Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.”-{1 Peter 2:16-17}

 

“FREE MEN.” –

{eleutheros}, the word means emancipated as used of slaves who were set free, unrestricted, freedom of movement wherever they wanted, no longer the property of someone else, confining and regulating them as a person and their movement. Liberated! To be free as a Christian is free to live to please the LORD!

 “In no NT passage does this concept refer to political freedom nor to the Stoic’s fallacious idea of freedom of the flesh from emotion and desire. Freedom does not equate with license to sin as we please. Freedom does not equate with license to sin as we please. In the NT, freedom does not include independence, or release from restriction. Instead, real freedom is to be found only in willingly choosing to submit to our new Master, to Christ. We are His by right of blood purchase and yet we need to make the daily choice to obey Christ, and prove what the will of God is, good, acceptable, perfect. Freedom in Christ allows us the privilege of entering into that wonderful will of His Father, that place of true rest and perfect blessing.{preceptaustin}

Eleutheros is used 23 times in the NT – 

John 8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

John 8:36 “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

Romans 6:18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

Romans 6:22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.

Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

Romans 8:21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

Galatians 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. –

We have been set free and have the Power to please God by doing Right in His sight! The Holy Spirit empowers us, freeing us from the power of the sinful flesh to please the LORD  and becoming more and more the person He wants us to be!

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,”- {Romans 8:2-3} “Has set You free” “is in the aorist tense which signifies a once-for-all act of setting the captives free.  It is positional, for the follower of the LORD Jesus. This is who they are by His grace forever before Him! It is a past tense event.  We do not struggle to be “free,” for “In Christ.” we are set free to stand who God has declared us to be, in the freedom that we have in Christ”

Freedom’s Message came through Jesus Christ. His Message of Freedom to those in spiritual bondage.- “The Spirit of the Lord is upon MeBecause He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poorHe has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blindTo set free those who are oppressed,“- {Luke 4:18}.

Freedom to Obey His Word and Courage to Share it;

“I will always obey your law,
    for ever and ever.
 I will walk about in freedom,
    for I have sought out your precepts.
I will speak of your statutes before kings
    and will not be put to shame”- {Psalm 119;44-46}

 

IT IS FREEDOM FROM

The law –Romans 7:68:2

The curse of the law –Galatians 3:13

The fear of death –Hebrews 2:15

Sin –Romans 6:7,18

Corruption –Romans 8:21

Bondage of man –1 Corinthians 9:19

Jewish ordinances –Galatians 4:3Colossians 2:20

Called the glorious liberty of the children of God –Romans 8:21

Saints are called to –Galatians 5:13

 

“FREEDOM,” –

“For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.”-{1 Cor 7:22-23}

“Just as a train is only truly free when it runs on the tracks, so human beings are only free when they obey God. True freedom is living righteously in submission to God. Anything less means that we’re enslaved to sin. Thus for the Lord’s sake, because He ordained and established government for the benefit of the human race, we submit to Him when we submit to civil government.”-{Steven Cole.}

“COVER FOR EVIL,”-

“Evil”

  1. “malignity, malice, ill-will, desire to injure
  2. wickedness, depravity
    1. wickedness that is not ashamed to break laws
  3. evil, trouble “- {Thayer’s Definition}

Don’t use your Christian freedom as a cloak for evil, and try and justify it.

“BOND-SLAVES OF GOD,”

As “Bond-slaves,” we belong to Him. Purchased by His precious blood, belonging to Him, free, liberated by Him to love Him, serve Him.

“HONOR ALL MEN” –

Show respect to all people.When this was written there were

60,000,000 slaves in the Roman Empire and they were considered by the law to be things, not people. Peter is saying to remember the dignity of people, same today, People are not numbers, or to be used but to be respected.

” LOVE THE BROTHERHOOD, “-

What a testimony to a lost world without hope and without Christ, that we love one another. For love is of God!

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”-{John 13:34-35}

We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But  whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?  Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”-{1 John 3:16-18}

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.“-{1 John 4:7}

” FEAR GOD, HONOR THE KING,” –

Note the order, GOD First, then the king, emperor. God is Sovereign, Almighty, King  and He alone is to be reverently respected and obeyed. The human authority are to be honored but never at the expense of disobedience to God. Creator before the creature! God is God, not the “king,” He is the ultimate authority!

Allegiance To God first, then Affection to His people and honor to the king and unbelievers.