a literal wall that seperated the outer courts where the Gentiles could come, from the areas deeper into the Temple where only Jews could go.

With that much discrimination and hostility, how could these two groups of people together and share the same Christian churches built on mutual love and service to one another? The cross. Jesus’ death and ressurection changed things. It allowed people to be reoncilled to God by putting their faith in Jesus, and the new life they gained by following Jesus allowed them to be reconciled to each other.

I’m sure that was messy and difficult at times, but overall it happened. It’s a miracle that the early Church didn’t split into Jewish and Gentile factions, but found a way to live together. But if Jesus can reconcile people to God and break the power of sin over their lives, then Jesus can certainly reconcile people to each other. When Jesus invites us to believe in Him and become a disciple He is also inviting us into community with a diverse group of people with whom we can have peace through His power.

So our passage says that Jesus came and preached peace to those who were far away (the Gentiles who didn’t have the same knowledge of God or involvement in His covenant) and those who were near (the Jews who were expecting God’s annointed). And, regardless of their background or choices up to that point, by professing faith in Jesus each person gained access to the Father by one Spirit.

That would be the Holy Spirit, who the Bible tells us helps to join us to Christ, offers us comfort, gives us encouragement, empowers people with strength, unity, and wisdom, equips them with talents and spiritual gifts, and assists them in praying and in understanding scripture.

In John 14:26, for example, Jesus taught His disciples:

John 14:26 NIV

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Many people see great significance in what the Gospels report about the moment that Jesus died on the cross: that was when the curtain in the Temple was torn in two. This was the curtain the seperated the innermost room of the Temple, the holy of holies where God’s presence was thought to dwell and where only priests could go. The curtain being torn was a powerful symbol of what had changed - that people did not a human actor or institution to act as a mediator between them and God anymore.

Faith in Jesus, which brings the Holy Spirit into our lives, gives us direct access to God. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. You’ve got the whole Trinity in that one verse, by the way: For through Jesus we have access to the Father by the Holy Spirit.

Soul Liberty

There are two things I’ve drawn out of this passage that are more related than they might seem - the reconciliation and peace between different groups of people following Jesus, and the direct access all of them have to the Father through the Holy Spirit - not through a temple or a priesthood or pastor or a church, but through the Holy Spirit who is present in the life of every disciple of Jesus.

This access through the Holy Spirit is one of the reasons for a distinctive Baptist belief called “soul liberty”. Soul liberty is about that direct spiritual connection each believer has to God. This individual access to God brings freedom.

The Holy Spirit in each believer helps us to discern what God desires and what the Bible is telling us. And we’re supposed to use this liberty to settle on the beliefs and practices we are convinced are pleasing to God. Each person should be allowed to decide on these things to the satisfaction of their conscience.

Jesus was never coercive. He preached, He challenged people, but He never tried to force anyone to believe. He told His disciples to knock the dust off their feet and move on if they came to a town that didn’t want to hear the Gospel. He even questioned the motivations of the crowds that followed Him to weed out those who weren’t there for the right spiritual reasons.

The Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada’s Baptist Distinctives document says “Baptists believe that no group has the right to force others to believe or worship as it does. God has given all people freedom of choice and as such Baptists have championed the cause of religious liberty.” It’s also why, historically, Baptists have been staunch advocates for the separation of church and state.

That’s the spiritual freedom part.

Now the reconcilliation and peace part comes in. If you and I have soul liberty - the freedom to interpret the Bible and discern what we think pleases God to the satisfaction of our consciences, then we have an obligation to respect that other Christians have that freedom too.

A famous expression developed and repeated within the Church goes “In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things charity.”

We do seek to agree on certain core beliefs and don’t stray from those - there have to be boundaries on what a Christian is or the Church doesn’t stand for anything in particular. These are what many of the early Christian creeds tried to establish - the essentials of who God is and how to respond to what Jesus has done.

But from that foundation we seek to respect each other’s freedom to differ on non-essential things, recognizing that the Church’s diversity of cultures, languages, experiences, and perspectives is going to lead to a variety of views and opinions by people trying in good faith to discern what pleases God.

“In all things, charity” reminds us that there are many cases where it’s better not to say “I’m right and you’re wrong” but to say that “I find this to be the most compelling answer” or “this is what makes the most sense to me” and be willing to listen to what makes sense to someone else.

We see a major example of the early church practicing this princple in Acts 15. After considerable debate about how much of the Jewish law Gentile Christians should have to abide by, the Jewish-Christian leadership in Jerusalem decided the answer would be: not very much.

They wrote a letter to the Gentile believers apologizing for anyone who had tried to force them into a legalistic version of faith in Jesus and told them: “You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.” That was it, that was the request made in order maintain unity among these two very different groups of people, who came from different backgrounds and who had been so hostile to one another.

