Freedom in Christ
I was watching an interview today on the actor Jim Caviezel who played the part of Jesus in the movie “The Passion of the Christ”. His testimony was powerful and touched my spirit. He said, “freedom is not the right to do what you like, but the right to do what you ought”.
Let’s look in the scriptures to see what it means to have freedom in Christ. Freedom in Christ means that we can live righteously. We are no longer under law but grace. But does this mean that we have a free pass to sin. No! As apostle Paul says repeatedly in the scriptures, “may it never be!” Romans 6:12-17 “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!” But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed.”
Jesus said it best in John 14:15 “if you love me, keep My commandments”. Freedom in Christ means to choose righteousness. Means you are not bound to sin anymore. There is freedom in Christ, meaning the blinders are off your eyes and the strongholds are off your ears to see and hear the truth. In 2 Corinthians 5:15 says, “He died for ALL, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf”. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come”. Galatians 5:24 says, “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with it’s passions & desires”.
Freedom in Christ, means freedom from the judgement of others. Religion and doctrine may judge you or demand a certain behavior from you in reference to the things you may or may not eat or may or may not drink to even the festivals that you choose to celebrate or the day of the week you should worship. But the bible says that no one is to judge you on these things. You can be judged within the church if you are living in sin or practicing a sin since this has to do with righteousness but not of earthly substances and customs. In Colossians 2:16 says, “therefore No one is to act as your judge in regard to “food” or “drink” or in respect to a “festival” or a “new moon”, or a “Sabbath day”. There is freedom in Christ, when you know the scriptures and when you know what God expects from us. He wants our heart and He wants our obedience. But not the obedience of man which look at your outer appearance but the obedience of God.
Freedom in Christ means not to be a slave to sin. Jesus has given us the authority over our flesh because “with God, all things are possible”. The Holy Spirit within us keeps us righteous. 1 Thessalonians 4: 7-8 “For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. So he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you”. The bible says in 1 Thessalonians 2:4 “God examines our hearts”. We are encouraged to “walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory” 1 Thessalonians 2:12.
Freedom in Christ means freedom from guilt, fear, and shame. 2 Timothy 1:7 KJV “for God has not given us the Spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind”. So when the enemy wants to whisper in your ear that you’re not good enough and fill your head with worry and shame, you can declare this scripture knowing that you were paid with a price and no one or nothing can separate you from God’s love Romans 8:17. You are loved and wanted so much that Jesus paid and shed His blood for you. You have freedom from fear, worry, depression, anxiety in the name of Jesus. The Bible says in Philippians 4:6-7 “be anxious for nothing” and “the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus”. Jesus said in John 25:27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful”. We have to start believing the word of God.
Freedom in Christ means you have a “fast access” to the ears of our Heavenly Father. Can I get an Amen? Ephesians 2:18 “for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father” Do you realize how amazing that is, to know that God the creator of the Heaven’s and the Earth is listening to you and answering your prayers according to His will. He might not say yes to our every request but you’re going to get a lot of yes’s from Him. Freedom to know that “I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me” Philippians 4:13. That as long as it’s within the will of God and righteousness, you can attain the impossible or the difficult.
If you’re wondering what being a slave to sin looks like, let me show you what the Bible says in Galatians 5: 19-21 “the deeds of the flesh: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing (riots), those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God”. Read the 10 commandment in Exodus 20 and 1 Corinthians 9: 6-11. But if we fail and sin, we repent and change and live for Jesus.
My prayer is that you find your freedom in Christ but not freedom to sin but freedom to do what is right before God. Remember you were paid with a price and are no longer a slave to sin but to righteousness.