I'm free in Christ. I know that. I've been told that since I accepted Christ in elementary school. This point was further ingrained in my head at church. But what did that mean? What is freedom? Yeah, I get to dress how I want, wear my hair how I like it and generally be who I want to be. But we all have those freedoms-- whether we trust Christ or not. What about my faith makes me special?
1 Corinthians 5:17 tells us, "therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come." Okay, I get it. I'm different. But why don't I always feel or act different? I’m still Derek. I still get into trouble from time to time.
“Freedom in Christ”--maybe I didn’t quite grasp it. I knew I was forgiven for my sin. But if Christ is merely my free ticket to heaven then that freedom was (1) quite simple to understand and (2) useless to me while I’m still here on earth. Freedom isn't a gift we can put in our closet to use when everything else is old and broken. Freedom is now. I just didn’t understand that and still struggle with it at times.
Galatians 5:1 says, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery." Okay. I see. We were slaves to our sin. I understand that. That's what forgiveness is for, but I'm still a sinner. I still don't get it right, at least not much. So where's the freedom? Well you see, sin doesn't define "me" anymore. The real “Derek” is free from all the trash I let myself think, do, or say. So when you catch yourself doing something that deep down you know isn't right, remind yourself: It’s not who I am; I am so far above that. I am surrounded by Christ. That’s what it means to be free. That’s what a new creation is.
“Get it now?" I feel like I hear Christ speaking those words to me on a daily basis. I can't understand His grace. That's what I love about it. It’s freedom I didn’t deserve, work for, or even understand. Thank you Jesus, for making us new.
