Tuesday May 5, 2020

Your Daily Dose of Inspiration:

We don’t like the thought of not being our own master. Phrases like, “I’m a self-made man” or, “I’m my own person” are common in our society. We put a high value on not being subservient to anyone but ourselves. While it is good to have freedom between peoples, it is not good to have freedom from God. For if we are free from God, then we are necessarily slaves to sin. Likewise, if we are not slaves of sin, then we are slaves of God, for He is the only salvation from sin. Romans 6:16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

Many of us consider freedom to mean something like independence. The ability to live and do as you wish without interference. The ability to do whatever we want, whenever we want. This kind of independence, however, does not work in a relationship with Christ. For He is not a parent who has released us from His home to make our own way in the world. He is a Lord who has purchased our lives with His own. He places requirements and restrictions upon us. There are real expectations and consequences when those expectations are not realized. The Lord Jesus commands us to obey His voice, to deny ourselves, pick up our crosses, and follow Him. We are not left to make our own way; He is the way. We are not left to find our own truth; He is the truth. We are not left to live our own life; He is the life. There is no independence in Christ. Rather, there is a total dependence on Him to provide everything. John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

In order to come to Christ, there must be an admission that you can do nothing for yourself. There has to be the realization of your absolute need for Him, due to your inability. That is why James reminds us that more grace is given to the humble. For only the humble can come to the Lord for His salvation. The proud will not submit to Him, for they do not see their own lack. The proud think themselves totally independent and will resist any effort of God’s to bring them under His authority. They are fools. For in their desire to keep their independence, they bind themselves ever tighter to the shackles of their sinful nature. They are slaves of sin and are blind to it. But those who accept Christ as their master are released from the power of sin, which leads to death. Those humble souls accept Christ as Lord and choose to submit to His rule. For under His rule is found life everlasting.

-Jared Freeman, “Slaves Of Christ”