"Personal Liberty Under The New Covenant" - Page 1Freedom Under The New CovenantFreedom-Liberty and Religion-Page 1 - The New Testament And Religious Liberty
This Bible study will present the biblical evidence
that the New Covenant instituted by Jesus Christ brought personal liberty to every man and woman believer in Jesus Christ.
Under The New Covenant:
1. All earthly religious "authority" vanished.
Jesus commanded: "...do NOT be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers.
Do NOT call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.
Do NOT be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ.
But the greatest among you shall be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted."
Matthew 23:8-12
2. All distinctions based upon genetics or gender or station in life, vanished.
"There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for ALL of you are ONE in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28
3. All earthly right to establish hierarchical religious "authority" to punish those who sin, vanished.
Neither Jesus nor His apostles set-up directives or procedures to be initiated by an individual member or a select group of members whereby a sinning Christian could be ejected from a local congregation (or be forced to endure a punishment for sinning).
Under the New Covenant, when public sin was being acted out by a fellow-Christian, Paul responded to the situation by telling church members that they should refuse to associate with the person (until repentance had taken place and the sin stopped)
See 1 Corinthians 5:9-13
Paul's response to public-sin was supportive of Christ's teaching that preserved the individual liberty of each Christian, disallowed the installation of religious "authority" into the Christian community and maintained the commandment of Christ that there were to be no "leaders" or "masters" under the New Covenant.
The only earthly "authority" Christ instituted under the New Covenant is the "moral authority" of Christian conscience.
Another way of looking at "moral authority" for the Christian, is, if a thing is right (moral), it is authoritative for the individual believer to make a personal response to any situation or moral request within his/her liberty that meets the requirements of his/her Christian conscience.
Jesus proclaimed the arrival of the New Covenant:
"Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed for you.'" Luke 22:20
Jesus taught that the "authority" under the New Covenant was that which is true:
"... If you continue in my word, then you are my disciples indeed; And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free... If the Son therefore shall make you free, you
shall be freeindeed." John 8:31-32, 36 KJV
Christians Have Freedom of Conscience
"And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you." Galatians 2:4-5
"But now, after that you have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn you again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid for you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain." Galatians 4:9-11
"Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Who are you that judgest another man’s servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteems one day above another: another esteems every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." Romans 14:3-5
The New Covenant established no positions of "religious authority" among believers. In Bible terms, the Body of Christ is made up of those who believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah.
These believers are defined - the "called-out" ~ The Greek word rendered "church" is "ekklesia" meaning, "a calling out."
Every Bible example regarding a "position of service" under the New Covenant, such as, elder or deacon brought no special religious "authority" over other church members to that person functioning within that specific area of service within the local Christian community.
During Peter's time on earth, this area of service to the Christian community brought forth a warning from Peter (I Peter 5:3) to those in such positions of service, to "not Lord it over" other Christians merely because they were acting out a specific service to the Christian community.
It was a familiar moral. Peter and the other disciples had been taught by Jesus that the New Covenant would not set-up any religious authority structures over those in the Christian commmunity except the moral authority of Jesus Christ:
"But Jesus called them unto Him, and said, Ye know that the rulers of the Gentiles LORD IT OVER them -- and their great ones exercise AUTHORITY over them. Not so shall it be among you...
Matthew 20:25-26a.
CHRISTIANS ARE A FREE PEOPLE UNDER THE MORALITY OF THE BIBLICAL GOD!
"But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For who has the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ."
1 Corinthians 2:15-16
What Does A Careful Examination of The New Covenant of Christ Show Us About Truth Among Christians Today?
It exposes the historical wandering away from the teachings of Christ by many Christians.
It provides the first century evidence that many false ideas regarding Christianity have become enthroned in many Christian groups as Christian "commandments."
Such As:
1. All women are in subjection to all men.
2. A divorced man may not serve any level of service in the Christian community.
3. A wife is "under" the "authority" of her husband.
4. A man is not free to make the decision to sit and learn under a Christian woman.
5. That it is a sin to allow a woman to be an elder or deacon.
6. Christians are not free to design their local Christian community structure except in exact replication of the examples chosen by Paul.
7. It is a sin for Christians to drink alcoholic beverages.
8. Women are allowed by God to teach only children or another woman/women.
9. It is immoral for women to preach to men (i.e., to speak out in public gatherings)
10. There is no moral right to divorce for Christians.
11. God's love is unconditional
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
None of the ideas above are teachings within the New Covenant of Jesus Christ
Let's Look At Why None Of These Ideas Can Be Supported By The Teachings of Jesus Christ:
Error 1. All women are in subjection to all men.
This teaching is denied by Matthew 23:8-12, Galatians 3:28 and Romans 14:3-5.
"Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Who are you that judgest another man’s servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteems one day above another: another esteems every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." Romans 14:3-5
"There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for ALL of you are ONE in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28
Jesus commanded:
"...do NOT be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. Do NOT call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. Do NOT be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. But the greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted."
