Lesson 340: “Let Freedom Reign"
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). The title “Son of Man” (Mark 9:31) especially suited Jesus’ total mission. It was free of political connotations thus preventing false expectations. Yet it was sufficiently vague (like a parable) to preserve the balance between concealment and disclosure in Jesus’ life and mission. The term combined the sufferings and glory and served to define Jesus’ unique role as Messiah. When Jesus spoke about His death that would set the world free, Peter understood the words but could not put the word Messiah with the suffering and death Jesus predicted so he rebuked Him for this defeatist approach. Jesus knew that Peter had not totally been set free from satanic attacks (none of us are) so when He rebuked him it was not a personal command to Peter to take his rightful place with the disciples but for Satan to “leave Peter alone”. Peter was an unwitting spokesman for Satan because he was setting his mind to have a mental tendency not on the ways of God but on the ways of men.
Our freedom in Christ and the grace that is ours in Him must never be used as an excuse to do as we please. We are not free to hurt others and ignore our calling and obligations to God and to man. Freedom in Christ never means freedom from the presence and struggle with the flesh or indwelling sin. Our salvation is not considered as freedom from servant-hood and loving responsibility to others. Freedom is not the right to do as one pleases even though the apostle Paul states that everything is permissible. Continue to read and find that he adds that everything is not beneficial and one should not be mastered by anything (1 Cor. 6:12). “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge in sinful nature” (Gal. 5:13).
True freedom stems from total commitment to Jesus Christ. In losing our lives in devotion to Him and His purpose we become what we were designed to be. Jesus summoned the crowd along with His disciples and spoke to all of them. He said if any of them would come after Him they must deny themselves, saying no to selfish interests and earthly securities (get free of everything you depend on and lean on Jesus). He then said one must take up his cross, say yes to God’s will and way. To take up a cross does not seem like much freedom since this meant (in Rome) that a condemned man was forced to show his submission to Rome by carrying his cross through the city to his place of execution. However, the point Jesus was making was that to take up your cross was to demonstrate publicly one’s submission/obedience to the authority against which you had previously rebelled. This is shown in its fullest through the persecution of the Christians by Paul, the conversion of Paul and the continuous trials and sufferings Paul endured for the sake of Christ.
Let freedom through Christ Jesus reign in your earthly life and you will reign for ever and ever with God in eternity (Rev. 22:5).