DUDLEY HALL — “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)

Some time ago I was in a church service where the music team lingered on lyrics celebrating our freedom. We continued for several minutes declaring that we are free.  I began musing on the degree of liberty we really have in Christ. It was interesting that on that occasion the sermon focused on how we can improve ourselves and feel better about ourselves if we would only practice certain specified disciplines.

It is great to be free from the penalty of sin’s curse. We could spend several eternities praising God for Jesus’s sacrifice, which satisfied eternal justice. Knowing that we do not have to face our sins should free us to embrace life with courage and confidence.

But there is more. When Jesus died for us — in our place — we died.  That is important because we were inextricably chained to self-absorption.  Since the original fall of mankind in the Garden, we have all been focused on ourselves. We spend most of our time trying to perfect and present ourselves in some acceptable fashion. We worry about how we are perceived. We measure our performance and compete with others for our own rights.  Even when we try to do something for others we experience the menacing thoughts of wondering how this will look to outsiders. We find that it “feels good” to do charity work, so we do it more for ourselves than for the people that need the service. We massage our resumes and put our best foot forward in order to climb the social and vocational ladder.  We become angry when others don’t see our point of view and value us as we deserve.

Wouldn’t it be nice to be free from that bondage? What if we could live beyond ourselves and for the glory of another?

That is the liberty Jesus offers. His death cut the power cord of sin in our present lives. Of course we can still choose to live in the selfish default mode, but we have been given a choice: the Spirit will enable us to live in the love of Christ. The same Christ that gave himself in our place has come to indwell us. We can be controlled by the love of Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:14) This includes two vital dynamics. First we will live with joyful gratitude. After all He is the hero. He lived the acceptable life. He died the necessary death. He is God’s Son, man’s Savior, creation’s sustainer, history’s subject and the world’s hope.  Why should any figure hold more intrigue for us? The treasure in knowing Him is unsearchable. The joy available in Him is without limit.

Secondly we will live with courageous confidence. He was raised from the dead and the same Spirit that raised him now lives in us and can transform us. When the message is proclaimed it will give hope to all who need change. Nothing in life is beyond the power of transformation. We can invade any sphere of this earth knowing that we represent a kingdom that is based on resurrection of the dead.

Yes, we are free. More free than we can imagine being. It is worth celebrating as well as appropriating. Let’s not live in selfish bondage when liberty is available.