Freedom in Christ

The New Testament is typically broken down into 5 categories: Gospels, History, Paul’s letters, General letters (or epistles), and Prophecy. The more you know about the Bible, the more you can understand why it were written and how it can help us today. The biggest part of the New Testament was written to churches dealing with struggles, some inside the church, some outside. That so many inspired writers address the various issues they did tells us that under the New Covenant, God still cares about the motives behind our actions, and that there is a pattern of life we are supposed to be living by.

There were issues of whether the Jews had any leverage over the Gentiles. There was the issue of circumcision, special feasts, leaders, teachers, and pretty much anyone or anything that could influence how those believers of the first century accepted God’s message. Those letters basically helped define what “freedom in Christ” means.

Today we struggle with similar battles, and churches need just as much guidance and encouragement, challenges, or reprimands as the first century church did. Paul said in Galatians 5:1, “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”

Jesus said in John 8:31-32, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” Freedom is always enticing, however some people handle freedom different than others. It’s for this reason that we see why it was so important that Jesus spend his life down here modeling how we are to respond to freedom without making ourselves vulnerable to attacks of Satan. Galatians 5:13, “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

In John 17:1-24 we read of one of Jesus’ last recorded prayers to God before His arrest and crucifixion. In this passage He explains what He’s made possible to us, as well as His hope for all believers. Here’s a few lines from this wonderful prayer.
(1-3) “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so He can give glory back to you. For you have given Him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given Him. And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.”
(7-8) “Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.”
(11) “Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are.
(13-19) “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.”
(21-24) “I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!”

If we could adopt even a portion of His same passion about the freedom He’s made possible to us and how that changes the way we live, then the world would truly see Christ as not only a good option but essential to peace–inside the church and outside of it. Praise God we’ve been given not only a Redeemer, but an example of true freedom.