Called to Freedom

There is a call on every believer's life to live in freedom.

               For you, brethren, were [indeed] called to freedom; only [do not let your] freedom be an incentive for your flesh and an opportunity or excuse [for selfishness], but through love you should serve one another.  For the whole law [concerning human relationships] is complied with in the one precept, "You shall love your neighbor as you do yourself."
                              Gal. 5:13-14 Amplified

Freedom has been given to us as a gift through Jesus Christ.  We cannot buy it with money nor can we earn it.  Freedom is not to be squandered or taken for granted.  In accepting this gift, comes the responsibility of making good choices.

So what exactly does it mean to be free and what does a free life look like? 

First let's look at what we are free from. 

The first thing that comes to mind is sin and death.  Sin is a vicious cycle of self serving behaviors that seek only to please and satisfy us.  It is an inward focus on life that leads to death and destruction.   

We have also been set free from:

          condemnation               guilt
          shame                            hatred
          bitterness                       resentment
          religious rituals            people pleasing

Notice that everything we have been freed from is negative and life limiting.  If we let it, shame and guilt can stop us from living our dreams.  Hatred, bitterness and resentment keep us focused only on our own thoughts and feelings.  They keep our world small by limiting who we will interact and share life with.  Condemnation, of either ourselves or others, refuses to allow growth beyond the occurrence of a mistake.

Religious rituals do not give us favor with God.  Just because we follow the traditions of religion does not make us any better than someone else.  Rituals tend to fool us into thinking that because of our performance we have gained approval from God.

Living to please people over God is another trap we have been set free from.  Trying to gain the approval of people is a tireless and unproductive way to live.  It's like a dog chasing it's tail.  We will continue to go around in circles when we seek to please people over God and eventually it will cause us harm.

You are called to live free from all of this. 
Heidirn

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