True Freedom – to be free as a Child of God.

 

With the gospel, Christ bought believers their freedom. He freed us from the guilt of sin and from God’s condemning anger. This is the beginning of true freedom!

 

God freed us from the evils of this world, from being slaves of Evil, from being ruled by sin. He freed us from the sting of death, namely separation from the Lord and from the victory of the grave. He freed us from eternal damnation.

 

To be free as a child of God also means that we have free access to God.  It means we may speak to him freely about anything on our hearts and minds, seeking his Hoy will for our lives. It means we can obey him freely – not out of slave-like fear, but with a childlike love and a willing mind.

 

Believers in the time of the law before Christ was born had these freedoms too.

But now in New Testament times, our Christian freedom is even greater because we are free from the ceremonial laws that the Jewish nation had to keep. We are also able to be bolder than they were when we speak before God’s throne. And we can communicate more freely through, in and with the Holy Spirit.

 

God alone is the ruler of our conscience. Our conscience is free from any human teachings and commands that contradict his Word. And in matters related to faith or worship, our conscience is free from whatever anyone has ever added to his inspired Word.

 

If we believe man-made teachings or obey the commands of the world and of arrogant people - out of conscience - we do not really have true freedom of conscience. If we have a blind faith or if we obey without discernment, we destroy our free conscience and our God-given reason.

 

If we keep sinning or holding onto the lust of the flesh and call that “Christian freedom”, we are in fact undermining the purpose of our Christ-given freedom.

The real purpose of our freedom as Christians is to serve God without fear, because we have been rescued from our enemies.

We should be holy and righteous as we serve him, as long as we live.

 

God does not intend the authorities that he had put in place to oppose the freedom Christ has bought for us. In fact, the civil authorities and Christian freedom should mutually support each other. If people disobey lawful authorities in the world and society– in the name of Christian freedom, they’re really disobeying God.

 

If people spread opinions or practice things that go against what are against the general truth and principles of Christianity, the Church has every right to hold them accountable. 

 

This is true whether it’s about faith, worship, or how we should live. Such things can be harmful in themselves, or harmful in how they are spread and if such views, arrogance and petty selfish politics disturb the peace and the order Christ has given his Church, we need to act decisively against such heresies and sin. 

 

Child of God, you have been set free from the selfish pettiness of those who do not belong to God.  Stand free in the grace of God -  in and through the power and authority of Jesus Christ our Lord.