Freedom FROM sin … not TO sin

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36

It’s 4^th of July weekend as I write this. Signs of a grateful nation are in abundance. We certainly celebrate being free and honoring those who sacrifice for us to have our freedom.

Political freedom can be taken for granted by those of us who have lived in its blessings all our lives. But to someone coming from life under a tyrannical dictator, it is something that can never be taken casually. Yet sadly, the very independence we celebrate can be used to our own demise and destruction.

After the iron curtain came down in 1991 the people of Eastern Europe celebrated their newfound release. However, some of the first “freedoms” to be exercised in these formerly communist countries were indulgence in pornography, prostitution, drug abuse and organized crime. Hardly the freedom they really longed for.

A freedom that give choices offer unlimited opportunities to make wrong choices. Some today have used that ‘elbowroom’ to enslave themselves to all kinds of destructive behavior and life styles. We sometimes need freedom from the freedom we’ve been given!

And that’s precisely what John 8:36 is all about. The freedoms that Christ brings are not given to make us happy. They’re to make us good. They’re not designed to feed our ego or build our bank account, but to give us the wisdom to make good choices and the power to carry them out. No one wants freedom at the expense of living life poorly.

The freedom Jesus offers frees us from having to impress … to build ourselves up at the expense of others. His freedom frees us from the bondage of performance-based living, because what He offers can’t be worked for or attained through hard work. The mercy and grace of God are a huge part of the freedom he offers.

Notice the Apostle Paul’s words about freedom being used wrongly.  ^“Everything is permissible for me, but not all things are beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything [and brought under its power, allowing it to control me].” I Corinthians 6:12 Amplified Bible

 God give us the choice between doing anything we want or living a life of obedience to Him and fulfilling our eternal destiny. We can be truly free under his direction or become slaves to our base instincts and throw away the potential of a Godly life.

This week thank God for the spiritual freedom that makes you free ‘indeed.’