Free from the Spirit of the Age – The Law of Liberty (13)

Free from the Spirit of the Age

The Law of Liberty (13)

Readers will gain a better perspective on the main teaching of this series by reading The Ground for Christian Ethics, by T. M. Go to www.MyParuchia.com, click Publications, then click Waxed Tablet, and scroll down until you see this little volume.

“When you come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations.” Deuteronomy 18:9

Many Christians today are not finding their faith as real as it is described in the Scriptures. They lack the promised power of God’s Spirit to be consistent witnesses. Polls indicate that we aren’t growing in holiness like we might expect. Neighbor love seems fairly constrained, too, practiced mainly within the safe confines of the believing community, with but little regard for the needs or lost condition of our neighbors. And the hope and joy that lead others to ask what makes us different is but little in evidence.

What’s the problem? Why is our faith in Christ so unreal? Francis Schaeffer was asked that question often, and he had a ready answer. Schaeffer explained that the reason why so few Christians know the full reality of the life of faith is that “while we say we believe one thing, we allow the spirit of the naturalism of the age to creep into our thinking, unrecognized.” The values, priorities, and moral choices or our unsaved neighbors leach into our souls and command our practices, and we don’t seem to be able to recognize what’s happening.

The Law of God frees us from the spirit of the age by providing an unchanging code of morality and justice by which to assess our age and resist its allure. In keeping the Law of God we know freedom from the oppressive spirit of the age. As we follow the Spirit of God, Who instructs us in the Law of God (Ezek. 26:26, 27), we are able to discern truth from error and right from wrong, and to make right choices in all we do.

Jesus said, “You shall know the Truth, and the Truth will make you free” (John 8:32). When we submit our minds to the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16) and take up the Law of God in our meditation and practice, we discover the perspective and power needed for recognizing the subtle spirit of the age and standing against it. This is the way to real meaning, purpose, and joy in life–in the full freedom of Christ, walking in His Law.

Daily meditation in the Law of God helps us along the path of holiness, righteousness, and goodness (Rom. 7:12). Order your copy of The Law of God, a compilation of the Mosaic Law for contemporary believers, by going to www.MyParuchia.com, point your browser to “Publications,” then click on the drop-down option, “Waxed Tablet Publications.”

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In the Gates is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore.

T.M. Moore is editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001, 2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Editor’s note: The use of a translation other than the Authorised Version in an article does not constitute an endorsement in whole or in part by The Christian Observer.