FREE IN CHRIST BUT WITH LIMITS

Can I pray for you in any way?

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.

1 Peter 2:16 NLT

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Think about life before you came to believe in Christ Jesus.

You were once held captive, a hostage to sin that would eventually deliver you to an eternity in Hell, an eternity filled with torment and damnation. Shackled in your transgressions, you desperately needed rescue but couldn’t gain that on your own.

Thankfully, God, out of His deep love and compassion and grace, didn’t wish for us to perish and suffer forever. And so He sent His only Son Jesus as a divine, atoning sacrifice, a perfect and unblemished Lamb that would serve to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29). All one needed to do to gain release from the sure judgment of Hell and gain eternal life instead is believe in Christ as Savior (John 3:16).

Jesus spoke of this liberation Himself when He said these words in John’s Gospel:

“Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” 8:34-36

A Christian gains freedom from God’s judgment when they place their belief in Jesus, gaining the pardon He purchased on Calvary’s cross, a sure salvation that removes the sting of death and guarantees an entry into the glory of the very Kingdom of Heaven when Christ returns.

It’s a blessed and perfect promise that brings a Jesus believer peace and hope however, there is one thing this wonderful freedom and assured saving doesn’t allow and that’s a person taking advantage of their liberation to gratify their sinful nature. God’s Word makes this clear as we first look at the passage from our continued study of 1 Peter and then a verse from Paul’s letter to the Galatians.   

For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. 1 Peter 2:16 NLT

You have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. Galatians 5:13 NLT

Prior to gaining salvation through belief in Jesus, a person is a slave to sin but note how the Lord makes it clear through His Words in 1 Peter that when that happens, when a person is saved from Hell and assured Heaven, they may be set free from the slavery of sin but they are then captivated by the God who delivered them through His Son. In other words, a Christian becomes a child of God and is then accountable to Him for everything done in life, just as a kid is under the watchful eye of their earthly father.

Indeed, the freedom gained through Christ Jesus ushers a new believer into a new and holy captivity, one that leads to a magnificent, heavenly destination. Free from sin, the scriptures make it clear we are to “serve one another in love” and refuse to “satisfy” our “sinful nature”.

In other words, our freedom in Christ has limits and those limits involve sinfulness. As one becomes a new creation, the new is a dedication to the way Jesus lived, a commitment to Christ-likeness, and that will never involve an intentional choice of sin and evil over righteousness and good.

So how can we be sure we will respect our freedom found in Jesus and not chase after our sinful desires?

The key is to always follow the leading of the Holy Spirit that was given to you the moment you believed in Jesus. He dwells within you and is always ready to provide you direction. All you need to do is surrender your will and way so His will and way reigns supreme.

My prayer today is that you will join me in doing just that, now and for as long as the Lord has us here in our life this side of Heaven.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.