Sijo Chemmannur
Member
"you were called to freedom" Galatians 5:13
We live in a world of chains. Most of our course of actions are dictated not by our needs, but the demands of the surroundings and our selfish nature. Definition of freedom is very relative to various people. For some, the ability to vote is freedom, for others, equality etc. In a general consensus, freedom is the right and capacity of people to determine their own actions, in a community which is able to provide for the full development of human potentiality. Hence it is the free-will. But, there are some pre-requisites for this free-will. Freedom and responsibility are the two faces of the same coin. Freedom should be used only in a positive way, for a collective development of the society and not to unleash our evil desires. This is especially relevant in the contemporary world with the emergence of Islamic state in the middle east where the social, political and religious freedom is curbed in the name of God.
A writer once wrote an article named 'Chains of freedom'. In the writing, there is a teacher and a student. The teacher taught the student all the knowledge he knew. To speak to nature, to play with the wind and to control the senses. At last, the teacher gifted the student a vehicle and said, "you have the freedom to go wherever you want". Since he liked to touch the 'ends of the sea', he made a small boat and went into the waters. But, suddenly his boat began to sink. He got back, repaired it and started his journey again. But, again he sank. He repeated this again and again. Finally he went back to his master with complaint. 'The vehicle you gifted is of no use for me to reach the ends of the sea'. The master smiled and replied, ends of the sea is the sky and you have to fly for it. Then he molded his vehicle and fixed wings to it and it flew through the clouds to cherish the 'ends of the sea'.
Jesus Christ called us for the freedom. Freedom to do our free-will without the chains of sins which pull us back into the profundity of darkness and slavery. Even though He granted us the freedom, it also remind us the responsibility we have through the gift we earned by our faith in Him. This freedom from sin is not a license to do more sins in anyways. "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means!! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" (Romans 6:2). A change of character is essential for attaining this freedom through the abstinence of sin. "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (Galatians 5: 24).
Many may feel that they are always prone to do sin and it is almost impossible to give away with it. But, Jesus Christ set us an example how to live in this world without sin as a pure human. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet he did not sin" (Hebrew 4:15). Even though Jesus Christ was tempted like us, he resisted sin through his together with God in prayers. It was not easy for Him too. Son of God, Jesus Christ had to offer prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the father who can save Him from death (Hebrew 5:7). How much more cautious should we be to resist sin!!. Christian life is a journey of relentless try to resist evil and abide the true light of God at a personal and community level. "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). A true submission of our lives in the hands of God is thus become a pre-requisite to be a true Christian.
Finally, the Freedom from the sin through the death of Jesus Christ is not to be used for selfish ambitions, but to love one another and serve. Flourish good deeds resonating from the ripples of love. Our freedom from sin should be a token to love and serve others.
We live in a world of chains. Most of our course of actions are dictated not by our needs, but the demands of the surroundings and our selfish nature. Definition of freedom is very relative to various people. For some, the ability to vote is freedom, for others, equality etc. In a general consensus, freedom is the right and capacity of people to determine their own actions, in a community which is able to provide for the full development of human potentiality. Hence it is the free-will. But, there are some pre-requisites for this free-will. Freedom and responsibility are the two faces of the same coin. Freedom should be used only in a positive way, for a collective development of the society and not to unleash our evil desires. This is especially relevant in the contemporary world with the emergence of Islamic state in the middle east where the social, political and religious freedom is curbed in the name of God.
A writer once wrote an article named 'Chains of freedom'. In the writing, there is a teacher and a student. The teacher taught the student all the knowledge he knew. To speak to nature, to play with the wind and to control the senses. At last, the teacher gifted the student a vehicle and said, "you have the freedom to go wherever you want". Since he liked to touch the 'ends of the sea', he made a small boat and went into the waters. But, suddenly his boat began to sink. He got back, repaired it and started his journey again. But, again he sank. He repeated this again and again. Finally he went back to his master with complaint. 'The vehicle you gifted is of no use for me to reach the ends of the sea'. The master smiled and replied, ends of the sea is the sky and you have to fly for it. Then he molded his vehicle and fixed wings to it and it flew through the clouds to cherish the 'ends of the sea'.
Jesus Christ called us for the freedom. Freedom to do our free-will without the chains of sins which pull us back into the profundity of darkness and slavery. Even though He granted us the freedom, it also remind us the responsibility we have through the gift we earned by our faith in Him. This freedom from sin is not a license to do more sins in anyways. "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means!! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" (Romans 6:2). A change of character is essential for attaining this freedom through the abstinence of sin. "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (Galatians 5: 24).
Many may feel that they are always prone to do sin and it is almost impossible to give away with it. But, Jesus Christ set us an example how to live in this world without sin as a pure human. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet he did not sin" (Hebrew 4:15). Even though Jesus Christ was tempted like us, he resisted sin through his together with God in prayers. It was not easy for Him too. Son of God, Jesus Christ had to offer prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the father who can save Him from death (Hebrew 5:7). How much more cautious should we be to resist sin!!. Christian life is a journey of relentless try to resist evil and abide the true light of God at a personal and community level. "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). A true submission of our lives in the hands of God is thus become a pre-requisite to be a true Christian.
Finally, the Freedom from the sin through the death of Jesus Christ is not to be used for selfish ambitions, but to love one another and serve. Flourish good deeds resonating from the ripples of love. Our freedom from sin should be a token to love and serve others.