What Is Freedom in Christ?

What is freedom? The common answer is, the ability to do whatever we want. The problem with that is, we do not always want the right things. The things God commands are what is good (Romans 7:12-14; Psalms 19:7-10; 119:33-40). But we are sinners who do not do what is right (Romans 3:23; Jeremiah 17:9; Isaiah 64:6). And sin, by its very nature, is enslaving (Romans 6:16-18; John 8:34; Hebrews 2:14,15). It looks good in the beginning. But in the end, it is a chain which binds us.

This is obvious in the case of certain sins, such as alcoholism, drug abuse, pornography, and gambling. But it is also true of other sins. Take, for example, anger or greed. They start out as minor, and we think we are in control of them, but gradually they come to control us. That is why one thing God has to set us free from is ourselves. And that requires giving up our selfish desires for His (Matthew 16:24-26; Romans 12:1,2; 6:12-16). Also, God wants us to dwell in community (Romans 12:4,5; 1 Corinthians 12:12,13; Hebrews 10:24,25). And that requires us to be willing to put others before ourselves (Philippians 2:3,4; Galatians 5:13,14; Romans 13:8-10). In this sense, spiritual liberty is like political liberty. It is only possible if we take responsibility for our behavior and are willing to voluntarily limit our actions to make it work. It simply is not possible to create a world where we can heedlessly follow our own selfish desires.

But the solution is not for us to decide to obey the rules. For we are still sinners and cannot do that which is right on our own (Romans 8:8; 7:18; John 15:5). Also, we face the penalty for our past sins (Galatians 3:10-12; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:11-15). This then leads to a new sort of bondage (Galatians 5:1; Matthew 23:4; Romans 7:4-6). But Christ paid the whole price for our sin (1 Peter 2:24,25; Colossians 2:13,14; 2 Corinthians 5:21) and offers salvation based on faith in Him (Galatians 2:15,16; Ephesians 2:8,9; Romans 4;4,5). This results in our being set free from both types of bondage (Galatians 4:4-7; Romans 8:15-17; John 8:35-36). We therefore serve God, not in order to earn something from Him, but out of love for a salvation already obtained (1 John 4:19; 2 Corinthians 5:14,15; Titus 2:11-14). And we do it in the power He supplies (2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Peter 1:3; Colossians 1:29). That does not mean it will always be easy. Growth in Christ is a process that happens through time and effort (Philippians 3:12-16; 1 Timothy 4:7,8; Hebrews 12:1,2). But it is done with a new attitude, not of slavery, but of freedom in Christ. And this is rooted in the confidence that we belong to Christ and that He will finish what He has begun (Romans 8:29,30; Philippians 1:6; 1 John 5:11-13).  

A Touch of Humor - Scary Thought

Is the greatness of God scary? How should we see it?

Old Erich Proverb

God often uses the serendipitous to accomplish His purposes in the world.

A Voice from the Past - Luther

It must be carefully noted that Paul calls only those righteous who are justified without the Law, through the promise or through faith in the promise. Keeping the Law, therefore, is something fictitious or a fictitious term, which means nothing apart from faith. Those who rely on works of the Law and want to give the appearance of keeping the Law do not keep it; for he draws the universal conclusion that all who rely on works of the Law are under a curse, under which they would not be if they kept the Law. It is indeed true that he who does these things shall live by them, that is, shall be blessed. But where is this man? Nowhere.

Martin Luther, 1483-1546, Lectures on Galatians - 1535, 3:12, (translated and edited by Jaroslav Pelikan, Luther's Works, Concordia Publishing House, 1963, Vol. 26, p. 274)

What are the implications of the fact that we cannot fully keep the Law? Does that mean we should not  try?

Sinners Saved by Grace

One of the great problems with following God is that we can start believing we somehow deserve it. We can start to think that whatever we were before, we are now a good person and deserve God’s commendation. And we can start to look down on those do not meet up with our standards of behavior. The result can be that, rather than showing consideration for others as we are commanded (Titus 3:1,2; Colossians 4:5,6; Romans 12:14-21), we can become self-righteous and despise those who we regard as morally inferior (Matthew 9:10-13; Luke 7:36-50; 19:7-10). When this happens we need to revisit our salvation and remember how it came about.

