“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36 KJV) 

Definition of freedom

Freedom: The quality or state of being free: such as. 1: the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action. 2: liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another: independence. 3: the quality or state of being exempt or released usually from something onerous.

Wherever the Lord is, there is freedom

“For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Cor. 3:17 NLT)

Therefore

“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” (1 Peter 2:16 ESV)

“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” (2 Cor. 5:21 NLT)

The above passage is the gospel (good news) stated very simply and clearly in only one verse. Let’s look at and define the verse a few words at a time: 

• FOR GOD - The Father, creator, maker, ruler of the universe, and the source of all moral authority

• MADE – caused, compelled, assigned, appointed

• CHRIST – Jesus the Messiah, the chosen one, the anointed  one, the King of Kings, the Lord of lords.

• WHO NEVER SINNED – a man of pure and perfect nature, untouched by sin.

• TO BE THE OFFERING – to be the acceptable gift sufficient to pay the total cost  

• FOR OUR SIN – for our transgression against God’s moral laws which have separated us from Him.

• SO THAT WE COULD BE MADE RIGHT – so that we could be made righteous, blameless, and irreproachable in God’s sight

• WITH GOD THROUGH CHRIST – and have peace with God through what Jesus has done.

“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.” (Prov. 10:9 ESV)

Integrity – The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. honesty, honor, good character, ethics, righteousness, virtue, decency, fairness.

Integrity means renouncing wrong ways and walking in God’s truth

“But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.” (2 Cor. 4:2 ESV)

The integrity of the upright is their guide

“The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.” (Prov. 11:3 ESV)

“By this I know that you delight in me: my enemy will not shout in triumph over me. But you have upheld me because of my integrity, and set me in your presence forever. “ (Psalms 41:11-12 ESV)

The righteous walks in integrity and their children are blessed

“The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him!” (Prov. 20:7 ESV) 

In your teaching show integrity

“Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity.” (Titus 2:7 ESV)

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27 NIV)

The verse at top is a promise about God’s kind of peace 

Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you.” Notice that he mentions peace twice in the first sentence. That’s because the peace that God gives is more powerful than fear. He says he has given peace to you, and it’s a  different kind of peace than what the world gives.That’s an important distinction to understand.

The verse at top is also a command not to allow fear

Because of the “different” kind of peace that Christ gives, you have been given God’s power over fear. He commands his people, “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” 

God has delivered you from all fears

“I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34:4 NIV)

Be strong and do not fear, God will help you

“Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” (Isa. 35:4 NIV)

“For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” (Isa. 41:13 NIV)

Be strong, courageous and do not be afraid

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Josh. 1:9 NIV)

Because God cares for you, cast all your anxiety on Him

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (2 Peter 5:6-7 NIV)

“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.” (Rom. 5:1-2 NLT)

Privilege defined

Privilege comes from the Latin word privilegium, and means a benefit enjoyed by an individual or group beyond what's available to others. Being a member of an exclusive club, organization, or group brings privileges for its members. Family members have privileges that only apply to family members.

Having privileges is wonderful

In 1968, I was stationed at Fort Rucker, Alabama, US Army Aviation Center. I was in charge of three music centers at the base. The job came with many privileges; I lived in a nice apartment, wore a  monogrammed jumpsuit, and I had a “go-to-the-front-of-the-line” meal card to use at all the base mess halls. When I was hungry, I just walked into any one of them, then to the front of the line and showed my card. It was great to have all those special privileges.

We have many privileges as members of God’s family

The Bible passage at top says we have “undeserved privilege” provided to us through faith in Jesus Christ. We are adopted in God’s family which  brings many wonderful privileges. Here are some of them:

·      Privilege of being a co-heir  with Christ “Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ…” (Rom. 8:17).

·      Privilege of having bold access to God “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb. 4:16 NKJV)

·      Privilege of having a new home waiting in heaven “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:13 NASB)

·      Privilege of being Blessed  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” (Eph. 1:3 NASB)

·      Privilege of using His Name “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:14 NASB)

·      Privilege of having all of God’s promises “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ.” (2 Cor. 1:20 NIV)

·      Privilege of sharing the good news with others “And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15 ESV)

“For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.” (Rom. 1:11-12 NLT)

 Encouragement is greatly needed! 

Encouragement is something we can freely and generously give to each other. It is to give support or confidence. To stimulate one another spiritually. It is to applaud, boost, brighten, buck up, buoy, cheer up, comfort, console, embolden, energize, enhearten, enliven, fortify, galvanize, gladden, hearten, inspire, inspirit, praise, prop up, rally, reassure, refresh, restore, revitalize, revivify, rouse, and/or strengthen.

Encourage and build up one another

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (2 Thess. 5:11 NIV)

Look for ways to encourage one another toward love and good deeds

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Heb. 10:24-25 NIV)

God gives endurance and encouragement to you

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.” (Rom. 15:5 NIV)

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Cor. 8:8)

According to the promise at the top, “God is able to bless you abundantly.” And “why would He choose to do that?” you may ask. The answer is found in the same passage: “So that at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” In other words, God blesses you abundantly so that you can successfully do good work.

Therefore

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph. 2:10).

And your enrichment and generosity will produce thanksgiving to God.

“He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” (2 Cor. 8:10-11)

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Psalm 73:26)

The promise at the top begins with “But God.” These two words appear many times throughout the Bible, and they are two of the most powerful words to hear in a story. They change everything! They are especially powerful when impossible-to-fix things happen. “But God” can fix the unfixable! No matter how bad, no matter how big, and no matter how impossible they may appear, Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26).

Therefore

No matter how bad things may look, stay in faith and don’t despair, remember, “but God” can fix it!

Don’t despair or give up when things look beyond your ability to do anything about them. That’s when to turn to God faithfully by casting all your care on him and expecting “but God” to help you. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and able to handle all your cares. As a humble person, you can cast  all your cares on Him because you know He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:4-7)

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:6-8)

“And He said to them, “When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” They said, “No, nothing.” (Luke 22:35 NASB)

You will not lack anything

Hudson Taylor, the great missionary to China, said, “God’s work, done in God’s way, will never lack God’s supply.” So true! When I was hired in August of 1971 to be the director of Whatcom County Youth For Christ (YFC), I was told they didn’t have the money to hire me. But they told me they would certainly pay me each month “if the money was available." So, I started work understanding those conditions. I stood by God's promise, found in Philippians 4:19, “And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” And He certainly did! I worked for YFC as director for twenty years and never once missed a single paycheck! God was faithful to meet every need, often in amazing ways. More than once, several checks would arrive in the mail on the last day of the month for various odd amounts that would add up to the exact amount needed. On top of that, we would often wake up to find bags of groceries on our porch. What a blessing it was! 

Therefore

“Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Heb. 13:20-21 NASB)