We all like the feeling of freedom, don’t we?
We want freedom as we live in our country and freedom to make choices in our daily lives. This desire ignites with a toddler wanting freedom to get his own way and fans into flame as a youth tests his parents’ limits and continues to burn as an adult makes life-altering decisions.
In this world of God’s, the desire for freedom begins with our inherent need for God, which is attached to our freedom from the bondage of sin.
With an eternal perspective, ultimate freedom comes through faith in Christ by the work of the Holy Spirit. On our own we can never be good enough to enter God’s presence, but Jesus paid for our sin, conquering death and offering us freedom from sin’s penalty (Romans 8:2). This foundational freedom is monumental – so much so that it should shape our daily perspective.
It’s both comforting and invigorating when we know our boundaries and are able to thrive within them.
As a child who plays freely in a fenced yard, God’s child can enjoy a masterfully created world within the boundaries the Maker has set. As a person who lives to the fullest when he is free to use his abilities, a believer can live freely within God’s design and by his transforming power.
What joy God affords us when we accept his love, his truth, and his guidance!
When we trust that God knows what is best for us, we will want to surrender our ways to his ways. And with the freedom we have in Christ, the Spirit helps us to do that. We are now:
- free to choose thoughts and actions that honor God (1 Peter 2:16)
- free to approach God in prayer, confident he hears us (Eph. 3:12)
- free to forgive others because we are forgiven in Christ (Luke 17:4)
- free to live using the gifts and abilities God gives us (Eph. 2:10)
- free to love and serve others (Gal. 5:13).
We are not bound to sin – not constrained to be self-serving. As God fills our hearts to overflowing with his love, we can freely give it away in all the ways he calls us to love (John 15:12). As God fills our minds with the knowledge of his truths, we can freely offer him the sacrifice of praise that comes from a life that is holy and pleasing to him (Romans 12:2).
We don’t always choose to live in the freedom Christ offers, do we? In our struggle with sin, we can ask the Holy Spirit to open our eyes so we can repent and then be empowered to choose God’s ways.
By keeping our eyes on Jesus – the author of our faith, the perfector of our faith, and the perfect example for our faith – we can remember that our freedom came at the great price he paid.
On your own, in your family, or with a small group, the Heart Training books will help you keep your eyes on Jesus!