I wish this were as simple in practice as it is in theory, of course. Getting Christians to agree on what is essential and non-essential is its own challenge. Figuring out when beliefs have diverged enough that we can still call each other brothers and sisters in Christ but can’t function in the same local church or denomination can be painful, but it’s necessary. I don’t know of any church that practices both infant baptism and believers baptism, for example. Churches can empower women to preach and teach or restrict them from these things, but you can’t have it both ways. You have to choose.

Just like you have to chose what activity to prioritize. Knocking on doors to evangelize? Running a food bank? Political action?

And you have to chose what model you look to for Christian character. Winsomely engaging our culture, or aggressively confronting it? Will your presence be quiet and calm, or passionately driven?

Getting To The Orthos

You have to choose. That’s the thing about soul liberty, this freedom to understand and live out your faith the way you beleive is pleasing to God.

Freedom is good - nobody should be forced or coerced in matters of faith and belief. Galatians 5:1 says:

Galatians 5:1 NIV

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

But freedom comes with responsibilities. Nobody can tell you exactly how you should be as a disciple of Jesus - you’re not forced into a specific mold. But if you don’t take any responsibility for how you are maturing as a disciple of Jesus you’ll end up with what Ephesians 2 talked about back in the introduction. Instead of attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ you will be an infant, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. You have to choose, God helping you.

The good news is that you don’t have to chose alone, nor should you.

It would be very unwise - or dare I say wildly arrogant - to try to make all this up as you go and ignore two thousand years of Church history and the many smart and faithful thinkers it has produced, the valuable writings available to us, the excellent teachers ministering today, and the wealth of resources out there that can all suppliment the role of the Church and prayer and your own Bible to help and disciple you.

We should be shaped by wise teachers, Christlike examples, and the imperfect church community God calls us to love and serve.

Because soul liberty starts with the individual I can’t stand here and tell you where you most need to make use of your freedom in your life in order to please God. That’s the Holy Spirit’s job. But I will point you to three areas of spiritual life to reflect on today: the “orthos.”

“Ortho” just means “right”. And there are three “Orthos” that Christians should care about, three things we want to get right in order to attain to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Orthodoxy - Right Belief

We don’t have a solid basis to get things right as followers of Jesus if our beliefs are way off base. There are some things to know and be able to express about God, the saving work of Jesus, the nature of God’s love and grace and the purpose of the church that are really important. Reliable church attendance helps, but studying the Bible and learning from good teachers outside of an hour on Sunday morning is important to gain a solid foundation of right belief. And some people go deeper, reading up on theology or Biblcial studies and learning from accomplished scholars, which can strengthen their faith and give them some insight to share with others.

2. Orthopraxy - Right Action

It’s good to have an understanding of orthodox Christian belief, but if your actions are disconnected from those beliefs what good are they? Right actions for Christians include things like caring for the poor, advocating for justice, supporting your local church with your gifts and talents, or telling people about your faith. Sometimes these are carried out through our involvement in a local church, sometimes in other areas of life. But these and other right actions are signs of the authenticity of our faith and part of maturing as followers of Jesus, following in His example of making Himself a servant.

3. Orthopathy - Right Passions

If you’ve heard of one or two of the first two “Orthos” you still might not have heard of the third. Orthopathy means “right passions” or having your internal life right. This is where feelings and emotions come in, with the goal that we would adopt the posture of Christ. Having the disposition of Jesus is another way of putting it.

You can have a right belief that God wants you to care for the poor, for example, and undertake a right action, like volunteering at a food bank, but still do it in away that is arrogant, or legalistic, or insensitive, and end up doing more harm than good. You can stand up for truth without humility or kindness, which undermines the Gospel message you claim to promote.

We studied seven virtues over the summer, so here is a bonus quote about virtue frpm a figure from Church history named Isaac the Syrian who said that virtue is not simply doing the right thing but doing it with “a heart that is wise in what it hopes for, and whose actions are accompanied by right intention.”

Those are the three “orthos”. Orthodoxy, Orthopraxy, and Orthopathy. Getting our beliefs right, our actions right, and our passions right.

This is a great opportunity for a personal check-up. Where are you more “ortho”, and where might you be lacking? Do you feel like you have a good basis of right belief, but you’re not acting on it much? Maybe you’re very committed to some good actions but your inner life is a mess and you definately don’t resemble Jesus in ways you know you should. Maybe you’re starting from square one, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But what are you going to do with this gift of soul liberty?

You have access to God through the Holy Spirit. You are joined to the Church through your new life in Christ. You have the opportunity to attain to the whole measure of the fullness of God with right beliefs, right actions, and right passions. What do you need more of in your life for it to be more pleasing to God, and how will you seek to grow?

Freedom is a wonderful thing, but only if you do something good with it! Many people’s definition of “freedom” or “liberty” today is “I get to do what I want.” That’s not what I mean or what the Bible means. Freedom means being able to pursue what is good. It means nobody stops you from finding your way to what is right. Right beliefs, right actions, right passions.