Moral Freedom
Do we have moral freedom?
Do we have moral freedom? If YES, what does it look like?
What does moral freedom look like for the believer:
2 Samuel 12:1-10 KJV
And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. [2] The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: [3] But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. [4] And there came a traveler unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, dressed it for the man that was come to him. [5] And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: [6] And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
[7] And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; [8] And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. [9] Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. [10] Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
For the believer moral freedom has “Repentance and Consequences” as we see here:
2 Samuel 12:13-14 KJV
And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. [14] Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
The Summation: We fall down in sin; we rise up in repentance and a change in behavior.
We should never be envious of unbelievers who gain wealth by wicked means with its foundations in severely compromised and weak morals:
Psalm 37:1-6 KJV
Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. [2] For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. [3] Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. [4] Delight thyself also in the Lord; he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. [5] Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. [6] And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
God has designed an appropriate end for unbelievers and an ultimate punishment for their evil works.
According to the character of Satan on the Devil’s Advocate, John Milton “Freedom is never having to say your sorry.” Those words make a person their own God. Their actions are never wrong. While those of us who are like David, we know that we will fall down but we are men after God’s own heart. Therefore, we get up. Then, we repent and course correct to align our actions with God’s precepts and submit to His authority.
The world vs Christ:
John 3:17-21 KJV
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. [18] He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [19] And this is the condemnation, that light comes into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. [20] For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. [21] But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Proverbs 15:16 KJV
Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith.
Proverbs 28:6 KJV
Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
Mark 8:36 KJV
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Rich but misdirected and/or immoral greedy believers think that wealth is synonymous with Godliness [prosperity Gospel]:
Revelation 3:15-19 KJV
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. [16] So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. [17] Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: [18] I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. [19] As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous, therefore, and repent.
The Blessing of the lord:
Deuteronomy 28:1-2 KJV
And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.
Proverbs 10:22 KJV
The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.
Our obedience to God along with having a loving and generous heart toward God and the things of God is the source of God’s blessing resting on our lives. God gives us favor and he multiplies our resources.
This man’s stewardship is questioned but he activates wisdom to derail his potential misfortune. [Godly wisdom is corrective path to wrong behavior].
This speaks to us about children of the world being wiser in their handling of money. It tells to leverage money to gain access to the treasures of relationships in times of need.
Luke 16:4-12 KJV
I am resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. [5] So he called every one of his lord’s debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? [6] And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. [7] Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore. [8] And the lord commended the unjust steward because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. [9] And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. [10] He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. [11] If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? [12] And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?
The whole chapter of 2 Timothy 3 is about moral freedom and ultimately how believers should respond to unbelievers and their own moral freedom. We are to respond to moral freedom within God’s boundaries set by the scriptures.
2 Timothy 3:1-17 KJV
This knows also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. [2] For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, [3] Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, [4] Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; [5] Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. [6] For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, [7] Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. [8] Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. [9] But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. [10] But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, [11] Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. [12] Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. [13] But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. [14] But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them ; [15] And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. [16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: [17] That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Our Freedom:
Psalm 119:44-47 NIV
I will always obey your law, forever and ever. [45] I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. [46] I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame, [47] for I delight in your commands because I love them.
God wants our obedience. He is not our servant whose purpose is to make us happy. Otherwise, Paul’s statement in Philippians makes no sense. Paul is the one learning to be content no matter the state he is in. Our moral conduct is not tied to God making us happy. It is about love, reverence, and respect for God as our heavenly Father.
Philippians 4:11-13 KJV
Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. [12] I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. [13] I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
We have the right to choose our compliance or non-compliance with God but the closer we are to Him at the time of non-compliance the stronger Hs chastisement tends to be. Jonah’s disobedience brings God’s wrath upon him: because Jonah is a prophet of God [we saw this with David earlier in tis presentation].
Jonah 1:12-17 KJV
And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you. [13] Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them. [14] Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, and said, We beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee. [15] So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging. [16] Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows. [17] Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights.
Morality is clothed in obedience with God and this is what drives Him to bless believers because obedience proves your faith
Deuteronomy 11:26-28 KJV
Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; [27] A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day: [28] And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.
James 2:21-23 KJV
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? [22] Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? [23] And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Loving God should be our internal driving force for obedience and a moral lifestyle that conforms to God’s Word:
John 14:15 KJV
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Our Walk in Truth as Believers:
Romans 8:1-8 [We know from Romans 6 that Paul is not speaking of lawlessness.]
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who[a] do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be [b]carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the [c]carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Being led by the Spirit, that is being led into all Truth. Truth does not lead us to sin.
