"As free, and not using your liberty

for a cloak of maliciousness,

but as the servants of God."

I Peter 2:16

(KJV)

"Act as free men, and do not use your freedom

as a covering for evil,

but use it as bondslaves of God."

(NASV)

Adam Clarke sets this scene as the Jews rebelling against the Romans hiding behind their cloak as owing their allegiance to God alone.  However, God had allowed their subjection because of their rebellion against Him.  Hmm.  "Thus they used their liberty for a cloak of maliciousness ....to vindicate their seditious and rebellious conduct."  

But how does this apply to us?  There is a whole section of Christianity who flaunt their freedom in Christ to use as a covering to hide their evil deeds.  They say God cannot see their sin through the blood of Christ.  What a crock!   What a horror to claim to use His blood to hide behind as a covering for their sin.  God says He sees our sin.  We are to walk in the light so that His blood can cleanse us of our sins, not to hide them.  This is how we experience liberty, freedom, victory in Jesus.  Rather we should use our freedom to be bondslaves of God.  As Adam Clarke says, "These were free from sin and Satan, but they were the servants of God--bound to obey Him."