How Would You Define ‘Freedom’?
Galatians 1:3-4 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.
Most of us, I guess, would define “freedom” as being able to do whatever we want, whenever we want. And that definition right there, is what brings a whole world of pain crashing down on our lives.
I don’t think there’s a single person on this planet, who doesn’t want to be free. Do you want to be free? Of course you do, me too. But if freedom’s that important to us, you have to ask yourself, what exactly is it?
Sure there’s political freedom. Freedom of speech. Freedom of association. The freedom to gather, to protest, to live where you want to live, to marry who you want to marry, to choose to have children or not.
In this day and age, we live in a world that’s more and more fixated on our individual freedoms; our rights as individuals.
After all, I’m entitled to enjoy my life, right?
So it doesn’t take too long to start imagining that freedom, is being able to do whatever we want, whenever we want. Anything that cuts across that, is a restriction of our inalienable right, to be ‘free’.
And yet, if you travel to any place where that kind of freedom is practiced, what you discover is lawlessness and anarchy. There’s no safety, there’s no protection, there’s no security – because that anything, anytime kind of freedom, is a terrible thing.
That’s what the rule of law is all about – to keep us safe and secure.
So, when you think about it, what we need is a different definition of freedom. One that actually works. Try this one on for size:
Galatians 1:3-4: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.
It seems that God takes our freedom so seriously, that He sent Jesus to suffer and die to set us free … from what? From our sin and from this evil age.
So according to God, real freedom, the sort of freedom that Jesus purchased for you on that Cross, is about setting you free from the devastating consequences of your sin, and the evil that pervades every nook and cranny of this age, so that you can live in grace, and in peace.
Not such a bad definition when you think about it.
So here’s a question for you: what sin, what evil is robbing you of the freedom that Jesus came to give you?
Because that sin, that evil is what God is calling you to hand over to Him today. His will is for you to be free to live the in grace and the peace of Jesus Christ.
That’s God’s Word …
Fresh … for you … today.
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