-- John 8:36
So if the Son sets you Free, you will be Free indeed.

-- 2 Corinthians 3:17
Now the Lord is the Spirit,
and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Freedom.

-- 1 Corinthians 8:9
Be careful, however, that the exercise of your Freedom
does not become a stumbling block to the weak.



Freedom! No word was ever spoken that has held greater hope, demanded greater sacrifice, needed more to be nurtured, blessed more to giver ... or came closer to being God's will on earth.
-- Omar N. Bradley

There are two Freedoms -- the false, where a man is Free to do what he likes; -- and the true, where a man is Free to do what he ought.
-- Charles Kingsley

Do anything you want. Anywhere. Anytime. Sound like Freedom? Well, it might be if you were the only person in a perfect world. But you're not. Your life intersects with others. What you do can have an impact on someone else's life. That's why Freedom comes with responsibility. Imagine what might happen if everyone exercised the Freedom of racing around city streets at full speed with no regard for each other. Laws and rules are necessary to protect Freedom.

There is another kind of Freedom that Paul talked about in the Bible, and it carries a similar kind of responsibility. This is the Freedom that accompanies a relationship with Christ.
You are set Free when you become a Christian.
What does that mean? It means you are Freed from the power of sin. It also means you are longer shackled to the laws that used to determine a path to God, laws that became twisted as the religions layered law upon law, making a relationship with God impossible.

In 1 Corinthians 8:9 Paul spoke to the Corinthian church about the members' confusion regarding meat that had once been offered to idols. Previously, the law had prohibited them from eating the meat. But since they were now Free from the law, eating this meat suddenly looked like a good idea (1 Corinthians 10:23-33). Paul's caution, however, illustrates the responsibility that comes with Freedom in Christ. Choosing to do something that might harm another could be irresponsible, even if it is allowed.

Being responsible with your Freedom begins with a concern for others. If you know well the people who surround you at work, home, school, or elsewhere, then you probably know what kinds of things might be inappropriate to do around them. Be logical and practical, and choose your actions and words carefully when the subject matter could be considered controversial.

Opt for the conservative choice over the radical one when among other Christians. Freedom in Christ may mean something different to you than to another Christian. Respect other people's beliefs by showing restraint with your words and actions.

In all you do, keep the focus on your relationship with God. Irresponsible use of Freedom usually flows out of selfishness or a lack of concern for what's right. When you run every potentially controversial act through the what-would- God-have-me-do filter, you reduce the likelihood of abusing your Freedom and causing someone to stumble or question their faith.

---

++ I Will:
+ Know that I am Free in Christ when I become a Christian. (Y/N)
+ Know that Freedom in Christ may mean something different to another person. (Y/N)
+ Understand that Freedom comes with responsibility. (Y/N)
+ Consider what is right to do in any given situation. (Y/N)
+ Examine what it means to live responsibly. (Y/N)
+ Show concern for others by the way I act around them. (Y/N)
+ Choose word and action carefully. (Y/N)
+ ........

---

++ Things to Do:
+ Study Romans 6:18 and consider what it means to be a "slave to righteousness." {You have been set Free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness - Ro 6:18, (22).}
+ Talk to a close friend about approriate boundaries for Freedom.
+ Write down what it means to you to be Free in Christ.
+ Talk with a pastor or other church leader about the responsibility that comes with Freedom.
+ Make a list of new opportunities that come with Freedom in Christ.
+ Write down four or five dangers of being irresponsible with Freedom.
+ ......

-- Checklist for life

Throughout the ages men and women have fought  for what they believed was freedom. Now that we  have obtained a higher level of national security,  the theme has shifted to how we can remain free.  But are we really experiencing true freedom?  Everywhere we turn there are evidence of freedom granted  and freedom abused.

Jesus told us there is only one way to experience true freedom -  by abiding in His truth (John 8:31-32).  Freedom without moral restraint is not freedom; it is chaos.  When we reject God's moral values, we trade freedom for bondage.  We run the risk of becoming so comfortable in our sin,  we refuse to take the way out when it is given.

Are you experiencing Christ's freedom, or are you living in  bondage to the world's sin? When you come to Jesus,  placing all your needs and expectations on Him,  He grants freedom the unsaved only dream of knowing.

-- Charles Stanley

Without Christ, there is no true freedom.

Freedom isn’t the absence of weakness
but it is Christ living through us.

True freedom is not having your own way,
but in yielding to God's way.

Christ is the Prince of Peace. He came to make peace between man and God, between man and man, between law and love, reaon and faith, Freedom and order, progress and conservatism.



-- John 8:31-32, 36
31 To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said,
"If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples.
32 Then you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you Free."
+ 36 So if the Son sets you Free, you will be Free indeed.

-- Romans 8:1-2
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me Free from the law of sin and death.

-- Romans 6:22
But now that you have been set Free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

-- 1 Corinthians 10:23-33
23 "Everything is permissible" -- but not everything is beneficial.
"Everything is permissible" -- but not everything is constructive.
+ 24 Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.
25 Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 26 for, "The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it." 27 If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. 28 But if anyone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience’ sake -- 29 the other man’s conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my Freedom be judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
+ 31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God -- 33 even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

-- Galatians 5:1, 13
1 It is for Freedom that Christ has set us Free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
+ 13 You, my brothers, were called to be Free. But do not use your Freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

-- Galatians 2:4-5
4 This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the Freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.

-- 1 Peter 2:16
Live as Free men, but do not use your Freedom as a cover-up for evil;
live as servants of God.

-- 2 Peter 2:19-21
19 They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you. 20 And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. 21 It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the sacred command they were given to live a holy life.

-- James 1:22-27
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives Freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it -- he will be blessed in what he does.
+ 26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

-- James 2:12-13
12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives Freedom. 13 No mercy will be shown to those who show no mercy to others. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

-- Psalms 31:1-5
1 In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
Let me never be put to shame;
Deliver me in Your righteousness.
2 Turn Your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue;
Be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.
3 Since You are my rock and my fortress,
For the sake of Your name lead and guide me.
+ 4 Free me from the trap that is set for me,
For You are my refuge.
5 Into Your hands I commit my spirit;
Redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth.

-- Psalms 119:41-50
41 May Your unfailing love come to me, O LORD,
Your salvation according to Your promise;
42 then I will answer the one who taunts me,
For I trust in Your word.
43 Do not snatch the word of truth from my mouth,
For I have put my hope in Your laws.
44 I will always obey Your law, for ever and ever.
+ 45 I will walk about in Freedom,
For I have sought out Your precepts.
46 I will speak of Your statutes before kings
And will not be put to shame,
47 For I delight in Your commands because I love them.
48 I lift up my hands to Your commands,
Which I love, and I meditate on Your decrees.
49 Remember Your word to Your servant,
For You have given me hope.
50 My comfort in my suffering is this:
Your promise preserves my life.

-- Isaiah 55:6-7
6 Seek the LORD while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the LORD,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God, For He will Freely pardon.