There is a famous saying, “Discipline is freedom.”  The sentiment is fine in everyday life.  If I want to run a marathon, I cannot also sit on my couch all day long.  I cannot retire with a million dollars in my retirement fund if I am constantly spending more money than I take in.  The freedom to be able to do the things I want only comes through discipline.  

However, that is not the freedom that the Bible talks about.  If it was then the freest people of all would be the religious group called the Pharisees!  They were incredibly disciplined and yet they constantly missed Jesus.  The religious leaders should be faith leaders!  How can a temple be the dwelling place of God if those who run it don’t even believe/trust/obey the God they claim to honor and worship?  

When Jesus cleansed the temple, he also welcomed in outcasts and children (21:14-15), but the chief priests of the temple and the Pharisees were indignant!  Ever since the time of King David, the blind and lame were banned from entering the temple complex (2 Sam. 5:6-10; Lev. 21:16-24).  Yet, here was Jesus, the “Son of David,” welcoming them back in!  No amount of discipline would ever be able to save the blind and the lame or make them whole again.  Only Jesus.  It was the children, not the religious leaders, who recognized that Jesus is the “Son of David” sent to forgive sins and bring peace and reconciliation with God (Rom. 5:1).   

The disobedience of sin is the rejection of the forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus.  The “unforgivable sin” is denying that you need forgiveness (Matt. 12:30-32).  While the “work” of faith is to seek the mercy, forgiveness and grace of Jesus Christ with childlike faith (Matt. 18:1-4; John 6:26-29).  You cannot be a temple of God in this world, bearing the good news of the forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus, unless you first believe that you need Jesus and you come to Him for the forgiveness of your sin.