Using Your Liberty

What is an encumbrance on costs in Greek bulk what it means it's not sin it's like a well-trained spreader getting in the blocks with ankle weights and overcoat on why would you do that slows you down weighs you down dampens your enthusiasm for the things of God. How involved should you be in politics and should your kids go to public school or Christian school or should you homeschool them. Christians debate those issues and many more because those are topics where the Bible does not give us point by point answers. But as John MacArthur will show you today on grace to you, even if the Bible doesn't directly answer a specific question Scripture is filled with clear principles that can help you know what to do and how to make wise decisions that honor God.

Keep in mind today's lesson was originally preached during a chapel service at the Masters University. But no matter your age. This message can show you how to live wisely. We title this series of chapel messages, a course for life with a look now at the liberty you have in Christ. Here's John MacArthur, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ is exactly what are we free to do. There are things that are very obvious in the Scripture, clear commands, clearly things that God forbids us to do spelled out in no uncertain terms.

There are also not only negative commands but positive commands. Things we are to do, and they're very clear to us as well.

But there's a whole world of things that are not talked about in the Bible and it always poses the issue of how I make a decision.

How do I make a choice about what I will do regarding something is not in the Scripture, things like that. Well Bible talks about these things in this category.

Food, drink alcoholic beverages, recreation sports, television, music, movies, Sunday activity poker other kinds of games.

Smoking smoking dope hair styles clothing styles and it goes on and on and on. Now I know there are some things in the Bible about these kinds of issues. In fact, I heard a preacher many years ago preached on the fact that women should never have their hair piled up on their head because the Scripture says topknot come down that's in a verse that says let those on the housetop not come down. It's an adaptation of that verse having to do with the coming of the Lord, you could twist the Scripture around a little bit and some of you can still figure out what I'm saying but little Don you later.

There are those kinds of issues and we all asked those questions we we really do ask those kinds of questions and we generally asked him every day and the easy thing to do and this is kind of been the history of what we call fundamentalism. You know, no fun. Too much damn and not enough mental so we understand the history of fundamentalism. They want to make a rule about everything and so they'll make all the rules for you.

I went to a college like that where we didn't have to decide anything about anything because everything had already been decided and rule had been made, there were rules about what time we get up what time you went to bed. What hours we studied who we could talk to how far we can walk in terms of feet with a girl beside us before we had to separate the rules for everything and simplified life on a superficial level, but compounded hopelessly on an internal level. How are we to make decisions about things that are not clearly indicated to us in Scripture. How do we develop criteria to make those kinds of decisions in a way that honors God in a way that benefits us in a way that causes the growth of the body of Christ in a way that makes the gospel believable and attractive to the unconverted Sony give you little list all right to give you a couple handfuls of things.

If we have a enough time and hopefully I'll get through them.

Even if I have to can whack them up a little bit. Number one, number one, we ask a question will it be spiritually beneficial will it be spiritually profitable were not looking for those kinds of things we can get away with that with minimum damage. When I looking for high risk of Christian living.

When I looking for how close we get to the edge and still not get burned, and there are a lot of people who think that it's their freedom to live on the edge and try to avoid the disaster that's never the question.

The question that starts our thinking is will it be spiritually beneficial.

What can I do this going to have a positive spiritual impact on me.

Look at first Corinthians chapter 6, first Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 12_to be picking out some Scriptures as we go. You can write them down and study them for yourselves later in verse 12, Paul says this. All things are lawful to me and obviously we have to qualify that all things that are not unlawful are lawful.

Paul is just saying I enjoy a great measure of freedom things which Scripture does not specifically forbid all things that are lawful are lawful for me, all things that are not forbidden are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. I'm not looking to invest my life in the things that don't return a spiritual dividend if it doesn't promise to give me some positive spiritual benefit, then why would I engage in it, literally, the verb there translated profitable is summa Pharaoh it means to bring together pulling everything together for one's advantage will assist in direct fashion. My spiritual development. Does it cultivate godliness. All things are lawful or not forbidden by God but the world is filled with things that promise absolutely no real spiritual advantage. You could ask a question about. For example, sleeping is not forbidden in the Bible but sleeping too much is not to your spiritual advantage. Obviously, so let's call this the principle of expedience. Okay, the principle of expedience. I'm going to ask the question, is this expedient for my spiritual development. If I go there if I do that if I view that if I experience that if I engage myself in that activity or that relationship does it have immediate and long-term spiritual benefit say the second way, here's a second point will call the first one expedient, that is, it is profitable for me spiritually. The second one will it contribute to my spiritual development will it build me up if the first one is expedience. This is edification turnover to offer strength in chapter 10 and here the apostle Paul speaking along the same lines in very similar word says in verse 23 first Corinthians 1023. All things are lawful again. He's talking about freedom. He's talking about things that are not forbidden but not all things are profitable is exactly what he said in six says we just read verse 12 but then he adds this. All things are lawful, but not all things edify and here so I got them out to build a house to build a foundation to put up the structure and second Corinthians 1219 Paul said we do all things dearly beloved, for your edification.

