Freedom: October 22, 2012

TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY OCTOBER 22, 2012.

FREEDOM

DEFINITION:

The state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under restraint; Liberation from slavery or the power of another; exemption.

SCRIPTURE:

"It is to freedom that you have been called, my brothers. Only be careful that freedom does not become a mere opportunity for your lower nature (the flesh). You should be free to serve one another in love." Galatians 5:13. (Phillips translation)

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

When God created us He gave us a free will to choose whether or not to serve Him. With that free will comes the freedom to sin. Sin, however, is not free. It comes with a price tag -- death and eternal separation from God.

God sent His Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for our sin. Those who accept God's free gift of salvation are set free from the penalty of sin. Salvation covers the penalty for all of our sins, but does not take away our freedom to sin. However, just because all of our sins have been forgiven, it does not give us a license to sin. There are consequences to our sinning and God will hold us accountable. In Galatians 5:13 (verse above) Paul warns us, "to be careful that freedom does not become a mere opportunity for your lower nature (the flesh)."

Recently, we listened to a testimony on television of a man who had just been released from prison. He talked about his years in prison and the loss of freedom that he experienced. He spent most of each day locked up in a small cell and could not go anywhere or talk to anyone. He lost his freedom to do what he wanted to do and could always do before he committed his crime. This man went on to say how different it was now that he was out of prison. For the first time in his life he has put real value on having freedom.

It is not just prison walls that can imprison us and bring loss of freedom. Often circumstances in life cause people to lose certain freedoms. Evil rulers and governments often take away freedom. Crippling diseases and physical handicaps bring the loss of freedom to do so many things. Inescapable poverty imprisons in its own way. Such circumstances affect a person’s freedom to do what he or she would like to do. The loss of freedom brings despair.

America was founded by those who had lost their freedom to worship God. Today most Americans have no idea what it means to live without freedom to do what we want when we want. As believers we need to take a new look at what it means to have freedom in Christ. We should be thankful for it and not take it for granted.

Reading God's Word, the Bible, each day is a privilege that many people around the world do not have. At the time of the Second World War when the Americans arrived in the Philippines, many political prisoners were freed from prison. Among the "crimes" that these people had committed was that of reading the Bible. They had no freedom.

Soon after his release from prison a man came to a missionary in the Philippians and asked if it were true that he could now read his Bible? The missionary pointed to a nearby American flag and said: "So long as you see that flag flying overhead you can read your Bible on the roof of your house and no one will bother you." That is a great definition of freedom for us.

In 1942 Franklin D. Roosevelt, then President of the United States of America said:
"We look forward to a world founded on four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom for every person to worship God in his own way. The second is freedom of speech and expression. The third is freedom from want and finally the freedom from fear."

The Bible has a lot to share with us about the freedom of choice God has given to us who love and serve Him. God teaches us in the Bible not to abuse the freedom He has given us. In Genesis (13:10-13), Abraham responded to the leading of God and gave Lot the freedom of choice as to the land that would be his. Lot chose the fertile land of the plains of Jordan and left the desert area of Canaan to Abraham. But as the scriptures tell us, the land that Lot chose caused nothing but problems for Lot while God blessed the land left to Abraham. The reason was very clear. Lot with his freedom chose not to honor and serve God with all his heart, mind and soul. Abraham with his freedom of choice chose to serve God.

We are promised freedom from our sins in Romans 6:14. We are no longer slaves to sin. The greatest freedom is that given by God when He lifts our burden of sin. In John 8:32-36 we are told that if we continue in God's Word (read the Bible); and we are faithful in seeking to live according to God's teaching, "We shall know the truth and the truth shall make us free."(verse 36) Jesus is the truth and knowing Him as our Savior sets us free from the penalty of death for our sin. That is the freedom God has made available to all who believe in Him.

Finally, in I Peter 2:16-17 we are admonished as believers to "Live as free men; not however, as though your freedom were there to provide a screen for wrongdoing; but live as servants of God, honoring all men, love your brothers and fear God."

We encourage you to let Christ control your life for then you have true freedom that will last for a lifetime.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Romans 6:23.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

PRAYER:

Thank You for the freedom I have in Jesus from the slavery of sin. Thank You for Your Word that teaches me that freedom from the penalty of sin does not give me license to sin. Thank You for the truth of Your Word that the Son has set me free.