Yesterday, we celebrated our Independence Day here in America. I am so grateful and thankful to live in a country in which I am freely able to practice my faith and worship as I see fit, but I couldn't help but ponder on freedom and what freedom truly means. My political freedom has been won by the hard fought sacrifice of patriots who hold to the ideal of a nation where all men and women are created equal and have rights given to them by God, not government. As a Christian, my freedom comes first and foremost from my Savior, Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:17 tells us,
"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."
Because of Christ's sacrifice on the cross, I am no longer a slave to sin, to fear, to desire that will destroy me. I am truly FREE.
"So if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed." - John 8:36
"And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." - John 8:32
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." - Romans 8:1-2
Whether you live in this country or not, I implore you to tightly hold on to the freedom that has been given to you in Christ. "Live as a people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover up for evil." (1 Peter 2:16). Don't trade your freedom for the allure of sin.
Second Peter 2 is direct and to the point, and honestly not an easy chapter to read. It warns of the dangers of false teachers. Those who look "free" but really are slaves to sin. Who speak flattering, but empty words. They promise liberty, but they themselves are slaves to corruption. They look free, and claim to be free, but they are really slaves to their own desires. Even worse, they lead other believers down the same path of destruction.
"The promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved. For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them."
- 2 Peter 2:19-21
The exhortation from Peter is to be wary of false teachers, but I believe is also a reminder to believers not to fall back into sinful patterns lest you yourself become enslaved in sinful bondage and lead others astray. David Guzik has this to say: "It is better for a person to have never known a thing about Jesus than to hear some truth, hold to it for a season, and then later reject it. Greater revelation has a greater accountability."
"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."
- Galatians 5:1
I'm preaching to myself when I say: Stand firm in your freedom. Don't fall back into the bondage that Christ has freed you from. You know what Christ has saved you from, you have experience the feeling of freedom - don't reject it and return to your sin. Claim your freedom in Christ and walk in it.
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