Using Our Freedom

Using Our Freedom

What would happen if we gave freedom to all criminals?     None of us would be safe on the streets or even in our homes.     It is absolutely necessary to restrict the freedom of those who cannot control themselves in their desire to kill,  rape,  pillage,  or extort.

We realize it’s important to control criminal activities, but do we think much about controlling our own selves?   

As Christians, it is absolutely necessary for us to control our sinful natures.     We will always have a sinful nature while living on this earth, but we’ve been given freedom in Christ.     What does that mean?

Because Christ died for our sins and paid the full penalty for us, we are now free from the curse of the law, which includes things like  —  the fear of eternal punishment  —  worry about whether or not we’ve kept the law perfectly  —  guilt over our past sins  —  and the knowledge that all sins really do deserve eternal damnation because everything that enters heaven must be absolutely holy and perfect in all ways.

With the freedom Christ gives, we now have  —  the peace of knowing Christ has thoroughly washed away all of our sins  —  a sure forgiveness from God Almighty that takes away our fears  —  and a liberty to live in the faithful love of our Lord, because with God’s real love, we are enabled to love.

With the freedom Christ gives, our souls are free.     That’s something to think about.

But, this sinful world keeps pushing it’s philosophies on us.     So, we are constantly hearing things like  —  the power of pride  —  the power of positive thinking  —  build up your own self-esteem  —  get what you want because you are worth it  —  you are important  —  and learn to be selfish because you have to think of yourself, since no one else does.     All that is an enslavement to the ways of the world.

With the world’s thinking, a Christian can easily become confused and fall into pride, selfishness, defiance of God’s ways, and feeling that God doesn’t really care what we do since Jesus forgives all.

All this cheapens the extent of God’s love and sacrifice for us.     It’s a way of not caring about the faithfulness of our Lord in suffering for us.     When the Galatian Christians were slipping into their old worldly and legalistic ways, Paul had this to say to them in Galatians 5:13,

You were called to freedom, brethren;  only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity  for the flesh,  but through love  serve one another.

The freedom we have is not to be an opportunity to lose control over our sinful natures and be enslaved again, like the rest of this world.     We need to allow God to control the extent of our freedom by studying His word and checking up on ourselves to see if we really are living in the grace God has given us in Christ.

It is when we learn to serve one another in the  true love of Christ that we will experience the fullness of our freedom to build others up by sharing God’s message of forgiveness and eternal life through faith in what Jesus has done for us.     So, our freedom in Christ is not giving us the right to do whatever we please, but it is letting us blossom in the love of God and in  wanting to do what pleases our Lord.

As we enjoy our freedom from the effects of the Law and enter the open door to live in the love of God, we say,  “Hallelujah!     My Lord, Your love is wondrous.”

Love,  
Margaret

 

 

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