Freedom--the
catch-word of men throughout the ages. The cry of today--free to do as I
please. Be careful. Be sure you know what freedom
is--biblically--before you go on in life claiming its advantages. To
define a spiritual concept, often you must take man's definition of that
concept and turn it completely around. It is thus with the concept of
freedom.
Freedom is not the right to do as you please, but the liberty--the power--to do what is right. Freedom is the right to be held responsible for what you do. It is Jesus at work in your life. His dominance. It is reacting to things not as they may affect you, but as they affect Him and His truth. It is the freedom to live with the standards of Jesus Christ as your own guidelines for thought and action. It is taking His yoke upon you and discarding the yoke of Satan and sin.
Natural man in this world, serving self and sin, may very well prosper under the bondage of "the prince and the power" of this world. But he is not free. He is in a bondage that leads to death, even if he recognizes his errors. For although godly sorrow produces a repentance that leaves no regrets, the sorrow of the world leads to death. Judas hung himself with the tears of bitterness streaming down his face. Esau wept bitterly but the spiritual blessing was gone.
The Christian--set truly free--has no rights only responsibility. "I have my rights" is not in his vocabulary. He has no further plans of his own. He is constantly on the watch to prevent the two perils of freedom--legalism and license--from putting him back in bondage. He doesn't use "freedom" and "liberty" to justify his doing as he pleases by ignoring or downplaying or rationalizing the standards demanded by the Son of God who has made him a true son of liberty.
Stand fast in your blood-bought freedom to be obedient to Jesus, your Savior and Master--the One who has set you free from sin to serve Him. "If you continue in My Word, then are you my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
The freest people on earth are the bondslaves of Jesus Christ.
Freedom is not the right to do as you please, but the liberty--the power--to do what is right. Freedom is the right to be held responsible for what you do. It is Jesus at work in your life. His dominance. It is reacting to things not as they may affect you, but as they affect Him and His truth. It is the freedom to live with the standards of Jesus Christ as your own guidelines for thought and action. It is taking His yoke upon you and discarding the yoke of Satan and sin.
Natural man in this world, serving self and sin, may very well prosper under the bondage of "the prince and the power" of this world. But he is not free. He is in a bondage that leads to death, even if he recognizes his errors. For although godly sorrow produces a repentance that leaves no regrets, the sorrow of the world leads to death. Judas hung himself with the tears of bitterness streaming down his face. Esau wept bitterly but the spiritual blessing was gone.
The Christian--set truly free--has no rights only responsibility. "I have my rights" is not in his vocabulary. He has no further plans of his own. He is constantly on the watch to prevent the two perils of freedom--legalism and license--from putting him back in bondage. He doesn't use "freedom" and "liberty" to justify his doing as he pleases by ignoring or downplaying or rationalizing the standards demanded by the Son of God who has made him a true son of liberty.
Stand fast in your blood-bought freedom to be obedient to Jesus, your Savior and Master--the One who has set you free from sin to serve Him. "If you continue in My Word, then are you my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
The freest people on earth are the bondslaves of Jesus Christ.
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