Liberated

“Christ has liberated us to be free. Stand firm then and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.” - Galatians 5:1

Jesus is liberating. What in the world does this mean? It means that you’re free. You’re free to breathe. You’re free to laugh. You’re free to fail.

Let me explain. Most believers I know are too uptight. They take themselves too seriously and they take their religion too seriously. I was like that too. It affected everything. Church, work, marriage, parenting. I couldn’t help it, really. That’s the natural (and only) result of dwelling on what I call “bootstraps Christianity.”

One of my favorite preachers/authors, Tulian Tchividjian, states correctly that most believers trade a cross, which saves us gloriously through the grace of Jesus, for a ladder. In other words, grace saves us, but it’s our works that keeps us. We may not say those exact words, but they’re preached every Sunday. Go into a typical church and you’ll be given a to-do list. A checklist. You’ll be implored to be better, try harder, do more.

This is not the Gospel. The Gospel is good news for those who just can’t cut it. It’s cold water for the parched. It’s a remedy for the terminal.

I can’t muster up enough strength to climb the ladder. I just can’t. I’m not good enough or faithful enough. And I’m tired of telling other people to do the same.

Good thing the Gospel is true, huh? Good thing that Jesus brings liberation. You see, the Gospel presents to us a God that got His hands dirty. It presents to us a perfect Savior dying for imperfect creatures. It presents to us Jesus, crying out, “It is finished.”

What is finished? Your sin. Your efforts to earn favor with God. Your strained, vain efforts of self-improvement. And in their place, Jesus offers peace. Freedom. Liberation. A peace that enables you to have a clear conscience. An assurance that nothing you can do or can’t do will separate you from God. My friends, this is freedom. You don’t need a ladder. You have complete, utter forgiveness in Christ for every sin you ever committed or ever will commit. Some of you wrestle with this. I know. You’ve told me. You’re not sure you agree with it. You’re afraid my saying that will give you license to sin. That’s ok. You might just find the opposite is true… that a complete, all-in dive into grace actually empowers you to the growth and maturity you’ve searched for so doggedly.

I’ve started to embrace this freedom. Heck, it’s about all I talk about. Because it’s liberating. It’s freeing. Like Galatians 5:1 says, I refuse to let anyone submit me to that bondage again. And, by the grace of God, I won’t submit anyone to that either. I’ve lightened up. You should do. I’m free to breathe. I’m free to laugh, watch a little too much TV, and play bratty pranks on my daughter. I’m free to breathe, to relax, to know that God likes me. He really, really likes me. I’m free to fail. To mess up without doubt creeping in as to whether God’s angry with me. Because He’s not. Some of you may disagree with that too.

One more thing. I’m also free to love. Free to love. Free to live my life sharing the good news of God’s grace with everyone who will listen. Allow me to close with the words of this amazing hymn and let the amazing grace of Jesus empower you to relax, laugh, live, love, and serve.

And Can it Be That I Should Gain by Charles Wesley, 1738 -

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee. 

By His Grace,

Adam