We are on a quest to answer The Five Questions of Life. The first question, Who am I?, is the identity question. By focusing on God’s qualities, his eternal power and divine nature (see Romans 1:20), we begin to understand our identity. We are his children, made in his likeness and image. So far, we have focused on Life, Light, and Law.

In today’s conversation, we are going to focus on the next aspect of God’s eternal character: Liberty. My friend, if God is anything, God is free. This is the reason why freedom beats strongly in the heart of every human being.

Why did Jesus Christ come into the world to offer himself as a sacrifice on the cross? Paul answers that question succinctly in Galatians 5:1, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”

As we have already established – law first, then freedom. For Adam, obedience to the law (you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil) provided him with the freedom to enjoy life without end, a full relationship with God, the purpose of caring for creation, the pleasure of Eve’s companionship, and the vast and unmarred resources of the Garden of Eden. To preserve this glorious freedom, Adam had just one responsibility: he must offer to God the worship of obedience. Adam’s freedom was predicated on obeying the law. Again, law first, then freedom.

Adam’s fall put all of us in bondage to sin and death (see Romans 5:12-14). The law, which was initially instituted to protect Adam’s freedom, now declared his guilt and condemnation. That may sound awful, but the law comes from God, and that means that the law is always good (see James 1:17), even when it makes us aware of our failed state. Without it, we would be completely ignorant of the separation that exists between us and the God who loves us and has a purpose for our lives.

The law is very effective at making us aware of condemnation, though sometimes religious people convince themselves that they have followed it perfectly (see Matthew 19:16-22).

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus took the law and put it on steroids. He amped it up to the point where even the person who believes they are most righteous is brought to their knees. If you don’t believe me, then take this little test. If you answer yes to either of these two questions, then the law declares that you are guilty and condemned to death (Romans 6:23):

Have you ever been angry with someone? If yes, then spiritually speaking, you are as guilty as someone who has committed murder. (See Matthew 5:22)

Have you ever looked with lust at someone? If yes, then spiritually speaking, you are as guilty as someone who has committed adultery. (See Matthew 5:28)

The rich young ruler of Matthew 19 believed he had followed the law perfectly. Jesus asked him to sell everything he had, give it to the poor, and become one of Jesus’ followers. That request exposed him as a lawbreaker, “You shall have no other God’s before me.” He had a chance to give worshipful obedience, instead, he chose disobedience and confirmed his condemnation. “He went away sad because he had great wealth.”

That’s what the law does – it makes us feel sad. It is one of the main reasons people avoid being still in the presence of God. It is in the quiet that God’s Spirit brings conviction, making us aware that there is something wrong with us. We don’t like it, so we turn up the noise of life to keep us from hearing it. We think that money, power and pleasure can give us happiness and contentment. They can’t. They only make us hungrier and thirstier. This is the whole point of the book of Ecclesiastes. The writer declares in 1:8, “All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.” It is the point Jesus was making to the woman at the well (see John 4). She was thirsty, but what she was drinking just made her thirstier. He offered her the living water of life and promised she would never thirst again. He exposed her guilt, but unlike the rich young ruler, the woman believed and left the well rejoicing. She was finally free.

I know this was supposed to be an article on liberty, but until we are willing to confront our guilt and condemnation, freedom is not possible. This is why the law is good – it makes us aware and leads us to the cross of Jesus Christ.

Paul recognized the role of the law in bringing him to Christ, “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing! Galatians 2:19-21

My friend, you have been made in the image of the God of liberty. Freedom is your intended design – and deep down inside – you know it. How long will you run from the law that is leading you to freedom? How long will you sell your soul for empty promises? Today is the day to be set free from the law of sin and death. Today can be your independence day!

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9