Let freedom ring....
Galatians 5:1 CSB “For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
I have been thinking about this for a long time. This year has really brought it to the forefront all over again. What is freedom? Most times when we think of freedom we think in terms of doing whatever we want to do and however we want to do it. We think of this careless abandon. Is that really freedom though? Are there not boundaries to everything? Think about these scenarios for a second. How would a football game really turn out without the rules, refs and boundary markers? How would driving be without stop lights? Stop signs? Lane markers? Driving protocol? It would be chaos! I would even go so far as to say we’d see way more accidents and injuries and might I add, death!
Those of us who grew up in America have been hearing a message of freedom that’s honestly spilled over into our Christianity if we’re honest. It’s this individualist, my way, type of life. Liberty! Freedom! My rights! As with most things, there are true and good parts of that but as we humans do we take it and run with it (sigh…LOL)
As a disciple of Jesus, I have to think of freedom God’s way or I would end up more bound than free. In the Garden we see Jesus lay out a beautiful vision of flourishing and intimacy. Adam and Eve were in fellowship with God and he instructed them that the whole garden was good for food except this ONE tree. Eve was approached by a serpent and was pretty much tricked to believe what we all still fall for today. She believed God couldn’t be trusted, his boundaries weren’t for her flourishing and he is withholding something from her. If we are honest, no matter the temptation it boils down to our trust in God.
There is a new wave of people who are “spiritual” who feel they can truly have a relationship with Jesus Christ and yet “do what they want to do”. In James 1 it tells us that we are deceiving ourselves if we only hear the word but don’t obey it. Freedom is not following our own way. True freedom, found only in Christ is the exact opposite. It’s living under his Lordship, which has boundaries but for our good and his glory. I sometimes struggle with the concept of “free will”. I’m like Lord why give me a choice haha. True love always involves "choice”.
I’d love to hear yalls thoughts on freedom and how it plays out in your sphere of influence.
Until next time
Demetrius