SD 21.1

21.1. Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience

The liberty which Christ hath purchased for believers under the gospel, consists in their freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, the rigour and curse of the law; and in their being delivered from this present evil world, bondage to Satan, and dominion of sin, from the evil of afflictions, the fear and sting of death, the victory of the grave, and everlasting damnation; as also in their free access to God, and their yielding obedience unto him, not out of slavish fear, but a childlike love and willing mind. All which were common also to believers under the law, for the substance of them; but under the New Testament the liberty of Christians is further enlarged in their freedom from the yoke of the ceremonial law, the whole legal administration of the covenant of grace, to which the Jewish church was subjected; and in greater boldness of access to the throne of grace, and in fuller communications of the free Spirit of God, than believers under the law did ordinarily partake of.

Proof texts

• Tit. 2:14
• 1 Thess. 1:10 — [10] and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
• Gal. 3:13 — [13] Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us — for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree” —
• Gal. 1:4 — [4] who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
• Col. 1:13 — [13] He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
• Acts 26:18 — [18] to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
• Rom. 6:14 — [14] For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
• Rom. 8:28 — [28] And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
• Ps. 119:71 — [71] It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.
• 1 Cor. 15:54, 55, 56, 57 — [54] When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” [55] “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” [56] The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. [57] But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Rom. 8:1 — [1] There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
• Rom. 5:1, 2 — [1] Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. [2] Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
• Rom. 8:14, 15 — [14] For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. [15] For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
• 1 John 4:18 — [18] There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
• Gal. 3:9, 14 — [9] So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. [14] so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
• Gal. 4:1, 2, 3, 6, 7 — [1] I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, [2] but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. [3] In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. [6] And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” [7] So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
• Gal. 5:1 — [1] For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
• Acts 15:10, 11 — [10] Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? [11] But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”
• Heb. 4:14, 16 — [14] Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. [16] Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
• Heb. 10:19, 20, 21, 22 — [19] Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, [20] by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, [21] and since we have a great priest over the house of God, [22] let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
• John 7:38, 39 — [38] Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” [39] Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
• 2 Cor. 3:13, 17, 18 — [13] not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. [17] Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. [18] And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Tit. 2:14 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 22 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WCF 20.1 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. WCF 20.2 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WCF 20.1 · WCF 20.2 · WCF 20.3 · WCF 20.4