"Freedom & Responsibility"
Text: Galatians 5:1,13-14; 1 Peter 2:16-17
What is freedom?
- Liberty, independence, certain rights etc. free will, choice.
Can everyone be totally free? E.g.
a) In the story of creation: God created Adam & Eve - to be in free relationship with God (except one simple condition = rule to obey)
b) The Exodus story about God's liberation of his people - from the tyranny of Pharaoh
c) In the year Jubilee (Leviticus 25), debts were cancelled, slaves set free land returned to original owners
d) In the New Testament - esp. Paul's writing: Galatians 5:1 = 'For freedom, Christ frees us'
e) Various Terminology:
- Justification = acquittal
- Redemption = freedom at a price
- Reconciliation = end of hostilities, re-united
- Salvation = saved from danger
- Grace = God's riches at Christ's expense (FREE!)
Two kind of slavery
1. Slavery to sin
2. Slavery to God
(One leads to death, the other to freedom in Christ)
+ Read John 8:32-36 and Romans 6:16-18
A System of Tyrant
- The tyrant of sin
- The tyrant of self
- The tyrant of the law
- The tyrant of fear of death
*True freedom is NOT freedom to sin but freedom from the power of sins
Freedom From... Freedom For...
- True Biblical freedom is not just freedom from the tyrant of sin BUT FREEDOM FOR SERVICE TO GOD... Ephesians 4:28
- True Biblical freedom is freedom to LOVE... Galatians 5:12; 1 Peter 2:16-17
*Freedom comes with RESPONSIBILITY
Conclusion: Exercising Freedom
1. Your conscience must be clear (Romans 14:5)
2. You should not judge/reject those whose practices are different from yours (Romans 14:13)
3. You should deny/restrain your freedom rather than cause offence (Romans 14:19)
The Bible says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of freedom."
*Psalm 119:32 - "I run in the path of your command for you have set my heart free"
*Psalm 119:45 - "I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts"
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