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"Freedom: In Christ"
by Matt Campbell
from a Selah Moment at Colonial Baptist Church
Freedom. Independence. Liberty.
We are Americans, and these words ring true in our ears. We enjoy celebrating our freedom from the rule of tyrannies and monarchies. We enjoy the fact that we can choose where to live, where to go to school, where to work, and where to go to church.
Freedom. Independence. Liberty.
These truths compelled our forefathers. These truths still compel us. We daily live in the reality that we are a free people. Freedom is how we live. Independence is our mode of operation. Liberty is our motivation to defend these realities.
Freedom. Independence. Liberty.
We are Christians, and these words should ring true in our ears. We should live in the realities of Romans 6: Daily we should celebrate our freedom from the tyranny of sin and our flesh. We should enjoy the fact that we can choose to offer ourselves to righteousness and not to sin. We should rejoice that sin is no longer our master, because we are under the Grace of God.
Consider with me this morning the freedom that we have in Christ:
Paul writes in the letter of Romans,
Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace. Well then, since God's grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living. [Romans 6:12-18 NLT]
Jesus himself spoke of this freedom.
"Jesus said to the people who believed in him, "You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." “ But we are descendants of Abraham," they said. "We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, 'You will be set free'?" Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. . . . So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free." [John 8:31-36 NLT]
It is often easy to forget the power of these truths. It is easy to forget the reality of our Freedom in Christ. Paul found it necessary to remind the NT churches of this reality. We should emulate his example and continue to remind one another daily of the reality that we are free in Christ to live no longer for our flesh and sin but rather to live unto God.
Paul says it this way,
You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world? [Colossians 2:20 NLT]
You have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. [Colossians 3:1-3 NLT]
Paul reminds us to rejoice and live daily in the reality that we are free in Christ. Free from the powers of hell, free from the power sin, free from the power of death. Yes, free to live in, and through, and with the power of Christ. Christ is our Freedom. Christ is our Life. Christ is our Hope.
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