True Liberty

 

The Glorious Liberty of the Sons

 

The enslavement of the Stockholm Syndrome upon a Christian is drastic. We can be deceived and brainwashed, seduced and enslaved, and think we’re happy for a while. But Paul has a short phrase in Romans 8:21: “the glorious liberty of the sons of God in Christ Jesus.” The world will lull us to sleep with its tranquilising advertisements and tempting attractions.

 But

Let the glorious liberty of Jesus Christ be our attraction in this life: freedom from the fear of death; freedom from the bondage to evil habits that enslave us even while we’re conscious of it; freedom from the effects of sin; freedom from futility and frustration.

Then

Freedom to develop your talents your abilities, your career, your life, your family, unfettered by hostile influences within. Freedom from shame and guilt. You don’t run around all the time troubled by your conscience, because you know you’ve disobeyed God.

Enter

The glorious liberty of the sons of God: freedom to enjoy pure love and true friends, to breathe the clean air of high values, to see the lofty ideals of Christian faith, to enjoy the stimulating friendship of Christ and his church and the warm embrace of a truly loving family where God is first. Enter, Paul says, “into the glorious liberty.” The sons of God break free from the enslavement of the world.

 

John is really saying in these verses, “You can live effectively, successfully, and triumphantly in the world. The trouble comes when you take the world into you, when you let the things that characterize the world—the lust of the eye and the flesh and the pride of life—characterize you. You can live in the world and not be of it until you take the world into your own heart.” Then you’re sunk. You’ve got to put it out this day. Break clean. Come out into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.

© 1986 Donald E. Hoke

This sermon portion touched me, made me reflect and re-think my way of living. Paralyzed insidiously in my thinking that the enemy is now my friend and my friends are now my enemies. Our natural enemies are the world system, the dark human nature and the devil and his evil angels.