Freedom in Christ is free for us, but it comes at a high cost to our Savior, Jesus. Freedom is often equated with personal independence, which is the ability to make our own decisions and follow our plans in life. In many ways living out this type of freedom is selfishness in disguise. The world calls this freedom, but this is not the freedom the Bible talks about.
Many people with faith in Jesus acknowledge He has set them free, but they are not experiencing freedom. When Jesus revealed himself in the synagogue, His first words were about freedom. Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to ring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see and that the oppressed will be set free. [1]When we receive the good news of Jesus and place our faith in Him, and He begins to transform us, we find freedom.
Jesus Hung on a Tree to Set Us Free
As Paul wrote to the church in Galatia, he told them about their freedom in Christ but warned them of enemy tactics to steal their freedom. Galatians 5:1So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. [2] We are free from the bondage of the law through our Lord Jesus.
The Lord freed us from the law’s curse when He was hung on the cross. He took the curse of all our wrongdoing upon Himself. (Galatians 3:13). He has set us free and liberated us from the clutches of sin. As believers, we can stand firm in our freedom in Christ. The Lord desires that we not look at the world around us and become entangled again by the yoke of sin that once enslaved us.
How Do We Find Real Freedom?
Jesus tells us that we all are under the power and control of our nature to sin, and we can’t free ourselves on our own. Romans 6:23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. [3] How do we find freedom from sin and death? This only comes by placing our faith in Jesus as our Savior. As we submit our will to the Lord’s will, sin loses its power over us. As we take up the cross and follow Jesus, our sinful thoughts and desires have less control over us.
The Lord calls us to fill our minds with good things, which helps us develop good thoughts and habits. Jesus is the only one who can give us true freedom. He died for our sins; receiving his forgiveness is like escaping prison. Jesus sets us free so we can receive God’s blessings. Take a step of faith today and allow the Lord to help you to mature into the person He wants you to be.
To learn more about freedom in Christ, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/live-by-the-spirit
[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.