Freedom. One of the Six Marks of a Christian
Today's Letter to the Romans describes freedom. Romans 8:2- "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." What a positive statement that should govern our lives and our conduct. We know that freedom is not free. How often we have heard that. Yet because of the freedom we have in Christ's fulfillment of the law of God for us, we are able to live new lives. Another Scripture that talks about what this means is from Galatians 6:17," From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of our Lord Jesus Christ."
What does it mean for the Christian to bear the marks of Jesus Christ? That is what the Apostle said after his long letter to the Galatians to live in the freedom that Christ had ransomed them into.
Freedom in Christ is not freedom to do what we want any longer only. We are bound to Him by our love and our conduct in relationship to others. We just celebrated the freedom of our nation on July 4th. Yet it seems many do not know how to celebrate that. It is not just flying a flag. It is realizing that this freedom we have in this nation to practice our own faith, to have a free press, to elect a government we desire has been bought with the price of the sacrifice of our revolutionary forebearers.
As one person said, in his book, called, Six Marks of a Christian, (Canon Shatford, 1925) The Apostle said ,"These marks declare to all the world whose I am and whom I serve." These are things we need to think about today.
1. Whose are we? Romans 8 says something about that. " To them which are in Christ Jesus ....there is no condemnation." That is where we start. " We ought to be blossoming always in new manifestations of the Spirit of God; for when the Spirit of Jesus takes hold of us it cannot confine itself within the ordinary practices and conventions of our time." Shatford
In another place in Scripture we read," For ye are bought with a price---therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." I Cor.6:20
Lord Jesus, thou who art the way, the truth, and the life; hear us as we pray for the truth that shall make all free. Teach us that liberty is not only to be loved but also to be lived. Liberty is too precious a thing to be buried in books. It costs too much to be hoarded. Help us see that our liberty is not the right to do as we please, but the opportunity to please to do what is right.
Peter Marshall, Before the U.S. Senate.
2. What does freedom say we should now do?
Glorify God in our body. Yes. " There is only one freedom that will keep you free from bondage, and that is the freedom of the service of God." Shatford.
Freedom of life in Christ has a limitation. " If meat makes my brother to be offend , I will eat no meat as long as the world stands." I Corinthians 8:13
Freedom Requires Sacrifice, "Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence. Their conviction resulted in untold sufferings for themselves and their families. Of the fifty-six, five were captured by the British and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons in the Revolutionary Army. Another had two sons captured. Nine of the fifty-six fought and died from wounds or hardships of the war.
Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships sunk by the British navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts and died in poverty.
At the battle of Yorktown, the British general Cornwallis had taken over Thomas Nelson’s home for his headquarters. Nelson told General George Washington to open fire on the Nelson home. The home was destroyed and Nelson died bankrupt.
John Hart was driven from his wife’s bedside as she was dying. Their thirteen children fled for their lives. His fields and mill were destroyed. For over a year, he lived in forests and caves, returning home only to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later, he died from exhaustion. ministry127.com "
" And when you remember that your brother for whom Jesus Christ died is endangered by your freedom, that what you claim for yourself is going to hurt him, will you do it?" Alan P. Shatford
In the next few weeks we will look at five more marks of the Christian life---"Loyalty, Patience, Courage, Humility, and Generosity."
Conclusion is an illustration---Secret for Victory, " Speaking to a large audience, D.L. Moody held up a glass and asked, “How can I get the air out of this glass?” One man shouted, “Suck it out with a pump!” Moody replied, “That would create a vacuum and shatter the glass.” After numerous other suggestions Moody smiled, picked up a pitcher of water, and filled the glass. “There,” he said, “all the air is now removed.” He then went on to explain that victory in the Christian life is not accomplished by “sucking out a sin here and there,” but by being filled with the Holy Spirit."
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