Freedom 

   “For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit to the yoke of slavery.” (Gal 5: 1) 

   In our mixed up world freedom has come to mean the ability to do anything we want at anytime we want regardless the consequences to our spiritual life.

   The freedom Christ gave us was not the freedom to sin, but freedom from sin.  Before He came the doors to heaven were closed by sin, we had no way to find the eternal life with God that we were created to enjoy.  When God expelled Adam and Eve from the garden of Eden, stationing the cherubim and the fiery revolving sword east of the garden, all mankind suffered the loss (Genesis 3: 24).  We no longer had the freedom to choose God but were slaves to sin.

   Jesus came as a new Adam, to offer redemption and free us of our slavery to sin.  Where Adam rejected the will of God, Jesus lived His life entirely according to God’s will.  When Christ suffered His passion and death, he paid the price for Adam’s sin as well as for all sin for evermore.  The gates to heaven were reopened for those who would repent of their sins and choose God over slavery to sin.

   This is the freedom that we are to choose, not a freedom directed toward worldly desires and pleasures, but freedom to choose the joy of heaven. 

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” (Romans 6: 23) 

Lord, You gave us freedom from sin.

The freedom to seek eternal life with You.

Do not let me return to the slavery of sin.

Let me always seek Your will. 

Amen