You Are Free! Series

ANYONE WHO HAS EVER PLAYED THE GAME “MONOPOLY” KNOWS THAT, BESIDES OWNING “BOARDWALK” AND “PARK PLACE,” THE MOST COVETED MOVE IS TO LAND ON THE BLUE TREASURE CHEST CALLED “COMMUNITY CHEST” AND DRAW THE CARD THAT READS: “GET OUT OF JAIL FREE!”

IT IS ONE THING TO BE SET FREE, BUT TO HAVE LIBERTY AT NO CHARGE IS LIFE-CHANGING. JESUS GIVES LIFE TO WORDS SUCH AS “FREE!” “PROPITIATION!” “ATONEMENT.” ANYONE WHO ENCOUNTERS JESUS CHRIST AND EMBRACES HIS SACRIFICAL REDEMPTION KNOWS OF SUCH LIFE-CHANGING WORDS OF FREEDOM. JOHN 8:36, “SO IF THE SON SETS YOU FREE, YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED.”

KNOWING THESE TRUTHS HELPS US UNDERSTAND THE TRAGEDY IN 2 PETER 2:20-22, “AND WHEN PEOPLE ESCAPE FROM THE WICKEDNESS OF THE WORLD BY KNOWING OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST AND THEN GET TANGLED UP AND ENSLAVED BY SIN AGAIN, THEY ARE WORSE OFF THAN BEFORE. IT WOULD BE BETTER IF THEY HAD NEVER KNOWN THE WAY TO RIGHTEOUSNESS THAN TO KNOW IT AND THEN REJECT THE COMMAND THEY WERE GIVEN TO LIVE A HOLY LIFE. THEY PROVE THE TRUTH OF THIS PROVERB: “A DOG RETURNS TO ITS VOMIT.”AND ANOTHER SAYS, “A WASHED PIG RETURNS TO THE MUD.”

SALVATION IN JESUS CHRIST IS NOT FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF “GOINGTO HEAVEN.” WHEN WE SURRENDER TO JESUS, WE DIE TO SELF! WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO FOLLOWING JESUS BY RADICALLY AND OBEDIENTLY LIVING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS.

WHEN WE SEEK RIGHTEOUSNESS, WE COME ALIVE INTO A NEW LIFE OF ALLEGIANCE TO JESUS WHERE, THROUGH THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE GROW CAPABLE OF LIVING OUR FAITH, LOVING UNCONDITIONALLY, AND BECOMING TRANSFORMED INTO A NEW CREATION THAT REFLECTS GODLINESS AND HOLINESS.

NOTHING IS MORE TRAGIC WHEN A CHRISTIAN KNOWS TO LIVE THIS WAY AND EITHER DOESN’T SEE THE NECESSITY OR ALLOWS THE WORLD TO ENTICE THEM BACK INTO A CONTRADICTORY LIFE OF WAYWARDNESS, SIN, AND SELFISHNESS. I HEARD IT SAID THAT “AS CHRISTIANS, WE CAN’T MAKE A DIFFENCE IF WE AREN’T DIFFERENT!”

YOU CANNOT BE BOTH “CHRISTIAN” AND “WORLDLY.” THE TWO ARE INCOMPATIBLE TOGETHER. 2 CORINTHIANS 6:14-17 (GNT), “DO NOT TRY TO WORK TOGETHER AS EQUALS WITH UNBELIEVERS, FOR IT CANNOT BE DONE. HOW CAN RIGHT AND WRONG BE PARTNERS? HOW CAN LIGHT AND DARKNESS LIVE TOGETHER? HOW CAN CHRIST AND THE DEVIL AGREE? WHAT DOES A BELIEVER HAVE IN COMMON WITH AN UNBELIEVER? HOW CAN GOD'S TEMPLE COME TO TERMS WITH PAGAN IDOLS? FOR WE ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD! AS GOD HIMSELF HAS SAID, “I WILL MAKE MY HOME WITH MY PEOPLE AND LIVE AMONG THEM; I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.” AND SO THE LORD SAYS, “YOU MUST LEAVE THEM AND SEPARATE YOURSELVES FROM THEM.HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT IS UNCLEAN, AND I WILL ACCEPT YOU.”

PAUL, IN OUR SCRIPTURE TODAY, IS TELLING US WE ARE NOW UNITED WITH CHRIST BECAUSE WE HAVE PUT OUR FAITH IN HIM. HE DIED AND WAS RESURRECTED, AND WE WHO BELIEVE IN HIM HAVE DIED TO SIN AND HAVE BEEN SPIRITUALLY RESURRECTED WITH A NEW POWER TO LIVE WITHOUT SERVING OUR SINFUL NATURE. WE ARE FREED FROM BONDAGE TO SIN AND EMPOWERED TO BE COMMITTED TO RIGHTEIOUSNESS IN ORDER TO FOLLOW GOD.

PAUL IS STRAIGHTFORWARD WITH HIS LESSONS FOR US! FIRST, WE ARE DEAD TO SIN AND ALIVE TO CHRIST WHICH MEANS WE HAVE A NEW DIRECTION IN OUR WAYS OF THINKING AND HOW WE REASON.

SECONDLY, WE OFFER OURSELVES TO GOD AND NOT TO SIN!THIS MEANS WE DIE TO SELF BECAUSE WE HAVE A CHANGE IN WILL. WE DESIRE TO PLEASE GOD; NOT OURSELVES.

THIRD AND FINAL, WE ARE SLAVES TO RIGHTEOUSNESS BECAUSE WE NO LONGER EASILY GIVE IN TO SATISFYING OUR SIN NATURE, BUT WORKING TO PLEASE GOD. A SLAVE TO RIGHTEOUSNESS HAS A CHANGE IN CONDUCT BECAUSE THEY NOT ONLY HAVE FAITH, BUT ALSO LIVE OUT THAT FAITH.

PAUL SAYS IF WE HAVE SURRENDERED TO CHRIST, THEN OUR LIVES WILL PROVE THAT THROUGH CHANGE IN THINKING, LIVING AND HOW WE CONDUCT OURSELVES. 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 (TLB), “WHEN SOMEONE BECOMES A CHRISTIAN, THEY BECOMES A BRAND NEW PERSON INSIDE. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME ANYMORE. A NEW LIFE HAS BEGUN!

THE FREEDOM PAUL SPEAK ABOUT IS NOT ONE OF ENTITLEMENT WHERE WE ARE FREE TO LIVE HOWEVER WE PLEASE. WE ABUSE GOD’S GRACE WHEN WE DON’T TRY VERY HARD AND LIVE SLOPPY AND MESSY LIVES SIMPLY BECAUSE WE ASSUME WE CAN JUST ASK GOD TO FORGIVE US. GRACE WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE OUR BACK-UP PLAN.

ROMANS 8:12-13, “THEREFORE, DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, YOU HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO DO WHAT YOUR SINFUL NATURE URGES YOU TO DO. FOR IF YOU LIVE ACCORDING TO THE FLESH, YOU WILL DIE; BUT IF BY THE SPIRIT YOU PUT TO DEATH THE MISDEEDS OF THE BODY, YOU WILL LIVE.” THERE ARE STANDARDS. JESUS GAVE US COMMANDS AND INSTRUCTIONS. WE CONFORM TO THEM AND NOT THE WORLD.