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“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

2 Corinthians 3:17

What liberty is this? Being brought into the family of God, we are brought into the sweet liberty of grace here and shall be brought into “the glorious liberty of the children of God” in the world to come. But what is that liberty that is ours in Christ?

Acknowledged Facts

Honesty compels us to acknowledge certain facts. We are not here freed from the raging lusts of our sinful hearts; for we still carry about a body of sin under which we groan. We are not freed from Satan’s temptations; for he still roars against us and hurls his fiery darts at our souls. We are not freed from temptations, trials, and troubles; for we still live in this world of sin and woe. It must be confessed, too, that we are not freed from inward fears; for our shameful unbelief begets many. Blessed be his name, we are not here freed from the chastisement of our wise, kind, and ever-gracious heavenly Father; for then we would never know many sweet visits of his love under the rod, by which he causes us to know and love him. And we are not yet freed from sickness and death; for the stroke of death we must feel, often death preceded by painful and long illness. Our blessed Savior has promised to make our bed of sickness by his grace, and has taken death’s sting away by his blood and righteousness.

Blessed Liberty

From these things we are not yet at liberty, though chosen in eternal love, redeemed by Christ’s precious blood, and saved by almighty grace. What, then, is that liberty that is given to our souls in and with Christ Jesus by the Spirit of the Lord?

God the Spirit, discovering to our souls the glory of the Lord Jesus and our interest in him, has brought us into liberty. Sweet and blessed liberty it is! Who can apprehend, let alone describe, the vastness of this liberty? We have access to the Throne of Grace at all times and upon all occasions. Having received the Spirit of adoption, we cry, “Abba, Father!” We lift our hearts to heaven and confidently call the Lord God himself our Father! The Spirit bears witness with our spirits that we are children of God. We are freed from the burden of sin’s guilt and the fear of its punishment. — O sweet, sweet liberty!

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty!” — God’s law being magnified and made honorable by Christ, justice is satisfied and everlasting righteousness is ours. Justice no longer terrifies. The accusations of Satan are all answered. Conscience is appeased. This is liberty; is it not? Having passed from death unto life, we have peace with God through the blood of the cross. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit!”

This liberty is ours, child of God, because of our oneness with Christ. We can no more be brought into the bondage of sin, and guilt, and death, and law than he can. This blessed liberty ought to sustain our souls and cheer our hearts in the face of every temptation, every sorrow, every trial, and every affliction!

Shout, my soul, and echo to the apostle’s words, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty!” — All the liberty of grace and all the liberty of glory too! — Liberty to adore, worship, love, trust, and live forever with God our Savior (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost), who opened our prison doors and brought us out of the deep pit wherein was no water and no light!

Change Made

When God the Spirit reveals Christ in the chosen, redeemed sinner, causing the heaven born soul to behold with open face, as in a mirror, “the glory of the Lord,” a marvelous change takes place. Looking to our dear Savior by faith, we are changed into his image. Beholding Christ in his glory, admiring him, being ravished with his love, we imitate the One we love. Constrained by his love for us and the love he has created in us for him, saved sinners seek to be made like the Savior, and are made like him. — O wondrous liberty!

Blessed Lord Jesus, be it my portion here to behold your face in righteousness, until I awake in your likeness in glory in complete and everlasting satisfaction (Psalm 17:15). Truly, this is “the glorious liberty of the children of God!”

Don Fortner

Pastor Fortner’s