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The Doctrine of Freedom

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by Randy White Ministries Sunday, Nov 14, 2021

Doctrines That Bring Gratitude


The Doctrine of Freedom


Dr. Randy White

A Reminder of Dispensations After the Fall

  • From Adam to Noah: man lived seeking to please God by living morally, knowing good from evil by their own experience.

  • From Noah to Abraham: man lived morally, seeking to please God by living morally, constrained by the threat of capital punishment.

  • From Abraham to Moses: man lived morally, looking to Abraham and his promised descendants for blessing.

  • From Moses to Paul: man lived morally according to the dictates of the Law of Moses.


    The Age of Grace is an Aboslute and Total Removal of the Requirements Under Moses

  • Acts 13:38-39 is the first time this dispensation is voiced, and it announces freedom from Moses.

  • The Apostle Paul explains freedom from the Law from those who were under the Law in Romans 7:1-6.

    • He gives a legal illustration of marriage to the Jews (who knew the Law) -- vv. 1-3.

    • He explains to the Jews that in Christ they are dead to the Law -- v. 4.

    • They now have a newness of spirit rather than the oldness of the law -- vv. 5-6.


  • Galatians 2:16 nails down a complete freedom from the Law.

  • The freedom from the Law is absolute and total and no piece of the law can become a requirement for justification, sanctification, or glorification.

    • “salvation," then each of these three things must be by grace, through faith, and accomplished in Christ alone.

    • If the freedom is indeed absolute and total, then the Law can never become the basis for any doctrine of Christian living.


  • The law was only lawful within its jurisdiction. We are not within that jurisdiction!



    The Human Heart is Continually On A Quest for Law

  • We fulfill this quest when we make all the law apply to the Christian life today.

    • Many“Reformed" tradition teach that the law is applicable in three ways:

      • The Civil Use: God's law is a bridle restraining from sin.

      • The Gospel Use: God's law is a mirror pointing out our need for the Savior.

      • The Christian Living Use: God's law guides the Christian in daily living.

      • See The Gospel Coalition -


    • This persuasion never even considers a dispensational view of the Law.


  • We fulfill this quest when we separate unto ourselves portions of the Law which are then taught as applicable to believers.

    • The most common is the three-fold division of the Law among the Evangelical tradition:

      • The Civil Law: the portion that applied only to the nation of Israel

      • The Ceremonial Law: the portion that was fulfilled in Christ on the cross.

      • The Moral Law: the portion that applies to everyone.


    • This persuasion never considers that the Bible itself declares that the Law is indivisible (Dt. 27:26, James 2:10).


  • We fulfill this quest when we substitute a new law for an old law.

    • “checklist" pushes us to create bondage when God has given liberty.

    • “Biblical" laws --

      • The Institute in Basic Life Principles lists 49 commandments of Christ we are supposed to keep.

      • “list of laws" that the faithful should keep (written or unwritten).

      • Even those who profess freedom from the Law often find a substitute for legalisms: exchanging one for another.


    • “Moral" laws --

      • “10/20/70" principle of financial management, for example.

      • The morning quiet time.


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