Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, often said, “I am a slave, by choice, of Jesus Christ.”

It is the great paradox of Christian freedom that those, who are the most free, choose to live as obedient slaves of God. Understanding this concept is critical to maturing in the faith.

We believers are genuinely free. Jesus said, “I have come to set the captives free” (Luke 4:18). We have been released from spiritual ignorance and darkness by His sacrifice on the cross. All our sins are forgiven. All debts to God are cancelled. We are free to accept this gift and access the throne of grace.

As people who are fully free, we freely choose to follow the One who set us free, and to bend our free will to His. Our obedience to God is not compelled but is chosen; it’s not an obligation but a joy.

Responsible use of freedom is one of the most profound principles of Christian living, indeed of all of life. The positive implication is that we are to use our freedom responsibly to do good. We choose to avoid doing evil, and do not use our freedom as an excuse for bad behavior or harm.

We will grow in Christ as we use our freedom to love, to serve, to do what is right according to His will, not our own.

You are free to choose this paradoxical freedom today. No longer a slave to sin, you can be free, indeed. Free!

Lord, thank you for setting me free. Lead me not into temptation. Deliver me from evil. How can I serve you today? Amen.

Go Deeper — Think of one or two things you could choose to do today to best use the freedom you have been given in Christ. What are they?



Tags: Freedom 1 Peter 2
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