MY FAVORITE FREEDOM VERSE: Galatians 5:1

The Freedom Verse
 
It is for freedom that Christ has set you free.  Stand firm then and do not let yourself be burdened by a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1
 
 

Freedom is a very important word, especially for Christ-Followers. Liberty is truly one of the core values of what we are about. Consider this liberating promise of God given to we the people of God:  Jesus has set us free!  And this freedom is not based on living in a free society nor in circumstances conducive to physical freedom.  As a matter of fact, when the Apostle Paul was inspired to write these words, he was anything but free. From the dank, dark, dismal and debilitating prison cell, Paul could proclaim this Divinely established,  God promised obligation that set him free in the most enslaving of circumstances? He is quite literally a free man who was corporeally bound within prison walls and in chains.

You see, Paul knew, that Jesus had set him free from the Kingdom of Darkness and brought him into the Kingdom of the Son of God whom God loves! He knew, and genuinely believed, the Divine secret that his prison cell was a short stopping off place. No longer did/does Satan and his demons have control of Paul's life.  Nor does he have control of ours, if we prevent him from doing so!  No longer does sin - the enslaving immoral break in the core of our being- really harm him eternally and keep him in bondage or (John 8:34) control him! Nor does it have dominating control over us.  He knew, as we indeed know by faith, that we do not have to commit ourselves to an enslaving lifestyle. He knew, as we can know, that if we are in Christ, we are brought back into relationship with God.  No longer is our  relationship that was severed by Adam and Eve  -- and our behavior -- the dominating principal governing our lives! God's love, mercy, grace and salvation now radiate into our lives and are reflected out into the world!  We are NO longer slaves to sin!  It does NOT run our lives! We are liberated from the ultimate jail cell that separates us from God .... HELL!  Death NO LONGER has it's hold on Christ-Followers.  The grave does NOT have the final say! He knew, as we can know today, "If the Lord, therefore, shall set you free you shall be free indeed!" (John 8:36.)

In addition to all this, God Almighty gives us the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8) to be "the light of the world, a city on a hill" that we need not cover up!  We have the power to be "the salt of the earth" that puts savor into the lives of those that are unsavory and lost. We have the power to experience and demonstrate the character of God!  We call this "the fruit of the Spirit."  (Galatians 5:22-24) We can do this because we have "crucified the sin nature" by the Cross of Christ! Listen carefully.  God gives us power to be "new creations!"  He gives us power to put aside "the old" because "the new has come!" He frees us to be "Ministers of reconciliation" and "Ambassadors for Christ!"  We have stepped into and Eternal Covenant relationship making us intimate with God! (Hebrews 8-10) It's all good!  Right?  Yes it is; however,  it is also essential that we keep in mind we have a  responsibility at maintaining our freedom.  See the last half of Galatians 5:1

Our Responsibility To Maintain Our Freedom

Paul knew the key ingredient to having the completed recipe of freedom functioning in our lives.  Here it is: We have a responsibility to live by grace in such a way to take our stand ... "to stand firm and not let ourselves be burdened by a yoke of slavery."  There are a whole lot of free "Saints of God"  who are NOT living in freedom.  They are living like slaves, some are enslaved even while living in free societies.  See my next blog (maybe blogs) to get a thumb nail sketch of how to maintain your freedom in Christ. Meanwhile ...

May You Be Blessed 2day ... Especially 2day!
 
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY CHRIST-FOLLOWERS!
BE WELL! BE FREE!

SoJourner












 
 


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