Freedom has many meanings and what freedom is can vary depending on the person and their circumstances. If we played the association game where someone says a word, in this case, freedom, and you then respond as quickly as you can with the first thing to mind, you probably would say human rights, America, getting to do what you want, and so on. However, there is one type of freedom that is not subjective to the person, or the circumstance, but a true meaning of the word freedom. That is the freedom in Christ.
What it means to be free in Christ
Being Free in Christ means that we are no longer bound by sin and death by receiving salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Through Grace and Mercy God sent his only son to die on the cross for us, to bear our sins. In 3 days' time, Christ overcame death and rose again so that we may be forgiven of our sins and have eternal life through faith. Thank you, Jesus!
What Should we do with this freedom?
With this freedom in Christ, everyone then has the choice to live a life that is pleasing to God. This is a lifelong journey we will go through. In love, God will reproof us, so that we can be more like Him. As we grow in our faith God will reveal to us our sins, which we then should repent for and turn from. Galatians 5:1 then encourages us not to go back to our sinful ways: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." This can again be seen in 1 Peter 2:16 "Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God."
How to live a life that's pleasing to God...
- Give your life to Christ - In John 14:6, Jesus says, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Jesus is the only way to come to God and have a relationship with Him. By putting our faith in Jesus, we acknowledge that He is our Lord and Savior, and we trust in Him for our salvation. This pleases God because it shows that we have faith in His plan for our lives and trust in His provision for us through Jesus Christ. Additionally, when we put our faith in Jesus, we are transformed by the Holy Spirit and begin to live a life that is pleasing to God, as we are guided by His Spirit and empowered to live according to His will.
- If you have not given your life to Christ yet, and are wondering if you should, or wondering how you can, please read this post for more information.
- Obey God's Commandments - 1 John 5:3, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome." When we live according to God's word, then we are living in harmony with God's will for us by doing what he has requested of us. He asks these things because He is holy and righteous and His commandments reflect this. They also protect us from others and from ourselves. Obeying His commandments is a way for us to show our love to God.
- Love Others as yourself - This falls in line with keeping God's commandments as Matthew 22:39 says, "and the second {commandment} is like it: ' you shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" However, this particular commandment is important because it is mentioned as our second greatest commandment, under Loving God with all of our hearts, and when paired with 1 Peter 4:8, "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins," the importance of loving one another can really be understood. By loving we can prevent a sinful life, which is obedient to God and is pleasing to Him.
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