We need to start out by remembering that we were ourselves sinners who needed to be redeemed (Titus 3:3; Ephesians 2:1-3; Romans 3:23).  Nor where we able to do anything to earn salvation (Titus 3:4,5; Galatians 2:21; Romans 3:19,20). We obtained it based on faith in Christ (Romans 4:4,5; Ephesians 2:8,9; Philippians 3:9). Because He paid the price for our sins (1 Peter 2:24,25; Colossians 2:13,14; 2 Corinthians 5:21), we can be declared just before God based on what He has done (Titus 3:7; Romans 3:24-31; 8:33,34). As a result of this, we became heirs of God who will obtain eternal life (Romans 8:14-17; John 3:16; 1 John 5:11-13). Further, it is the Holy Spirit who works in us to cause us to respond to this salvation. He works in us to bring us to faith (Acts 15:14; John 6:44; 1:12,13). It is also the Holy Spirit who works in us after we come to Christ to change us (2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 5:16; Colossians 1:29). Therefore, we have nothing to boast in, as being from ourselves, for everything we have comes from God.

Now if we realize that we are God’s children because of grace and anyone else can become God’s child based on grace, we will not end up looking down on them.  And we will be able to treat them with love and consideration. Now this is not always easy. We need to love them without approving of what they do. But the first step is to realize that we are not better than they are, that we are sinners who are saved by the grace of God. We then have at least some possibility of putting things in perspective. For there is nothing so destructive as the attitude of self-righteousness. It alienates us from other people and makes it difficult to reach them with God’s truth. And reaching people, even those who are currently in clear rebellion against God’s standards, is what we are called to do.

Christian Footware

We are to have our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15). This can be taken two different ways. It can mean that the gospel is the basic truth on which we stand or that we should be prepared to go and share the gospel with others. I would see these as going together. They involve being prepared by knowing and understanding the gospel. And while the belt of truth in general holds the armor on, it is the gospel on which we stand. This is the truth of the coming of Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-11; Galatians 3:7-14; 2 Timothy 1:8-11). This gospel is the basis of the Christian faith, from which we are not to turn away (Galatians 1:8,9; Romans 1:16,17; Colossians 1:21-23). It is also the message that we proclaim (1 Thessalonians 2:4; 1 Corinthians 1:17; 1 Peter 3:15). This gospel is not some new moral system but the fact that God became man to accomplish our salvation (2 Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 2:13-15; 1 Peter 2:24,25). This is what we need to base our lives on, and this is what we should proclaim. And in doing so, we stand against demonic powers. By trusting in God's grace rather than our good works. And by proclaiming the message that frees others from Satan's power. Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. But in either case, we should be prepared by having our feet firmly planted on the gospel that brings peace. Peace with God (Romans 5:1; 14:17; John 14:27) and peace with others (Ephesians 2:14; 4:1-3; James 3:17,18).

The Double Standard

The whole issue of male and female relationships is a powder keg in our culture today. But behind it there is a more basic issue. Before we can decide what is the right behavior for men and women, we need to ask what is the appropriate behavior for human beings in general. Now Scripture say s that the proper basis of behavior is love toward God and others (Matthew 22:36-40; Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:13,14). This involves a willingness to put the welfare of others before our own (Matthew 7:12; Philippians 2:1-4; Romans 15:1,2). This is rooted in the example of Christ Himself, who came to pay the price for our sins (Philippians 2:5-11; Romans 15:3; Ephesians 5:1,2). But this is not the world’s approach.

Our culture has the ideal that we should assert ourselves, stand up for ourselves, be our own person, look out for number one, be willing to step on a few heads on the way up to top. Now there was a time in our culture, when we were in transition from the Biblical view to the modern view, where it was considered acceptable for men to embrace the modern view but women were still supposed to be kind and self-sacrificing and concerned for the welfare of others. This played itself out in the sexual area, where a man who seduced many women was considered a great lover, but a woman who was sexually involved outside of marriage was considered a fallen woman. This was vilified as a double standard. It was. But there are two ways to correct a double standard. Rather than allowing women to be just as debauched as men, we should have recalled men to responsibility and putting others first. But our culture took a different turn. And it is here that Christians must part with our culture.

The Biblical ideal for the relationship of husbands and wives is based on this idea of mutual self-sacrifice (Ephesians 5:22-33; Colossians 3:18,19; 1 Peter 3:1-7). The picture here is the relationship of Christ and the church. The husband is commanded to take the sacrificial role of being willing to give himself for his wife like Christ gave Himself for the church. This is in accordance with the fundamental Christian principle that leadership is service (Matthew 20:25-28; Luke 22:24-27; 14:7-11). Now there are cases where one partner or the other is not living up to what is required of them and the other must do what they can to obey under those circumstances. But be that as it may, it is important to realize, going in, that the ideal is consideration for others rather than self-assertion. For we serve a God who was willing to put aside His dignity and step down from His throne and endure the suffering of the cross to save us from sin (John 1:1-18; Romans 5:6-8; Hebrews 2:9-18). We need to be willing to follow that example in marriage and in every other aspect of life.