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Freedom In Christ
By Brian | May 26, 2008
lot of us, especially here in the states, consider ourselves free, and yet we don’t feel that freedom. We feel locked into our jobs. Often times, though not often admitted to, we feel as slaves to our marriages, spouses, and families. It’s an unfortunate but very apparent facet of the free will that the Lord gives us. We can feel whatever we want to (and often times what we don’t want to!)
When things get bad enough many actually drop those things they feel have taken their freedom away. Goodbye old job, goodbye old spouse, goodbye kids. I’m moving on to “freedom.” But does moving on really change anything? Nope. Before long we’re back in that same old work-drudgery, the same old home life. The players might have changed but the feelings remain. Why is that? Well, we’re finding our “freedom” in the wrong place.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. - Galatians 3:28 (KJV)
We forget in our minds that not long ago (and even now in some parts of the world) there was real slavery. Certainly, when Christ walked the earth, slavery abounded. So much in fact that in many, many verses the followers of Christ, Christians, are referred to as His bond servants - His slaves. And that is the truth, isn’t it? With Christianity comes some responsibility, doesn’t it? To do the Master’s will, as any slave would do.
Nowhere in the old or new testaments is slavery outlawed. Rules are established, of course, regarding how slaves should be treated. Rules applied to circumcision[a] and the Sabbath[b] as well. Rules were even in place to establish when a slave should be freed - and whether or not he was entitled to take his wife and children with him[c].
So we, in the most free country in the world, complain about our “lack of freedom.” Men and women leave their jobs, their homes, their spouse and children for a transitory and fleeting taste of freedom. Then, we do it again, and again, and again. Why? There is only one place to find freedom[d]. The slaves of old knew it. The slaves of Rome did too[e]. Freedom isn’t a thing we can touch - it’s something we can never have or hold in our hands. No matter what the circumstance we are slaves to someone or something, but when we are slaves to Christ, nothing else matters[f]. The daily drugery of life becomes rewarding. Slaving for those around us becomes a joy. All because it is Him that matters, not our life, our circumstance, our “lot in life.” Just Him.
Footnotes:
a) Genesis 17:13
b) Exodus 20:10
c) Exodus 21:1-4
d) John 8:36
e) Galatians 3:28
f) Colossians 3:24
Topics: Galatians |