FREEDOM – THE SUMMARY
So, you crave real freedom! So does the rest of humanity. However, real freedom depends on the way you define it.
The world system, over which the devil presides as “the God of this” world, operates under the influence of deception.
“Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe….”
2 Corinthians 4:4 NLT
People who are deceived live by the illusion that freedom is only available when all boundaries and restrictions are removed so that they can freely serve self. People try to apply their own law, i.e., no law, but come into conflict with everyone else who lives by the same law.
The result is another kind of bondage because their behaviour arouses the reaction of their conscience in which God has written His law from birth. They have now become worse slaves than those who kick against the discipline of boundaries – slaves to guilt, shame, and fear, and every other emotion that exposes their wicked hearts.
If people carry on in their lawlessness long enough, their conscience will stop working. This leads to a “depraved mind”, a mind that no longer knows the difference between right and wrong. This is not just the consequence of sin – it is the just intervention of God.
“Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.”
Romans 1:28 NIV
This is the downward path if those who choose to live lawless lives.
“Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarrelling, deception, malicious behaviour, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.”
Romans 1:29-32 NLT
Real freedom is not control over our circumstances so we can do as we like. Freedom is to control our hearts so that our hearts have peace in all circumstances.
This freedom is the fruit of
1. Believing in and submitting to Jesus as Lord…
2. Following the Holy Spirit’s leading…
3. Growing inwardly as the Holy Spirit produces His fruit, i.e., the evidence of our new nature in control…
1.1. Love, joy, peace, – expresses our fellowship with God and our union with Jesus, 1.2. Patience, kindness, goodness, – expresses our attitude towards people, especially our fellow-believers, 1.3. Faithfulness, meekness, self-control, – expresses our rule over our own hearts.
When our hearts are submitted to the Holy Spirit’s leading and control, we will experience the freedom which enables us to live in God’s kingdom, here and now, regardless of the attitude and behaviour of those around us.
“So, be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Ephesians 5:15-20 NLT