Building On The Foundation Of Christ

Building on the Foundation of Christ

Building for Freedom

Paul Hubbard 26 September 2004

1 Cor 3:11 Ephs 1:17

The law when it was given showed 2 things very clearly:

1. How righteous and Holy God is:
   "Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good." (Rom 7:12)
2. Showed us our ungodliness and unrighteousness:
   "I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, you shall not covet." (Rom 7:7).
   "Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Rom 3:20)

When the law came, people tried to keep the law, but found out that it is impossible. None the less, they then tried even harder!

"But Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness, why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law..." (Rom 9:31-32)

When Jesus came, He fulfilled the law. "Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfil." (Matt 5:17)

After He had fulfilled it, He ushered in a new law, "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus."

All the law could be summed up in this one new law.

"Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." (Col 2:14)

"Having abolished in His flesh the enmity (hatred), that is the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself One new man from the two..." (Ephs 2:15)

For those "IN CHRIST", the law is no longer an issue.

• Your life in Christ is NOT to be governed by an "outer law" restrictions, commandments placed upon you as a dictation to you, what you can or cannot do.
• No, you are to be governed by an inner voice of the Holy Spirit.

(See Ezek 36:25-27)

• And of course the Holy Spirit fulfils the written word of God.

• So when you're "in the Spirit" and He's in you - you don't break the law and fulfil the lust of the flesh.

• It's only when you start trying to live the Christian Life in your own strength and resources that you break the law and fulfil the lust...

When you respond to outer restrictions, rules and regulations and that is how you maintain your life, you show in yourself that..

1. You are still in bondage to law.
2. You are still immature.
3. You are not free in the law of Christ.

• When Jesus died, He died to set us free.
• A freedom which is not spent on oneself, but given over to the purpose of God.
• This is a great freedom and one without condemnation.

• Not only did Jesus take away the law of commandments which was against us.
• But it was a DOUBLE-WHAMMY.
• At His death... I DIED. YOU DIED.
• At His resurrection... I ROSE. YOU ROSE.

• We rose with a new heart and a new spirit and the ability to walk in His new law.

" The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus." (Rom 8:1)

Col 2:20-23 "Therefore if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations -? Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle, which call certain things which perish with the using - according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh."

The church is full of this!

• People imposing rules and regulations upon themselves in order for it to be seen (and they deceive themselves) that they are living a holy, clean and pious Christian Life!
• Not only do they impose these things upon themselves but also on others.
• And it's difficult to discern, because it looks like it could be the right way to live if it has an "appearance of wisdom."
• But it's false, not true, humility.

• Jesus grieves that His dear children, for whom He gave His life, are living according to outward rules and regulations.
• He grieves that you 'impose' these things upon yourself.
• He paid such a great price to make you free.

• Why do these things have no value against the indulgence of the flesh?
• The first thing to be clear about is that these impositions come about through FEAR.
• If I can give myself boundaries and limits I feel much safer - (now this may be necessary when younger, because "youthful lusts" press us into all sorts of difficulties. So boundaries and limitations are necessary.)

• But we are placing restrictions and rules upon ourselves from outside - which shows us that we do not trust the Holy Spirit and the Word of God on the inside.

Gal 2:18 "For if I build again these things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor."

• If I build my life around regulations, rules, set ways of doing things, then I use all my energy to keep within those boundaries.
• I never really enjoy myself.
• I'm more concerned with living a careful Christian Life.
• To some extent I stop living.
• I'm not focused on living. I'm focused on maintaining and keeping things in order.
• I'm concerned about keeping myself holy and godly and putting my energy into "being a good Christian witness."
• This may have an appearance of wisdom, but look at the root of it.

Jesus said, "you can do nothing without Me."

• But everything I outlined above is my trying to attain to a right standard of Christian Living.
• As soon as I do this, the Holy Ghost is unable to live in and through me.

2 Cor 3:17 "Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

• This liberty is greater than any worldly liberty.
• It enjoys.
• It loves challenge.
• It delights in adventure.
• It loves giving.
• It's always looking for new ways to express itself.
• Whenever it feels people trying to hinder and stop it, it is provoked to show the way of Christ.
• It enjoys things the world enjoys, but it has wholeness, balance, and true satisfaction with it.
• And all the time it shouts about the One who is behind it.

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." (Gal 5:1)

• Many people when they come to Christ are instantly made free (in a manifest way.)
• But then because they think Christianity has to do with rules and regulations find themselves either 'imposed upon', or imposing upon themselves rules, regulations - do this, don't do that.
• Also, that first dose of freedom is amazing, like a high, but they think "surely it can't be like this", or "I'm having too much of a good time", I need some boundaries.

This shows 2 things:

1. They are not fully given over to the Holy Spirit.
2. Faith is not being released.

• If you recognise that you have been living by outer rules, not an inward Government of the Holy Ghost, you need to acknowledge it and repent.
• If you have imposed rules and regulations on yourself and probably on others too, you need to acknowledge it and repent.
• You then need to give yourself over to the governing of the Holy Spirit once again, and ask Him to begin to speak to you and impress upon you what delights His heart.
• Then release faith on the inside, reach out and say "thank you" and take it. Believe that it has happened.

Related pages: Teaching

Author: Paul Hubbard