| July 1999 REAL FREEDOM (Luke 4:18) July 4, 1999, America celebrated 223 years of liberty with parades, fireworks, special ceremonies and celebrations. We all enjoyed them. Yet, in many ways, America is farther in bondage spiritually today than she has ever been. There is the bondage of fear, addiction and immorality. Teens killing teens, abortions in the thousands, drugs, alcoholism, sexual perversion, divorce at an all time high, corruption in the workplace and in the highest offices of our land. While celebrating liberty, America is in many ways a slave. How can we find real liberty? How can we break the chains of bondage? Jesus announced freedom to His generation and He offers that same freedom to us today. Real freedom is… FOUND IN THE REVELATION OF CHRIST This passage speaks of the revelation of truth. While many say there is no absolute truth, Jesus disagrees. He said truth can be known and will set those who know it free. Later in the same conversation with these Jewish adversaries, Jesus said, He Himself was the Truth! (John 8:36). Today, there are those who have replaced truth with imagination. They say, it may work for you but not them. Actually, it is not truth they are talking about but their own prejudice or limited understanding. Jesus is the only real Liberator. He can set you free from bondage. The bondage of sin and selfishness. Are you basing your spiritual liberty on what you think or on what the Bible reveals? Real freedom is also FOUND IN THE REDEMPTION BY CHRIST The "yoke of bondage" symbolizes entrapment. In this verse it refers to trying to keep the law for salvation. Liberty is found only in the Lord Jesus Christ. Satan is busy today trapping and entangling the unwary and the unsuspecting with other traps as well. He uses the traps of deception, legalism, philosophy, asceticism, worldly pleasure and riches. The yoke of bondage is very evident in some lives. How can we be set free? By trusting in Christ. He has bought our freedom with His own blood. The cost of redemption is high. God could not overlook sin. His law required the penalty be paid. "The wages of sin is death.." (Rom 6:23). The perfect Son of God, took our penalty upon Himself. He who knew no sin, made sin for us. He died in our place and fully paid the price for our sins. That is redemption! There is no other way. "He that hath the Son hath life. He that hath not the Son hath not life." (1 John 5:12). Then finally, real freedom is FOUND IN RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST Note, "children of God", this phrase indicates that deliverance from bondage also means glorious liberty in the family of God. We become members of that family through trusting Christ. "As many as received Him, to them gave He the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." (John 1:12). We live in a fallen world today and are subject to many of the problems and difficulties that go with it. But, Jesus is coming again, and there will be a glorious transformation. Just think, we are fellowcitizens with all of God’s people and members of the household of God (Eph 2:19), and we will spend eternity with Him. That is real liberty. I recently read a poem about the flag of the USA. In part it said, "My red stripes symbolize the blood spilled in the defense of this glorious nation, My white stripes the burning tears shed by Americans who lost their sons. My blue field of God’s heaven under which I fly, and my stars, clustered together, the unity of 50 states as one." As I was thinking about that poem I was reminded of how those colors could also be applied to Christian truth as well. The red stands for Christ’s blood shed for our sin. The white for the cleansing of sin and purity that comes through Him. The blue showing that it is a work of God which Christ came from heaven to accomplish and the cluster of stars as the unity we enjoy in Him as members of God’s family. God bless. |