First Corinthians 14 tells us in verse 26. Let all things be done for edification. So you're not only asking the question, does this activity promise in the present moment my spiritual advantage, but long-term. Does this cause progress in my spiritual development. Am I going to grow.

If you would just go back to the end of chapter 9 in first Corinthians, yet a little illustration of this. Taken from the athletic world. Paul says in verse 24.

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run everybody in the race runs but only one receives the prize run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things.

So if you're going to win at you're going to have to be better than everybody else being better than everybody else is basically being in better condition better shape, better training for the event than everybody else that's going to back itself up into self-discipline and self-control then they do it. He says with a view toward a perishable crown. We an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way as not without aim. I box in such a way as not beating the air.

I buffet my body that's buffet not buffet same spelling different idea.

I buffet my body and make it my slave last, possibly after I preach to others, I myself should be disqualified is talking about self-control is talking about self denial.

Anything that is going to strengthen him and build him up to be more successful and more efficient in the race to buffet. By the way's very interesting word, who pulled the odds are it means to strike somebody in the face at the blackened there. I I beat my body.

I subdue it I don't feed its lusts and its desires. I do the very opposite. Some always asking the question, will this event in itself be to my spiritual benefit and secondly will it continue to move me on the path of upward spiritual development. Let's call that principle then edification. There's 1/3 principle following along the line of the athletic metaphors we sort of link these together, go to the 12 chapter of Hebrews Hebrews chapter 12 very familiar chapter of the great cloud of witnesses from Chapter 11 who demonstrate to us the viability and blessing of a life of faith, but here in chapter 12 verse one we come across 1/3 principle will it slow me down in the race. This is another way to view anything I choose to do. First of all, will it advance me spiritually that's a positive.

Will it continue to progress in the path of edification. That's a positive.

Here's a negative approach to it, will it slow me down in the race. If I do this, will it slow me down. Let me show you the language. Therefore, we have so great a cloud of witnesses who have testified has we saw in chapter 11 to the life of faith and its benefits. Let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. The race is going by the way, I grown a race is a kind of agony I ran track in high school and college, and there is no sport that I've ever participated in my life that is as agonizing as running and are such a minimal reward for running a slight understand, jogging, at least if you're in an actual race.

You could have a chance to win. Nobody ever wins when you're jogging like playing basketball with no hoops, but the word outgoing is a grueling kind of word it has to do with demanding the most tense, self-control, self-discipline, determination, perseverance, and it takes endurance. You notice there that it in verse one.

It also talks about endurance Hoopa Monet steady determination it means to remain under what that means is to stay under the pressure to stay under the pain to stay under the agony of the event until you run it to the end we need to run with endurance. This brings up a very important point and it's a sad thing to think about, but I've I've lived long enough to see a lot of people who run fairly fast at the front, but they somehow collapse in the middle of the race and I think the thing that so wonderful and among many things about my dad was that he ran all the way to the very end. He ran the race to the very end he was still reading when he was 90 years old preparing to teach the word of God, that's amazing kind of endurance muffin reminded of an event that I was in when I was in my university days I was in a relay in the Orange County invitational's our college was there.

We got in the finals.

We had a four-man 4 x 4 hundred relay and Iran second man first Angus elites recommend lose that you have to make it up. I was basically a baseball player converted into a splinter first guy first guy and a great leg came through gave me the baton around the best like my life came in leading which is exciting.

Handed to Ted the third man, but the baton is an perfect pass in the lane that we got we got absolute blur for force aware and in a spot to win the whole thing. Ted goes on the turn gets to the opposite side of the track halfway down the straightaway stops walks off and sits on the grass was done is over. I was in shock. I ran over to him and I said what happened.

