Good morning,
Staying really free
Two hundred and forty three years ago the founding fathers of America declared their freedom from the British government because of their cruel control of our people. Our leaders did their best to form this new government based on the truths in the Bible. Alas, these values are no longer seen as freedom. The Bible is now seen as the enemy and not the guide. Paul warned the church of his day, and our day as well that our freedom in Christ can go the same way. So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.(Gal.5:1) The way our culture looks at life now, we are self centered and controlling and see ourselves as free to do what we want. If someone hurts us or accuses us of hurting them we easily feel that “that’s not fair” and that we have every right to be angry at them There is really nothing new about this, for Peter was struggling with this issue. “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No!” Jesus replied, “seventy times seven!(Mat.21,22) Jesus gave Peter this large number because he was missing the important part of what he needed to understand. Jesus then told him a story about a king, a big debtor and an ordinary borrower. The big debtor owed millions of dollars and couldn’t pay so the king ordered the man and his family and everything he owned to be sold to pay the debt. He pled for mercy but the king decided to cancel the debt. The debtor left the king a free man. He went down the street and saw the guy who owed him maybe 2,000 dollars. The free man demanded his money and when the man couldn’t pay the man he had him thrown into prison. When the king found out what he had done, he got really angry and called the guy back.
When the “free man” came back the King gave him three life changing things for his refusal to forgive after all that he had been forgiven. First, he called him a wicked man. Then he gave him a new place to live. Then he gave him a new life style to spend his time. Then he finished his story by saying, “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”(v.35) Since Jesus never lies, he was talking to those in God’s family then and now. When someone does something that hurts us and we get mad and stay mad, God calls us wicked no matter how wrong we are because God’s children are to do the same as he has done. We forget that the Devil knows the Bible better than we do and so he is delighted if he can keep us feeling sorry for ourselves and keeps telling us that what they are doing isn’t fair. Since we have now earned the wicked name we also lose the free name and the strength to defend ourselves from these attacks from our enemies. Our Enemy will keep reminding us about that person and their sin as often as possible and our anger will keep growing because no one seems to be helping us to get them straightened out. We have lost the right to control our lives. Finally, we can expect to lose a lot of sleep as we keep running through the story and trying to think of things that they deserve for what they did. God really does love all the people around us and Jesus said on the cross,”Father, forgive them” and the Holy Spirit longs to give us the love and forgiveness that God gives freely to all who are willing to acknowledge their sin and ask for his forgiveness. Dear Lord, please help us to remember the warning you have given us and not fall into this powerful trap.
Galatians 5:1 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.
Roy Wisner
