Our Liberty In Christ by Philip Mauro

special lesson it enforces is laid in the words: “Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from (or out of) this present evil world.” A freedom procured for us by our blessed Lord, and at so great a cost, should surely be prized most highly and be guarded against everything that might endanger its possession and enjoyment. And it is evident from the passage before us, and from other Scrip­tures, that responsibility is laid upon us to stand firmly in our dearly bought freedom.

What then is that “yoke of bondage” against which such an earnest warning is raised? It is often said that the yoke of bondage is the law; and that idea seems to find support in what Peter said at Jerusalem. We recall his words: “Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” (Acts 15: 10). But it should be observed that the great question there was about the circumcision of Gentile converts. That question was raised by certain men which came down from Judea to Antioch and taught the brethren, saying: “Ex­cept ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye can­not be saved” (Acts 15:1). Moreover, we should ob­serve that the very next verse of Galatians also mentions circumcision as being, or as standing for, that “bondage” against which Paul was warning the saints. “Behold I, Paul, say unto you that if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing” (5:2).

The law of the Lord is not a yoke of bondage: for it is “perfect, converting the soul.” The commandment of the Lord is not a grievous burden; for it is “pure, enlighten­ing the eyes” (Psa. 19:7, 8). The spiritual Israelite prays: “Make me to go in the path of Thy command­ments; for therein do I delight” (Ps. 119:35). And he says moreover: “I will run in the way of Thy command­ments, when Thou shall enlarge my heart” (id. 32); and again, “I will walk at liberty; for I seek Thy precepts”; and again, “I will delight myself in Thy commandments, which I have loved” (45, 47). The Lord Jesus promises great reward to those who “do and teach” His command­ments (Mat. 5:19) : and the last blessing of the Bible is pronounced on them “that do His commandments” (Rev. 22: 14).

Therefore, to keep in the path of God’s law is not bondage, but is. on the contrary, to “walk at liberty.”

Truly then, as it is written, so may we with certainty affirm, that “Great peace have they which love Thy law; and nothing shall offend them” (Ps. 119: 165). Indeed, the entire Scripture is a witness to the blessedness of the man whose “delight is in the law of the Lord” ; and who in His law doth “meditate day and night” (Ps. 1:2).

It needs then but slight consideration of the matter to make it clear that