FREEDOM TO SERVE

          Freedom is never free.  This truth was borne out by the fifty-six signatories of our nation’s Declaration of Independence.  These men labored under the premise that they might well be signing their lives away, and indeed, many of them paid dearly.  Few, if any, of these brave men remained unscathed as a result of their bold quest for liberty.  The price of freedom is never cheap.                 

          From a Biblical perspective, Christ paid dearly so that His followers would be freed from the bondage of sin and death.  He who knew no sin became sin for us (2Cor.5:21).  In (Christ) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins (Eph.1:7).  (God) sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins (1Jn.4:10).  Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us (Gal.3:13).  Our FREEDOM IN CHRIST was inaugurated by means of the New Covenant (Heb.8:7).  This new covenant is also described by Paul as:  the new and living way (Heb.10:20);  the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb.12:22); and the church (Heb.12:23).  In pro-viding this marvelous new covenant God dealt a ”deathblow” to sin.  It was the Law (the old covenant) which strengthened sin and thereby brought the sting of death (1Cor.15:56-57).  Thus, we gladly sing of “victory in Jesus”.   The only way man could find access to the holy place (the presence of our holy God) was for God to address this problem of sin - - and such was done when the eternal

Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God (Heb.9:14).  Through Christ, the perfect Lamb, God’s holiness was satisfied (1Pet.1:19).

          From the standpoint of earthly citizenship, there is a duty or obligation that comes with freedom.  This is also especially true of Christian freedom.  As Christians, we must not turn of freedom into a license for selfish indulgence (Gal.5:13).  Rather, as servants of God we must care for others (1Pet.2:16).  James authored what could be called The New Testament Emancipation Proclamation (cf. Acts 15:23ff), yet he speaks of himself as “A BOND-SERVANT OF GOD” (Js.1:1).  Paul gives a hearty amen to this servant mindset when he writes, Though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more (1Cor.9:19).               

                                                  Terry Siverd / Cortland Church of Christ