He said Hodgson feel like running home.

I wanted to irrigating with my tracks.

You something wonderful about endurance.

Now how you can build a run a race with endurance.

How you gonna be able to run the race in such a way that you don't collapse.

He don't embarrass the Lord you don't bring shame upon your self. Don't dishonor the church in the name of Christ with some great failure. How do you run with endurance to think have to deal with at the lay aside two things every encumbrance and the sin Allison because those two words are there encumbrance and sin. We understand that they don't mean the same thing sold sin. We understand clearly we know what sin is.

But what is encumbrance if it's not sin it's anything that slows you down. It's anything that waits you down might be the Internet might be Game Boy or one of those other Xbox argument on talking about but that's if it's not physical. I don't understand it digital. I don't get it. What is an encumbrance on costs in Greek because bulk what it means it's bulk it's not sin it's like a well trained spreader getting in the blocks with ankle weights and overcoat on why would you do that.

It's not wrong it's not disallowed. It's just unnecessary bulk slows you down weighs you down takes away your attention sucks your energy dampens your enthusiasm for the things of God. I wrote a blog about a popular pastor who, every time I hear him preach demonstrates his knowledge of South Park like he knows all the episodes of that very basin Christ dishonoring kind of program and can rattle off the lyrics of all kinds of contemporary songs and I wonder to myself this dislike at best. If if not sinful. Isn't this in trying to identify with the culture isn't just really like running the race with the weights still in your ankle, and a full overcoat on you really need that bulk do you carry around that stuff in your mind. Have it occupy the space they could belong to the things that are really precious and life transforming for the Jews. It was the Old Testament ceremonial law they needed to learn to dump that bulk was a process, but they needed to get past it. Anything that slows you down anything that recharges you restrains you anything that sucks your energy needlessly makes no contribution to the race. Let's call this the principle of excess so we have the principle of expedience and edification in excess. Fourth one. Go back to first Corinthians 6 again. Verse 20 and six again and here's another very helpful insight and the same verse actually first Corinthians 612 all things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. We already talked about that but look at this one all things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything so here's the question will it bring me into bondage. Does this thing develop such an appetite that it becomes habit-forming, it takes over. How ridiculous is it for man by God's design. The king of the earth. God's pinnacle of creation to become a slave to a computer or a slave to a game or a slave to a hobby or a slave to a television set or slave to anything, drink, drugs, smoking stuffing weeds in your face and setting them on fire. Makes no sense to me than blowing smoke through your nose for what purpose you can become addicted anything where creatures designed for habits. We are habitual sinners before we are saved and it's hard to become a habitual righteous person even after the spirit has done his mighty work and continues to do it in us because were creatures of habit and those habits are deeply ingrained that we are made for habits were made when were saved for good habits. It's what Ephesians 210 is talking about that we have been literally remade unto good works, and we need to make sure we give our maximum effort to creating the kind of habits that are good.

Some people are addicted literally to music.

Some people are addicted to certain styles of music close. Following the latest fashions addicted to shopping now you know why there's all kinds of these things and were not talking about those things that are immoral kinds of addictions were just talking about the things that get into your life and take over your life so that when you make decisions about what you do. Those decisions are influenced by the need to fulfill this controlling desire doesn't take long usually go for somebody who has habits that are draining, even though they are in themselves not sin to fall over into sinful habits is called at the principle of enslavement.

The principle of enslavement. I don't do anything that has the power to take over my own personal life of the years. It is constantly in the back of my mind not to do what I'm free to do for the sheer purpose of establishing the fact that I am still in control of what I do. There are times when I I want to do something.

I just don't do it because I want to say to myself it's not wrong to do it but I just want to make sure I'm still able to turn it down might be a steak might be a hot fudge sundae some real simple like that. There are other times when I'm compelled and I enjoy that. But I don't ever want to get myself into a pattern where I've lost the control because I think that spills over into how you live your life in a spiritual level as well. Number five in my list and a very important principle, turns a little bit of a corner here.

This is a question you have to ask will it really be a cover-up of my sin. Will it really be a cover up of my sin, you mean by that turn to first Peter 216 year people all the time. Say well I'm free in Christ, we don't have any rules against that. That's not wrong to do that I'm free to do that.

