Freedom. Freedom from the penalty of sin. Freedom from the power of sin. Freedom from guilt and condemnation. Free to be the me He created me to be. Freedom. Yes, Christ died so we could be free!
The entire book of Galatians addresses this whole concept. After Paul had been there, others came along and tried to convince them that circumcision was necessary. To really understand the totality of it, it must be understood that circumcision was part of their teaching. To fully comprehend our own freedom, we must substitute something we believe-our tradition has taught us-must be done after salvation to ensure that we are indeed saved.
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfect by the flesh?
For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.
Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But not that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus, you are all sons of God, through faith. Gal. 3:1-3, 10, 13, 23-25
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. Gal. 5:1-6
Freedom, while it seems wonderful, can be a scary thing. And, many opt out. The Israelites were freed from 400 years of bondage. I’m sure in the beginning excitement abounded. One can easily visualize those scenes in Charlton Heston’s The Ten Commandments. But, fast forward, and they weren’t too keen on following a cloud or a pillar of fire. So, whenever they came up against trouble, they doubted Moses; they doubted God; they longed for the security of slavery.
Think for a moment, what it would be like to follow a cloud. All clouds move. And, they all go in the same general direction, often according to the prevailing winds. How does one really know where one is going when following a cloud? And, if you think further, a cloud is really nothing substantial. It has little substance, just some water suspended in air. Kinda foolish, don’t ya think, to risk your life following one? And a pillar of fire??? Sure, it provided warmth and light during the nights, but, what if it disappears? Anyone knows that fire needs fuel and nothing seems to be fueling this flame. What happens when it goes out, when we can’t see it any longer? No, the Israelites many times preferred the security of slavery.
And, unfortunately, we often do as well. We like external fences. Secure boundaries that are set so I know my path. We want to know what’s next and what to expect. We want security more than freedom. But, He died for us to be free, confident that we can depend upon His leading. But, what if the cloud seems to be heading in the wrong direction? How do we know we are following the right cloud? What if the pillar of fire disappears? All these questions create in us a preference for the security of bondage.
It is in some ways similar to the early explorers as well. They felt a certain amount of freedom during the early days of exploration. The could sail miles and miles…..as long as they were in sight of land. Then came the invention of the compass. In reality, the thing isn’t that impressive. And, doesn’t really look too steady. The needle is constantly bouncing around. You barely move and it moves more erratically and suddenly than you did and sometimes seems to take forever to settle and be still. Doesn’t seem too secure, does it? Yet, this little invention gave explorers so much more freedom! They no longer needed to stay within sight of landmarks. They could sail as far as they wanted. They could sail during foggy days and stormy nights. They were no longer tied to the land and sunshine! It brought freedom. I’m sure there were many who thought those sailors were absolutely crazy to risk their lives on that little invention.
Jesus wants us to be guided by Him, not duty, not obligation, not to prove anything. He wants to be an internal force guiding us in the direction He wants us to go. This is where some controversy comes in. Some equate freedom with lack of guidance. But, it cannot be. Freedom does not mean I am not guided. It means I am guided by His eye, not the law. I am guided by His heart within me, not a set of rules. My relationship with Him, my closeness to His heart, my desire for intimacy with Him, keeps me close to Him…and just a look…or a subtle growl….a raise of His eyebrows, lets me know the direction I need to go. And, what actually happens is opposite of what many fear. Freedom in Christ does not lead to greater sin, but to holiness. I must draw close to Him for guidance, and in drawing close to Him, I become more like Him. There are times I sense His displeasure and turn from something that is completely allowed by Scripture and law….but He is not allowing me to do it.
“All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful.“(1 Cor. 6:12a)
When I desire His presence, my desire is for things that will deepen that presence and not hinder it. In the words of a 5 year old I know, “I felt His presence go away and I don’t want that to happen, so I need to say I’m sorry.”
Think for a moment about the cloud and the fire that led the Israelites through the wilderness into the Promised Land. Jesus’ death gave us the Holy Spirit….which seems a little bit like a cloud. It is often pictured similar to a cloud in various forms of media. We are told in Scripture that it moves wherever it pleases.(Jn. 3:8, wind and spirit come from the same Greek word) And, at Pentecost, what appeared on each one of them? Individual pillars of fire…..tongues of fire, we are told. God still wants to guide us by a cloud and a pillar of fire…..but they are within us now…all because Jesus paid the price. “My chains are gone! I’ve been set free! Amazing grace!” Bought and paid for!