August 18, 2008
Are
You Free?
There
is an underlying question that begs to be answered. "Are we really
free?" It depends on how you define freedom. We can travel within the
country without passports and permits, so we enjoy a lot of freedom that way.
Compared to many nations, we have good policing. That means that by and large
we're relatively safe.
Our
political system is democratic, so we have freedoms. We're not at war here, at
least on a large scale, that's freedom. I can express my thoughts and opinions
(to a certain degree) and that's a freedom of sorts.
Levels
of consumer debt are at all time high levels. That means we're in bondage to
overextended lifestyles. Taxation is oppressively high. That means we are in
bondage to a government that doesn't know how to manage its (really our) money.
There
is increasing persecution of the Christian faith, under the misused guise of
pluralism and tolerance. In America, it's okay to be tolerant and pluralistic,
as long as you don't expect Christ to enter into the picture. At that point it
becomes politically incorrect. That means we're really not interested in true
pluralism and have not understood the truth of tolerance. That's not freedom.
There
are other areas that show we're not free. Rampant materialism besets the nation,
including the church at large. That's bondage. Alcohol, drug and gambling
addictions levels are high. That's not freedom. We're plagued by broken
marriages, family violence and dysfunctional homes. That's anything but free.
Stress
related illnesses are an exponentially increasing curve. That shows were tied up
in knots emotionally and spiritually and it's having a devastating physical
impact. That's certainly not free.
There
is only one source of true freedom. Freedom is found in a personal relationship
with Jesus Christ, knowing who we are in Him and walking in obedience.
"The
Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to
the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of
sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the
Lord's favour."
Luke 4:18-19 NIV
Jesus
came to bring us freedom. There's more to the equation than just His coming. We
have to do something with that event.
To the Jews who had believed
him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching,
you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will
set you free."
John 8:31-32 NIV
The
latter part of verse 32 "the truth will set
you free" is one of the most frequently used out of context
Bible verses I hear. The truth will set you free is only partly correct.
Who
is Jesus talking to? To those who had believed Him. Believing on Jesus is the
first step towards freedom. There is no true freedom for those who do not know
Christ.
The
truth will set you free. Is that all there is to the matter? Look at what it
says as a whole "If you hold to my
teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the
truth will set you free."
Freedom
comes from knowing Christ and walking the talk. There is no other source.
Until
next time, may you come to understand the true freedom that is offered by Christ
and grab hold of it with every fiber of your being.
Why
talk about being free when you really can be!
Darrel
Mason