As we celebrate our nations birthday today, I have been meditating on what real liberty looks like. The Apostle Paul said this about freedom in 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (ESV)
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
True freedom is only found in the Spirit of the Lord Jesus. There is nothing outside Jesus that can bring true liberty. For centuries we have followed religious structures and thought we were living in freedom. It only brought more bondage. In its basic form, religion is a structure created by man. It than becomes administrated by the individuals that we deem as the most spiritual or authoritative. These individuals create doctrinal or theological structures and dogma that we worship God through. If we have a spiritual experience outside these created structures, we are usually ostracized and cast outside the structure. Thus, in these structures, God is no bigger than my own understanding of Him. We are far more comfortable worshipping a God that we can control through our own experiences or lack of it.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, freedom can lead to a spirit of lawlessness where there is absolutely no structure whatsoever. We believe that real freedom allows me to live any way I want to. We discover from Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:21 that living this way will only lead to permanent separation from Him. Matthew 7:21-27 (ESV)
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”
The Apostle Paul gives further definition of the last day church when this spirit of lawlessness will run rampant in the church. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (ESV).
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”
A deeper dive into 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 reveals that freedom only comes to one living in and following the Holy Spirit. When we live in the Spirit, it’s impossible for us to live in the flesh according to Galatians 5:16-25(ESV).
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”
I believe that there is a calling on us at Cornerstone to be a body that is led by the Spirit every time we meet. Not only does that bring freedom but it also brings an increased manifestation of His glory. The revealing of God’s glory has always been progressive.
The Lord wanted to reveal His glory to Israel, but they refused and only wanted Moses to be their representative. After which they immediately turned to Baal worship once Moses was delayed in returning. God’s glory then visited Moses in on the top of Mt Sinai and later in the tent of meeting. The result of these encounters left Moses with an “other-worldly” manifestation of glory upon his face. He gave Moses the design of the “Ark of the Covenant” that would contain His glory and would reside in the “Holy of Holies” in a tabernacle that the Levitical High Priest could only enter once a year. Moses became God’s friend (Ex.33:7-11)
The story of the “Ark of the Covenant” is quite an interesting study. Israel’s Levitical Priesthood became immoral under Eli and his wicked sons and the “Ark of the Covenant” fell into the hands of the Philistines for 7 months. The Ark was returned to Israel and went to “Kirvat Yearim”, where it stayed for 20 years. Saul never enquired of it during his entire reign as king. This so resembles the religious systems of today; never enquiring of the presence or the glory of God. The Ark remained at Abinadab’s house until David succeeded Saul as King of Israel. It remained in Jerusalem until it disappeared during the Babylonians destruction of Jerusalem.
The manifestation of the glory of God increased with the birth and life of the Lord Jesus. I love how the writer of Hebrews describes the Lord Jesus in the first chapter, Hebrews 1:1-4 (ESV)
“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”
Jesus so manifested the heart of the Father but even He said there was a greater manifestation of the glory coming, John 14:17 and John 16:7(ESV)
“even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be[ in you.”
“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.’
God’s purpose in these days is to have a people who manifest the person of Jesus in the world. In fact, the world is waiting anxiously for their revealing. (Romans 8:19)
That will only come as we refuse to live by artificial religious structures and begin to live and move as Moses did, a friend of God who listens and does what Holy Spirit is saying. The result will be an increased manifestation of the glory of God that will not only transform us but be a light to the broken and lost.
Imagine what a corporate expression could be if we stopped “doing” church and started listening and obeying Holy Spirit when we gathered! It was allow us to be a portal for His glory to pour through and transform our region, nation and the world!