on Freedom

I will admit, I've gotten to the point in this blog where I'm not 100% certain what I've covered in the past, and what still needs to be covered. So, if I covered freedom awhile back, please give this fellow a little bit of grace and love. I will say that this issue is really important, and I think freedom is something that we as the body of Christ need to understand and get correct. Here's what I got for a Christian perspective on freedom.

1) The Bible is concerned with freedom. Now, let me say this it is not the Bible's first priority. I would say that freedom is not the Bible's number one concern, but it is a very important concern for Christians. Let me be perfectly clear here, total freedom is never the goal for anyone at any time. Because our world is a sinful place that is in need of desperate redemption. But, the goal however, is freedom to do good, to choose to say no to sin, to run to Christ, etc. Paul reminds us in Galatians 5:1, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Now, what Christ has done has freed humanity from the worst oppressor of all: sin. So, what Christ accomplished is that sin in your life no longer has the final word, you are free to walk away from sin, to begin caring about things and people other than yourself. You are not call to be free to such an extent that you are out of control or you are living however you want. You are called to be free from sin and the oppressive hold it can have on many people. The freedom we are discussing here is spiritual and to some extent physical freedom.

My advice: embrace the freedom. Let people know the change that has taken place in your life, live differently, speak more kindly, look for ways to give more, and pray for people that you normally wouldn't even consider praying for.

2) Oppression is never the answer, we must work hard for others to experience the freedom we have experienced. Freedom is something that is meant for all people to enjoy. The sad reality is many people don't know or aren't able to experience physical freedom like the rest of us. Let us take heart and commit to being people of change in our society as we desire to give so that others may be lifted up. Let's educate ourselves on the oppression of hunger, slavery, ignorance, and disease. Let's look for groups that support these causes, and let's be in prayer for those groups in their mission. Let's keep our ears and eyes open for ways we can be supportive and encouraging each other. Above let's never lose sight of the reality that we do all of this because Jesus loves us and we want to show His love to others.