Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Freedom : Participation in Decision-making
Galatians 5:1-6
Daniel Thomas
Orlando MTC
1. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Our mother country, India, gained freedom from British domination on August 15, 1947 by the tireless and peaceful resistance of Mahatma Gandhi, known as the Father of India.  Even though India is a free country today, majority of the masses do not experience the true freedom.  Let us hope and pray that the day is near, not far, for every citizen to enjoy his/her fair share of the fruit of freedom assured by the constitution of India.

People love their liberty, freedom from, as well as their freedom to - freedom to pursue one's dreams, freedom from a forced religion, freedom to live according to one's belief.  At the same time, how many of us understand the true meaning of freedom?

The New Testament presents true liberty as serving Christ, and emphasizes that we can be free only when we voluntarily give ourselves to another (Rom. 6:18).  In Christ - and because He broke the chains of the devil on the cross - we have been liberated from the slavery of sin.  Contrary to the popular opinion, this freedom is not a license to do whatever one desires.  This inevitably leads to enslavement to one's own passions as is evident from the mass killings of the innocent victims around the globe.  Rather the Bible defines freedom as the ability and willingness to deny one's self, ego, to deny one's desires in the interest of pleasing and glorifying our Creator.  We have to exercise this liberty in love and service to the needy.  True freedom from sin comes when we live with Christ as Lord over our lives.

Jesus is described as the 'friend of sinners' (Matt. 11:19).  He liberates us from sin's deadly bondage so we can enjoy a life-giving, intimate, and eternal relationship with God.  Of course, our release doesn't leave us free of responsibility irrespective of who we are and the position we hold.  Rather, our freedom in Christ enables us to fulfill our created purpose - to love and to serve God and others around us wholeheartedly.

PRAYER

Loving Father, thank You for liberating us from the bondage of sin.  We pray that Your Holy Spirit empower us to live a life that will please You and glorify Your kingdom. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
When we accept Christ, we become truly free.

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