I slipped into a sanctuary I once sat regularly as the service began -- the same way it started for years, and my heart smiled. We began to sing a song I have known by heart most of my life, and the same question that usually floats through my head once again came to me as we sang the words, "It is for freedom You've set us free." Isn't there a better way to word this? I know this song by Darrell Evans is based on Galatians 5:1, "It is for freedom Christ has set you free," but isn't it a little redundant? I understand the point, and I love this song, so I let the moment pass, because as Christians we are not called to be nitpicky.
Yet, it is for freedom we are set free! So often we associate freedom with being freed from the power of sin in our lives, which is true. Without grace, we are bound by our sins, which separate us from God. 1 Peter 2:9-10 says, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." Because of our freedom, we are able to bask in the marvelous light of Christ. We have received mercy and no longer find ourselves separated from God, rather, He calls us His own. Without freedom from our sins, we would continue to be separated from God.
Freedom goes beyond ourselves. Ephesians 2:19-22 states, "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit." Our freedom brings us out of our sinful lives, and builds us (collectively, as the body of Christ) into His holy temple. As The Church, we are to be the safe haven for a broken world, as this is the idea of a temple in the book of Ephesians. We are to be a place where the broken, hurting, and lost find shelter from this world that will tear down the strongest of men. We are to wrap our arms around these hurting souls, and introduce them to the love Christ pours out on them. We become a witness to the freedom found in Christ, and The Church grows. Just as most of our lives in Christ, our freedom is not only to benefit our lives alone.
As I sit and examine this idea, I question if The Church is fulfilling it's purpose. I hear so much anger coming from the Christian world directed to the broken world we are called to love. We point fingers towards others to blame them for our "suffering". We accuse those outside of grace of stealing our freedom (as if they were able to steal such a gift from Christ), all because something they say makes us a little uncomfortable. Fingers are pointed in every direction, but rarely do we stop and realize we are driving people away with our constant accusations. *I would like to preface -- not every Christian acts this way. In fact, I would even say majority do not. But it is the ones with the loudest voices representing the whole.*
I believe we can change, as we must to see a difference in this world. Christ has not cut us from grace, and we still have the opportunity to cry for forgiveness. Change will happen when we lay down our "rights as Americans (or whatever nation we hide behind)" and embrace our freedom as Christians -- a chosen race, holy nation, citizens with the saints. Change will happen when we let go of the labels we have created, and love like Jesus did. One by one, we will see a change in The Church. Once that change takes hold, our purpose as Christians will take hold and the lives of those around us will be changed forever.
I choose to make this change. I want to love those around me with a love of Christ. I want to be the one people run to because, "I know you pray, and I believe God listens to your prayers." I want to build a relationship of trust with my new Muslim friends I met at the market -- looking beyond our "differences" and becoming a witness of grace towards them. I want to see people as, "loved by God, but they just don't understand His grace yet," instead of whatever sin may plague their life. I want to be someone people trust, as they feel the love of God through my actions. As I do this, I will undoubtedly find myself down in the dirt and garbage of this hurting world, but I have never been one afraid to get dirty! But it is with the mud smeared on my face, and stains in my clothes (have you seen the red dirt of Uganda??? It stains clothing!), I experience freedom in it's truest form. So, I will sing that song by Darrell Evans with no more doubts about what it means.
Yet, it is for freedom we are set free! So often we associate freedom with being freed from the power of sin in our lives, which is true. Without grace, we are bound by our sins, which separate us from God. 1 Peter 2:9-10 says, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." Because of our freedom, we are able to bask in the marvelous light of Christ. We have received mercy and no longer find ourselves separated from God, rather, He calls us His own. Without freedom from our sins, we would continue to be separated from God.
Freedom goes beyond ourselves. Ephesians 2:19-22 states, "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit." Our freedom brings us out of our sinful lives, and builds us (collectively, as the body of Christ) into His holy temple. As The Church, we are to be the safe haven for a broken world, as this is the idea of a temple in the book of Ephesians. We are to be a place where the broken, hurting, and lost find shelter from this world that will tear down the strongest of men. We are to wrap our arms around these hurting souls, and introduce them to the love Christ pours out on them. We become a witness to the freedom found in Christ, and The Church grows. Just as most of our lives in Christ, our freedom is not only to benefit our lives alone.
As I sit and examine this idea, I question if The Church is fulfilling it's purpose. I hear so much anger coming from the Christian world directed to the broken world we are called to love. We point fingers towards others to blame them for our "suffering". We accuse those outside of grace of stealing our freedom (as if they were able to steal such a gift from Christ), all because something they say makes us a little uncomfortable. Fingers are pointed in every direction, but rarely do we stop and realize we are driving people away with our constant accusations. *I would like to preface -- not every Christian acts this way. In fact, I would even say majority do not. But it is the ones with the loudest voices representing the whole.*
I believe we can change, as we must to see a difference in this world. Christ has not cut us from grace, and we still have the opportunity to cry for forgiveness. Change will happen when we lay down our "rights as Americans (or whatever nation we hide behind)" and embrace our freedom as Christians -- a chosen race, holy nation, citizens with the saints. Change will happen when we let go of the labels we have created, and love like Jesus did. One by one, we will see a change in The Church. Once that change takes hold, our purpose as Christians will take hold and the lives of those around us will be changed forever.
I choose to make this change. I want to love those around me with a love of Christ. I want to be the one people run to because, "I know you pray, and I believe God listens to your prayers." I want to build a relationship of trust with my new Muslim friends I met at the market -- looking beyond our "differences" and becoming a witness of grace towards them. I want to see people as, "loved by God, but they just don't understand His grace yet," instead of whatever sin may plague their life. I want to be someone people trust, as they feel the love of God through my actions. As I do this, I will undoubtedly find myself down in the dirt and garbage of this hurting world, but I have never been one afraid to get dirty! But it is with the mud smeared on my face, and stains in my clothes (have you seen the red dirt of Uganda??? It stains clothing!), I experience freedom in it's truest form. So, I will sing that song by Darrell Evans with no more doubts about what it means.
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