Matthew 23:8-12
Error 2. A divorced man may not serve any level of service in the Christian community.
2a. This idea was never taught by Paul or Jesus (there was/is a right to divorce as taught by both Jesus and Paul, thus, being divorced could not have been seen by Paul as disqualifying any Christian to serve the Christian community).
Paul's teaching that a man desiring to serve as an elder in the Christian community must be the husband of one woman must be seen within its historical setting as disallowing plural wives (a situation that was still taking place in the first century among the Jews).
Further, It is not a teaching that supports the idea that Paul did not allow women (because of their gender) to serve as elders. That idea is denied by Matthew 23:8-12, Galatians 3:28 and Romans 14:3-5.
The only basis for a Christian woman to not serve as an elder within Paul's Christian community structure were that they were not qualified (which is the same disqualification for males).
Within Paul's preferred formation of Christian "community," elders were the servants of the local church who knew enough about doctrine to be its protectors and debaters, thus, those who served in this position, male or female, were to be able to fulfil its service requirements.
Error 3. A wife is "under" the "authority" of her husband.
3a. This error is denied by Matthew 23:8-12, Galatians 3:28 and Romans 14:3-5.
The New Covenant teaching regarding the marriage relationship, is that a husband and wife provide equally submissive responses to each other.
The husband is called to love his wife as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her (Ephesians 5). This act of personal service for us by Christ, was the greatest act of submissive service the world has ever encountered. In the marriage relationship, the wife is called to respect her husband (a choice of loving behavior that serves his needs as well).
There is no single-sided earthly "authority" for any Christian woman (meaning that being "subject to" is not a one-sided response within any relationship).
Error 4. A women is not allowed by God to teach a man/men within a Christian organization/group (some Christians have claimed that because of her gender a woman can't morally teach any male, anywhere).
4a. This error is denied by Matthew 23:8-12, Galatians 3:28 and Romans 14:3-5.
It is also denied by the historical presentation within the letters of Paul that women preached in public meetings (I Corinthians 15), women taught men (Acts 18:24-26) and they served as deacons in local congregations within Paul's choice of Christian community structure. - See Romans 16:1-2 below.
"I commend unto you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant (Greek: diakonos) of the church which is at Cenchrea: That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also." - Romans 16:1-2 KJV
Error 5. A man is not free to make the decision to sit and learn under a Christian woman.
This error is denied by Matthew 23:8-12, Galatians 3:28 and Romans 14:3-5.
Error 6. It is a sin to allow a woman to be an elder or deacon.
This error is denied by Matthew 23:8-12, Galatians 3:28 and Romans 14:3-5.
It is also denied by the historical presentation within the letters of Paul that women preached in public meetings (I Corinthians 15), women taught men (Acts 18:24-26) and they served as deacons in local congregations within Paul's choice of Christian community structure (see Romans 16:1-2 below).
Nothing in the ensuring discussion that took place by Paul in his letters because of this freedom of Christian women changes the facts that Paul accepted a woman's right to preach and pray in a public gathering of Christians.
Women served the local Christian community as deacons: "I commend unto you Phoebe our sister, which is a servant (Greek: diakonos) of the church which is at Cenchrea: That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also." (Romans 16:1-2 KJV)
Error 7. Christians are not free to design their local Christian community structure except in exact replication of the examples chosen by Paul.
7a. This error is denied by Matthew 23:8-12, Galatians 3:28 and Romans 14:3-5.
An example is not a commandment. Paul provided the evidence of the personal liberty among Christian by disregarding the first apostles initial choice of how to form and sustain Christian "community" in a mostly pagan culture (Acts 2:44-47).
Paul rejected the earlier concept of forming and sustaining Christian "community" and he established his preferred Christian community structure within a concept that Christians should retain private finances as individual property, elders, who were to serve as the defenders of moral doctrine for the local community and the deacons as the servants who would implement the supportive services for the rest of the Christian community.
Christians of any generation are free to form any type of Christian community structure that they prefer to work within as long as the liberty of the individual Christian is respected. This required respect for the liberty of fellow-Christians is taught in Matthew 23:8-12, Galatians 3:28 and Romans 14:3-5
How Christians form their local congregations is a free choice of those who work to establish a Christian presence within any area of the world.
Error 8. It is a sin for Christians to drink alcoholic beverages.
8a. This error is denied by Matthew 23:8-12, Galatians 3:28 and Romans 14:3-5.
Error 9. Women are allowed by God to teach only children or another woman/women.
9a. This error is denied by Matthew 23:8-12, Galatians 3:28 and Romans 14:3-5.
It is also denied by the same Bible teachings presented in Items 3, 4 and 6 above.
Error 10. It is immoral for women to preach to men (i.e., to speak out in public gatherings)
This error is denied by Matthew 23:8-12, Galatians 3:28 and Romans 14:3-5.
It is also denied by the historical presentation within the letters of Paul that women preached in public meetings (I Corinthians 15), women taught men (Acts 18:24-26) and they served as deacons in local congregations within Paul's choice of Christian community structure (see Romans 16:1-2 below).
