Let Freedom Ring

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~~ Romans 6:22-23 NIV

“I can’t wait until I grow up so I can do whatever I want!” I used to declare to my parents. They laughed at me which made me even angrier because I was serious. I wanted to hear freedom ring. Now that I have children, I understand why they laughed.

In the past year, my youngest son has graduated from Sponge Bob Square Pants to The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. He’s graduated from riding his bike up and down the street to having the freedom to ride his bike to play with friends at their homes. He’s also gained the freedom from being chauffeured to each and every activity to arranging pick ups with his friend’s parents. Since he has more outings without parents, he also gained the freedom to carry a cell phone (a.k.a. “the leash”). Because my son is growing up, he has gained more independence from his parents. He is starting to express that childhood desire to grow up so he can do whatever he wants.

We teach our son that to have freedoms he must be obedient and responsible. He must complete all his assignments and chores. He must keep his commitments. He must check with us before leaving one friend’s home to go to another. The lists of responsibilities keep increasing with the list of freedoms.

In our walk with Christ, we experience freedom. But we must not use that freedom as an excuse to sin. For sin leads to death. But we have the gift of God in Christ Jesus our Lord which is eternal life. However, while we live our lives here on planet earth, sin will attempt to keep us in bondage though the death and resurrection of Christ set us free from sin. We can experience freedom from sin through repentance.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ~~1 John 1:9 NIV

We don’t have to remain in a life that leads to death. We can be set free from the bondage of sin. As believers in Christ, many of us are in bondages to sin and need to be set free. Each of us can experience victory in areas of our lives. We have that victory and freedom in Christ Jesus.

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. ~~ Romans 6:11-14 NIV

As we experience grace through Jesus Christ, we have responsibilities so sin shall not be our master. We must live a life of obedience. Let’s repent, offer our lives to God and live a life of obedience under grace. That’s how we can let freedom ring.

Engrafted by His Grace--