"CHRISTIAN FREEDOM!"

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).

“For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman” (I Cor. 7:22).

“The terms freedom and liberty are often used interchangeably. Freedom is usually obtained “for” or “from” something and indicates an absence of external restraint. Liberty has a strong individual flavor and is a condition of the mind rather than the body. Thus Lord Byron could properly speak of the prisoner Chillon as having liberty while chained in a dungeon. It has been said that liberty exists in proportion to wholesome restraint. This element of self-control has spiritual and ethical overtones and is found in the words of the Apostle Paul, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (II Cor. 3:17). Thus, liberty might be said to be something more elevated than the condition of mundane freedom.”

(James DeForest Murch – Adapted.)

When Jesus commenced His preaching ministry He said that He came, under the anointing of the Spirit of the Lord, “to preach deliverance to the captives… to set at liberty those who are oppressed!” (Luke 4:18). He came to proclaim freedom to all men!
What a blessing the freedom and the liberty we have in Christ! The dimensions of this liberty are threefold:

(1.) Material or earthly. Everywhere the Gospel has been received personal liberties have followed! Nations have turned from dictatorships to democracy, society has given up slavery, abusive judicial systems have been reformed, living standards have risen!

(2.) Spiritual. Every believer becomes a free man in Christ regardless of external circumstances! In heart, mind, and soul we dwell with the Lord in Heavenly regions even if we are locked into an oppressive and negative social environment, or are literally chained in a dungeon, or are confined by disease, disorder, or accident to a sick bed or hospital or nursing home!

(3.) Eternal. Paul says that while we are presently in “the bondage of corruption” and decay, i.e., in this body of flesh destined to die, soon we shall be released from it “into the glorious liberty of the children of God!” (Romans 8:18-23). We who are in Christ eagerly anticipate “the adoption, the redemption of our body”, wherein we shall experience eternal life and glory!

The truth of Christ makes us free! May we ever cherish this freedom! There is nothing finer!

Larry Atkin, Preacher