Listen to what Peter writes in first Peter 216 act as freemen, he says, and you are you been made free in Christ. Act as freemen and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil.

While I'm free to go to the movies and I'm free to do that on.

I'm free to do that.

Nothing in the Bible against that art is a wonderful thing. This is reality and this is the way the world is and I need to be informed on that and I'm selective really is that why you're going. Are you going is an art appreciator or is this freedom that you are espousing really a cloak for your evil desire, and when you go there. What is it that you're looking for. What is it that you're waiting for. In the film are you turning liberty into license as Galatians 513 says let's call this the principle of equivocation it's it's where you say one thing but you really have another thing in mind, and you've used your freedom as a live your freedom is a false cover to engage in a sinful activity that's John MacArthur with a helpful look at the issue of Christian liberty. John originally preached today's message during a chapel service at the Masters University where John serves as Chancellor. It's part of a series of messages here on grace to you that lays out a course for life John several times over the past couple of weeks we have talked about habits and today he made a point that because we are creatures who are designed for habits, we need to give maximum effort to creating the kinds of habits that are good.

So when you think about feeding on the word of God which is the healthiest of all habits. What have you personally found helpful in building a habit and making it stick. But I think you have to start simply. I learned when I was very young that it's the repeated reading of the word of God. That is the habit that is most effective in spiritual life, and I started with first John and I thought I'm just gonna read that brief book every day for 30 days and every day it got richer and every day I saw something more every day. I remembered passages that connected with that and then I thought, I'm not done I read it another 30 days and and and another. I read the book of first John 90 days in a row while and to this day I can tell you what's in first John, I can tell you what page where on the page.

What column because I visualized it and that became my own that I went to the gospel of John, and I took seven chapters and read them for 30 or 40 days and in the next seven the next seven and 21 chapters in the matter of 90 days plus another 90 days.

Six months I read the Gospel of John in first John, and because John is the author both. I connected the books together and my understanding grew and I kept doing that through the whole New Testament.

It was a powerful, powerful, all-consuming, all controlling experience for me because I was planning the word in my heart there is no substitute for that I received a question recently in a Q&A and it was a young guy who said how I prepare for seminary and I said read the Bible, read the Bible just know your Bible because that is the greatest asset you will have in seminary. If you go through seminary in your learning all kinds of things about Ministry and theology and all that. If you already know the Bible well you you really are far advanced. You don't want to be learning the basics of the Bible while trying to learn all the other things that come in seminary so this is true for seminary student. This is also true for every believer. We can help you with that.

There is a volume called the MacArthur daily Bible daily Bible.

That's right, takes verse by verse to the entire Bible in a year and establishes the habit of daily Bible reading every day there's reading from the Old Testament, one from the new portion of the Psalms in a little bit out of Proverbs with some daily comments to help you as you read, you can read through the Bible in a year. I know you said September will start now and just keep going and establishes a life transforming habit. Don't put off cultivating the habit of daily scripture reading get a copy of the MacArthur daily Bible is always affordably priced and we have them here, grace to you let us know if you'd like one.

The MacArthur daily Bible is especially practical for family devotions or to read through the Bible study the reading guide makes it easy to keep yourself and others on track. It also provides a list of 52 key Bible passages to help you build a habit of committing God's word to your memory to pick up a copy of the MacArthur daily Bible for yourself or to give it to a friend contact us today. The daily Bible cost $16 and shipping is free to get yours visit our website Jide TY.org or call 855 grace the title again to ask for the MacArthur daily Bible once more.

Our phone number 855 grace and the website Jide TY.org. As I mentioned earlier in the broadcast.

Today's message was originally preached at the Masters University where John serves as Chancellor.

It's a four-year liberal arts university committed to the authority of Scripture. Discipleship and strong academics.

This fully accredited institution is located in Southern California. To learn more about degrees offered student life athletics all the details. You can link to the school's website from our website Jide TY.org that's our web address one more time. Jide TY.and now for John MacArthur and the entire grace to you.

Staff I'm Phil Johnson reminding you to watch grace to you television this Sunday on direct TV channel 378. That's an R BTV also be here tomorrow when John continues his look at foundational wisdom for the Christian life. It's part of his study called a course for life. Don't miss the next half hour of unleashing God's truth in one verse at a time on grace to you