The end of phase three in Illinois also has us thinking about our freedom to assemble and the right to say and do as we please. In many ways, we have been freed for more. But what does this really mean for us as a Christian?
Help me with this phrase::
Freedom isn’t…. Free -----someone paid a price
Again, Again and say it louder.
That's right. I want to say thank you for all those who have stood for freedom in our military and for every essential worker who has been on the front lines willing to stand in the gap so the rest of us can remain free. : Great idea
“The best freedom is being yourself.” Jim Morrison
“Freedom lies in being bold.” Robert Frost
“Better to die fighting for freedom then be a prisoner all the days of your life.” Bob Marley
“Freedom and life are earned by those alone who conquer them each day anew.” Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
In our culture, the definition of Freedom is expressed as:
Freedom is having the ability to act or change without constraint. Something is "free" if it can change easily and is not constrained in its present state.
The current definition from Mr Google has it as: the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. In this case, it might be connected to the word privilege.
However, this definition confuses the original understanding. The Webster’s 1828 dictionary gives us the original definition: Freedom is a state of exemption from the power and control of another. That is, Freedom offers independence. YES
A few years back, I was talking to a group of kids about the freedom we possess in Christ. And as I explained the benefits of believing in Christ, a young person asked, “If all I have to do is believe and all my sins are and will be forgiven, does that mean I’m free to do whatever I want? Afterall, if Jesus forgives all, then why not really enjoy life and live for the moment. Why even listen to you or my parents or the stupid ‘this is your brain on drugs commercials?’ Let’s admit it. He had a point. It’s logical.
However, it's a misunderstanding of the meaning of freedom as privilege versus Independence. The young man was in good company. Paul addressed a similar question in his treatise to the Christians in Rome. Probably his greatest theological work. Let’s take a look at what the man who wrote some 25% of the New Testament says.
If you have a bible, let’s turn to the book of Romans Chapter six verse one.
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
The question was /is: If God loves sinners, why can’t we keep sinning?
It’s also a question that has been connected to a term called “Cheap Grace.” The term “cheap grace” can be traced back to a book written by German theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, called The Cost of Discipleship, published in 1937. In that book, Bonhoeffer defined “cheap grace” as “the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline. Communion without confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ.” Notice what is emphasized in Bonhoeffer’s definition of cheap grace and what is de-emphasized. The emphasis is on the benefits of Christianity without the costs involved; hence, the adjective cheap to describe it.
IL. Credit cards in college.
Cheap grace seeks to hide the cost of discipleship from people. It seeks to claim that as long as we make a profession of faith, we are saved. God’s grace covers all our sins. Again, that is a wonderful truth! The apostle Paul says as much when he writes, “Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:20-21).
Yet, right after writing that, Paul follows it with this: “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2). Salvation by grace alone through faith alone is so much more than simply mouthing the words “Jesus is Lord.” We are not saved by a profession of faith. We are not saved by praying the Sinner’s Prayer. We are not saved by signing a card or walking an aisle. We are saved by a living and active faith (James 2:14-26), a faith that manifests itself in repentance, obedience and love of God and our neighbor. Salvation is not a transaction; it’s a transformation. Paul says it best when he says we are “new creations” in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). There is nothing “cheap” about grace!
So how do we not lessen what God has done for us through the sacrifice of Jesus?
The answer is fourfold:
We don't lessen what God has done for us through the sacrifice of Jesus by remembering if we died to sin, we should accept the power given to us. (Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:9; 1 John 3:6-9)
All of today’s scriptures we points to this idea. It’s extremely clear in the verses 12-14 that because of your relationship with Jesus you have the power of choice. It began when you became aware of your defiance of God falsely believing you, like Adam and Eve, know what is best for you and the world around you. It was only after you admittance and request for forgiveness for your actions which were an affront to God, did the power of Christ fall upon you. From that moment to now, you have a choice over evil.
As a practical example, I have seen many recovery people not believe what they were doing was hurting anyone. They didn’t see the pain in their parents eyes. The fear of their spouse and children. The regret their employer felt. The shame their family members felt. It wasn’t until the pain of making decisions under the influence of the world were they able to gain an understanding of a God who could give them the power to conquer their demon.
We don't lessen what God has done for us through the sacrifice of Jesus by staying “united” with Christ through “remaining” in him. (Romans 6:2)
This is the age old question of anyone who is dealing with sin: habitual or otherwise. How do I stay connected? I remember having this discussion with a friend over coffee. They were lamenting how God seemed so far away. I sat and listened and then asked some questions about the disciplines of the faith: Were they reading their bible? Were they sitting quietly with the Lord? Were they serving where they didn’t get anything in return? Were they writing a list of God’s movement in their life? I asked about the rest of their “RPMS” - Relationships, Physical, Mental and Spiritual. All sounded good and then I asked the question which caused a pause - Was there any habitual sin? It was evident by the expression on their face the verbal “2x4” of the Holy Spirit had landed. It would take a little time but confession and repentance came and so did relief.
We don't lessen what God has done for us through the sacrifice of Jesus by trying to continue living our old life. When we come to Christ. When you made the commitment to turn your will and life over to Jesus, the old life was put to death, so we could live a new life (Ephesians 4:22)
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
Let’s be honest with each other, we wouldn’t have lived a life of sin if it wasn’t somewhat satisfying. We lived for ourselves, our desires and our feelings. However, when we made the decision to turn our will and lives over to Jesus, we were trading the lesser for the greater. However, many try to hang on to some of the lesser because they don’t want to let them go. Sometimes because they want both the old and the new. However, this never works. The real promise of connection only comes when we allow the Holy Spirit to show us how these areas are holding us back and challenge us to let them die. We do this by choosing to not actively participate and pray we remain free of temptation until we are ready to claim victory over them.
We were forgiven and freed to live for more. (Romans 6:14)
Verse 14 says it so well: For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
I was reading an article lately about the difference between forgiveness from God through Jesus and forgiving oneself. The entire article brought up thoughts of Christians who continue to ruminate or stay in the guilt, shame or remorse of thoughts and actions from before and after coming to Christ. Maybe you know someone who has a single tune they play about an error they made in life or a wrong someone has done to them. Do you know anyone who has one well beaten story of pain and suffering?
We all have these people in our lives. They see the grace of Christ. They admit the grace of Christ. They just can’t accept it for themselves. They are stuck in the land between lost and found. They see the road and are too comfortable in Misery town to leave.
To all those who feel this way, I’d like to explain the truth in a very simplistic way. Andrew Farley in his book, The Naked Gospel shares it perfectly:
“Just as every child knows the meaning of “all gone” at the end of a meal. God has simply and emphatically proclaiming to His children:
Your relationship to the Law of old is now all gone.
Your old self is now all gone.
Your sins are now all gone.
All obstacles preventing you from getting close to Him are now all gone.”
It's amazing how simple and straightforward the naked gospel really is. In fact, most of my exposure to the New has involved more unlearning than learning. Once we remove the clutter from our theological closet, the Gospel shines brightly again.” p.216-219
The good news is simply: His GRACE is enough to remake the past, present and future for His glory.
We are freed for more love and connection in a world in need of His grace. Hence the reason you are sent from this place today to be missionaries to places you live, work and play.