Nothing in the ensuing discussion that took place by Paul in his letters because of this freedom of Christian women changes the facts that Paul accepted a woman's right to preach and pray in public meetings of Christians.
Women served the local Christian community as deacons: "I commend unto you Phoebe our sister, which is a servant (Greek: diakonos) of the church which is at Cenchrea: That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also." (Romans 16:1-2 KJV)
Error 11. There is no moral right to divorce for Christians.
This error is denied by both Jesus and Paul, who taught a right to divorce for "just-cause." Matthew 19:9 "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."
An online examination of this Bible teaching can be found at:
Error 12. God's love is unconditional
The Biblical God is a moral God. This idea is not in the Bible. A Bible study regarding this recent myth, can be found here:
False Assumptions = Error
1. The idea that there is a right to remove a Bible subject from its historical and the "subject" context when teaching about the Bible is a foundational error that has caused much confusion about Bible subjects.
1a. There is no moral authority for anyone to remove a Bible subject from its historical setting and subject context the writer placed it within.
2. There is no moral authority given anyone to redefine the "example" choices made by Paul regarding the formation of the first century Christian community, as a commandment or required "pattern" for every generation.
2a ~ The Bible does not teach that an "example choice" of one generation of believers is a "commandment" that must be implemented for every generation after the first.
Christ gave personal liberty to His followers, not a moral law of narrow conformity to choices made by the first century Christians that would imprison every generation after them within Paul's choices for how Christian community would function.
Paul provided the evidence of such personal liberty by disregarding the first apostles initial choice for how Christians were to form a Christian community (Acts 2:44-47). He choose not to use it as a pattern for new congregations.
Paul rejected the apostles earlier "all-things-in-common" concept of Christian community formation.
Paul established his preferred Christian community structure within a concept that Christians should retain private finances as individual property, Christians who were familiar with the Hebrew Bible and the teachings of Jesus Christ would serve as elders (serving as the public defenders/debaters of doctrine for the local community), within another area of service would be deacons, who would implement the supportive services for the rest of the Christian community.
3. There is no moral authority for anyone to ignore what appears to be a contradiction in Christian teachings and arbitrarily define the most restrictive teaching of the subject as the "commandment" that is determinative.
Many of the Christian documents are letters, not books on Christian theology. These letters hold the responses of Paul to some local concern within a specific congregation. It is not possible for the Bible reader of today to know what content were in the letters to Paul. The world of today has only Paul's reaction/response to them.
This historical reality can present an initial quandary as how to deal with what appears to be contradictory teachings of Paul
~~ Paul wouldn't contradict himself - the logic behind his response in the Timothy context supports the situation as being one in which the husband had the "moral authority" to ask his wife not to teach - in other words, she had made a decision that was not based on the moral realities of her many obligations.
In the Corinthian letters, Paul supports a woman's right to preach and pray in public meetings. The congregations he worked among had women serving as deacons and Paul tells one congregation that Phoebe (a deacon in the church) should be helped in all that she requests.
The author of Acts writes of the learned evangelical Christian woman, Priscilla, who, along with her husband, teaches a man, "...mighty in the scriptures..," more fully in the truth. Acts 18:24-26
Further, Paul describes Priscilla and her husband, Aquila, as "...co-labourers in Christ Jesus..." with Paul, himself - using the greek word, sunergos - 'co-labourer'- to describe his missionary partnership with them. This couple had risked their own lives to save his. Romans 16:3-4
The Greek word, "sunergos" is the same word, Paul uses when speaking about Titus in 2 Corinthians 8:23. "As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow-worker ('sunergos')...."
The Timothy Letter: In a letter to Timothy, there is a statement by Paul which some Christians have attempted to use to imprison Christian women in a thundering silence in the church (and often outside of it).
That this idea is foreign to the meaning of the New Covenant, the historical evangelicial activity of Christian women in the first century and stands in opposition to the teachings of Christ and Paul's understanding of New Covenant liberty, along with every passage that supports that there are no earthly "authorities" in the church, bring into question the singular motive of those who would throw out the rights of personal freedom of any Christian and enthrone this idea as the "determinative" rule in the church.
When a Bible passage cannot be understood within a consistant moral framework of Christ's teachings because of an apparent conflict in a specific contextual explanation of the subject/issue being examined, there is no moral basis to enthrone as "determinative" the passage with the more restrictive requirements on human liberty.
Jesus commanded:
"...do NOT be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. Do NOT call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.
Do NOT be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ.
But the greatest among you shall be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted."
Matthew 23:8-12
"There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for ALL of you are ONE in Christ Jesus." ~~ Galatians 3:28
"But Jesus called them unto him, and said,
'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles LORD it over them, and their great ones exercise authority OVER them. NOT SO SHALL IT BE AMONG YOU: but whosoever would become great among you shall be your minister; and whosoever would be first among you shall be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.'"
To 
