For centuries Christians have wrestled with the question of how to live their faith. Do they do as they please, knowing that their eternal destiny is sure? Or do they live with an ever-stricter set of standards designed to produce a "pure" life pleasing to God?

License produces a Christian life that is unencumbered by standards, limitations, self-denial, or community responsibility. Legalism creates a Christian life that's just the opposite, a life strapped by do's and don'ts lists, fear of culture, endless self-repression, and judgmental attitudes.

License yields a "devil-may-care" attitude resulting in spiritual juvenile delinquency. Legalism produces a "holier-than-thou" attitude resulting in a spiritual insecurity complex. These kinds of Christians never grow up and rarely accomplish anything for the Lord.

Samson is an example of License. He had the truth, but then he lived like he didn't know right from wrong. The Pharisees are an example of Legalism. They had the truth, but then they added so many cultural rules to it that they built themselves into a spiritual cage.

God's Biblical approach is a third one, not License or Legalism but "Liberty." Liberty allows us to avoid the error of no-rules License on one end of the spectrum and multi-rules Legalism on the other.

Christian Liberty is Biblical truth informing personal choice. The more we know and obey the basic principles of the Bible, the more freedom we can experience in this world. Obedience goes together with choice. Our obedience of Biblical standards liberates us from becoming a slave to sin and protects our freedom to enjoy the blessings of life.

A Righteous God demands holiness. A Creator God desires freedom. Christian Liberty gives us the balance.