"Coercion merely captures man. Freedom captivates him" (R.Reagan).Is there liberty in Christ? I believe there is although it seems at times to be so clouded over and hidden from us. So many people seem to trade one form of slavery for another, choosing between the shackles of Christian religion gone amuck and the charms and vices of the kind of selfish living the world espouses. If those are our only choices, I wonder which one those who long to be free would choose? Neither sounds appealing.
In Christ, does free mean free? If it doesn't, then let's call it by another name. Free sounds like free. Not a little free. Not sort-of free. All free or not all free. Which is it?
Are we free to throw off the yoke of the oppressor? Are we free to reject religious bondage, even if masked as Christ? Are we free to leave those who would enslave us, coerce us, control us, or shame us in Christ's name? Yes. Yes. And yes.
When I think of Christ, I think of freedom. When I think of freedom, I think of Christ. Freedom is inextricably linked to my experience of life and faith in Christ. Where his spirit is, freedom is. Inseparable.
If free is free, I am free from the fear of death and free from the fears of life. I am free from self-imposed curses and shackles of my own making. I am free from those who would enslave and free from heartless religion that can entomb the living dead. I am free from the past, and I am free in the future. I am free from the inside to the outside, free from the core of me. All of me free.
If free is free, I am free to risk, hope, dream, step out, and step into. I am free to forgive. I am free to have a clear conscience. I am free to fail. I am free to be wrong without doing wrong. I am free to be weak and free to be strong. I am free to be and free not to be.
I am free to have more questions than I do answers.
This I'm sure of: our freedom at his cost bids our participation, a recognition that our freedom is not free of responsibility. Should I choose to bring condemnation, coercion, or a curse with me where I go, I am in competition with the Spirit of Christ. Love, after all, does not possess or control but gives freedom. I have been freed for the benefit of others.
When we have an awareness of our inestimable worth and his indescribable gift, we neither wish to cheapen his grace with our freedom or cheapen his grace by the limits we insist on placing on it. I think we are in love with freedom and terrified of it at the same time!
While I may wrestle with what freedom in Christ is, I am more certain of what freedom in Christ isn't. I wasn't born yesterday, so it is a hard sell to convince me that Christian freedom is manipulative, controlling, legalistic, or in anyway resembles the religious yoke Jesus broke! I am still looking for his middle way.
I am free to figure it out.
3 comments:
Amen.
Free to fail. Free to try. Free to follow. Hard, yet beautiful lessons to learn.
That would I could. I want to but I'm very much unable to. Read my lastest blog and that will give you a little insight in to what's going on right now. Not just in my thoughts but in my life.
Love you man.
-R
Mark (Hello!),
I am reminded of Ecc. 3:14--- Everything God does will endure forever: nothing can be added to it, nothing can be taken away from it. The freedom I experience in Christ allows to sometimes "make it," but too often to completely miss the mark. I have the freedom to forget who is in charge, and I do that too. I learn more and more that I have the freedom to make my own ignorant choices and to hurt because they are apart from God and in darkness ... but thank GOD I have the freedom and the grace to be knocked to my knees and to be able to look back up and say "God, can we please try again?" Not only am I granted the gift of a second, third, and millionth chance, but I'm also given a hand to help me get back up on my feet.
Thanks for sharing words of truth. Sending love your way,
Jennica
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