Don't Give Up Your Freedom

Steven’s Scribbles
“Don’t Give Up Your Freedom”
Rom. 8:1-2
    
    Often when we, as Americans, hear talk of “freedom” or “liberty” we our minds typically go straight to “constitutional freedom’s” or “religious liberty.” However, that didn’t exist when the New Testament was being written. We must make sure we put on first century glasses when reading the Scriptures to properly understand what they are referencing. “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death” (Rom. 8:1-2). Those who are in Christ are those who have obeyed the Gospel and been baptized into Christ (see Rom. 6:3-6). What is the law of sin and death? “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). Christian, you have been freed from being a slave to sin (Rom. 6:15-19). Don’t go back to it. Sometimes denominational doctrines take too far implications from Rom. 8:1 and say you cannot lose your salvation. If that’s what Paul meant, he would not only be contradicting himself, but other sections of easily understood Scripture as well. “For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first” (2 Peter 2:20). “For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame” (Heb. 6:4-6). In Romans, Paul is pleading with the Christian to not go back to the old way of life. The plea is the same for us. Don’t give up your new freedom and liberty, just to become a slave to sin once again. I love you all!


In His service,
Steven Hugley