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. Galatians 5:1 [NIV]
Sometimes Christians are tricked into thinking that they are in slavery – the reality (and our identity as freed slaves) can be hidden through the trickery of Satan. Through false teaching and accusation, Satan can trick Christians into believing that they are not good enough – that because they still fall victim to temptation and fall short of the perfection of Christ they cannot be good enough to please God and they are therefore going to be condemned by Christ at the time of Judgement. This can cause Christians to wallow in self-pity and prevent them from living out the life of freedom that Christ has won for them.
Faced with these thoughts (as I have been and I am convinced many others have been too), it is comforting to dwell on the words of Romans 8:
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:1-2 [NIV]
Who you are should determine what you do - you are not a slave to sin or a slave to the Law. Too often we are convinced that what we do makes us not quite good enough.
Your relationship with God through Christ allows you to live the abundant life God put you on this earth to live. Eternal life does not start with death – it begins here and now.
"The moment the slave resolves that he will no longer be a slave, his fetters fall.
Freedom and slavery are mental states." – Mahatma Gandhi
Maybe today you can make a change in your mental state when you realise your true identity?
Lord, nothing I can do can make you love me more – and nothing I can do can make you love me less. Thank you for loving me just the way I am.
Amen.
Dave MacLellan
Read the Bible in a year: Psalm 108:6-13 Isaiah 44:24-46:13 Galatians 4:21-5:6
No comments:
Post a Comment