Free to Love
“If the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed…”
John 8:36
As a child, there were certain days in the year for which I continuously yearned: Christmas, Easter, my birthday and … the last day of school. While the first three typically involved candy, colorful embellishments and presents, the last offered something better: freedom! Even the most academically minded grade-school student longed for this day. It was truly a day of liberation because it meant an end to sitting at a desk for long periods. It meant family trips and, most importantly, no homework.
Like the long-awaited summer break for children, the Christian life is liberating. Jesus frees us from the sin which once held us captive. As a result, we are no longer slaves to it. This is good news for lots of reasons, but one implication is that our newfound freedom allows us space to grow, and it allows us to be instruments of grace in the lives of others. This is a point that Paul makes in Romans 6, where he writes, “But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life.” (Romans 6:22)
So, what will you do with your freedom this day? How will you respond to the reality of living as a child of God? Will you walk in love as Christ loved you? Will you embody a fruit of the Spirit? Remember that God liberates us out of sin in order that we might serve something better. As a result, each of us is capable, by God’s grace, of course, to take full advantage of this new freedom, and to live in ways that are pleasing to God.
