Joanne Sher: Editor/Proofreader : Free Servants

Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-

up for evil; live as servants of God. 1 Peter 2:16 NIV

Did you read the verse up there? Well, read it again.

Go ahead. I'll wait.

It seems like a contradiction when you first look at it, doesn't it? The first part of this verse, and the last part.

Live as free men

Live as servants of God

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Free men are indentured to no one: how can someone be free AND a servant?

What is the freedom that God gives us? What are we freed from?

When we accept Christ as our Savior we are saved. But saved from what?

SIN - the guilt of our sins, the power of sin over us, and, once we're away from this earth, even the presence of it.

And because of that, we are free to do what is good and right: what is pleasing to God and in His will.

But we don't have to. And often, we don't.

We keep committing it. In fact, we often do exactly what the middle part of this verse says. We use [our] freedom as a cover-up for evil.

We figure we can ignore God's will and desire for us, since we're already saved and we can't lose it. We use our freedom as a reason to judge others. We even sin, while in the back of our minds we figure it's okay because we're already forgiven.

And this is NOT the life our Lord wants us to live. He sent His Son to die for us. Is this any way to show our appreciation?

When someone does something nice for you, you are often motivated to return the favor--not necessarily because you feel like you "owe them," but out of gratitude.

Is it too much to ask for us to do the same for Someone Who gave His life for us?

And the freedom to do right, and to please God, when acted upon, is doing His will and serving Him.

Not such a contradiction anymore, is it?

Heavenly Father, as we celebrate our country's independence this week, help us to remember the most important freedom Your children have - the freedom to reject sin and accept Your way, which is infinitely better every time. Help us to be the free servants You want us to be. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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Are you living as a free servant? How hard do you find it to do God's will? Do you FEEL free from sin? Do you serve Him through your obedience to His best - through doing His will?

Comment below, and/or stop by Living by Grace and we can chat a bit!