- Liberty
Psalm 119:45
And I will walk at liberty:
For I seek thy precepts.
The promise of freedom is tempting for people who realize they are not free. The condition, again, is seeking His law. The more we want to, and actually do, keep the laws of God the more liberty we will enjoy. Every human wants liberty if it means he can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, and to whomever he chooses. Every human wants to have more things under his control, which is construed as liberty. This is not the kind of freedom the Bible promises.
The freedom of the Word of God is freedom from sin, death, and the devil; freedom means no evil force or tyrant can control our lives and make us do things inherently sinful that we basically don’t even want to do; it is freedom from bondage and slavery. My thought, will, and emotions (my soul) are enslaved to base passions and evil desires. I need to bring every thought captive to Christ for Satan plants thoughts and roams in all my thoughts; my will is bound in sin and I do not have the ability to choose for good or for God with my own reason or strength; my emotions are inextricably bound up with selfish ambition and selfish desire.
I cannot set myself free for I myself tied the unbreakable chains. Liberation must come from the outside; it comes from Jesus’ death and resurrection; He breaks the chains and sets me free. Now I “walk at liberty.” 2 Corinthians 17: “Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom (liberty).” Once the Spirit has come in by faith and removed the strong man He settles and lives in my spirit, and now I can walk at liberty and freely make wise and helpful choices. Before the Spirit of liberty came and broke the bondage of the will I could only choose the wrong way. Subsequent to faith in Christ my will is free so that it can also choose the right way. The Gospel of Christ has changed my attitude to God’s Laws: instead of fighting them I desire them; therefore the promise comes true: I will walk at liberty.