'Freedom' Tagged Posts (Page 2)
Daily Devotions
For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty, yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love…” vs. 8 Philemon 1:8-9 Paul has a favor to ask of his friend Philemon, a leader of the congregation at Colossae. Philemon’s runaway slave, Onesimus, a new Christian, has become a companion to Paul in prison. Paul would like Philemon to welcome Onesimus back as a brother in Christ and to…
Daily Devotions
By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.” vs. 22 Galatians 5:18-25 Paul’s picture of kingdom living is timeless and seems too good to be true. How is it possible to live in community and experience such extraordinary fruits in ourselves and in others? He makes it sound so easy–all we need to do is become love-slaves of Christ, and the Spirit will…
Daily Devotions
For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another.” vs. 13 Galatians 5:1, 13-18 The freedom that Paul was talking about to the Galatians had little to do with the ordinances and rules of the Jewish Law. And for us it has nothing to do with escaping the strict moral and ethical codes of a pietistic upbringing. Our experience of freedom…
Daily Devotions
Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed.” vs. 23 Galatians 3:23-26 Looking back, Paul now sees that his life before Christ, under the law, was like a rigid imprisonment. Strict adherence to the commandments and the ordinances kept him on the straight and narrow, but at a cost. He never experienced the freedom that comes with faith and grace. In this letter to the Galatians, he explores that new life…
Daily Devotions
So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” vs. 36 John 8:31-38 In Christ we live by grace and truth and not by the law–and this is all a gift, not our own doing. Therefore, John tells us, we have been set free, and furthermore as Paul told the Galatians, since we have been set free, we should never again submit to the slavery of the law. These are important truths, ones that we learn to…
Daily Devotions
John 8:31-33 “Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’” vss. 31-32 Jesus was a Jew, his disciples were Jews, and nearly all the people with whom he had contact were Jews–initially, many of those persons were interested in what he had to say. Some believed in him–but it seems to have been…
Daily Devotions: July 4, 2020
July 4, 2020 Matthew 11:16-19 … “But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’” vss. 16-17 Jesus marveled at the fickleness of the crowds that he encountered. They were never satisfied and always critical in their assessments of those God had sent to them. They called John demonic and…
Daily Devotions: October 27, 2019
October 27, 2019 For full passage click: John 8:33-36 … “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” vs. 36 In 1945 the State of New Hampshire adopted the motto “Live Free or Die,” a slogan with roots dating back to the French Revolution. Some feel that it’s the perfect summation of the revolutionary principles that guided American patriots to declare independence in 1776. Like Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty or give me death,” its words…
Daily Devotions: October 24, 2019
October 24, 2019 For full passage click: Romans 3:19-22a … “But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.” vss. 21-22a Paul was attempting to give the congregation in Rome a more theological perspective of what had happened through Jesus. As part of his argument, he takes pain to explain that the righteousness of God is in…
Daily Devotions: September 6, 2019
September 6, 2019 For full passage click: Philemon 8-25 … “Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for ever, no longer as a slave but as more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.” vss. 15-16 Slavery was commonplace in the Roman Empire. It had an institutional presence and was unquestioned by…
Daily Devotions: July 4, 2019
July 4, 2019 – Independence Day For full passage click: Galatians 6:7-10 …“If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit.” vs. 8 Most world religions subscribe to a principle similar to that laid out by Paul in his letter to the Galatians. Human beings reap whatever they sow! Whether as nations or as individuals, there are always consequences for…
Daily Devotions: June 20, 2019
June 20, 2019 For full passage click: Galatians 3:23-26 …“Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith.” vs. 24 The coming of the Christ into the lives of the disciples marked a massive transition. No longer would they be controlled by the external demands of the law. Instead, the Spirit of Christ dwelling in their hearts would guide them on a journey marked by love and compassion. Many of us know…