Here is the revelation that is shaping my life today – God’s freedom comes with personal responsibility, not law enforcement orders.
1 Corinthians 6:12 NLT
[12] You say, “I am allowed to do anything”-but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything.”
Observation
When sin is done with, when its voice is silenced and it no longer has any power of death of my relationship with God, then “I am allowed to do anything.” The extent of righteousness in Jesus is fully complete forever, so there is nothing I can do that changes my right standing with God, so I can do anything. The answer is clearly yes, “but not everything is good for you.” Your citizenship is secure in Jesus but your citizen life is dependant on what you choose to do. You can walk in the ways of the Kingdom and find the life of the kingdom released as you do. It is not rewarded to you for good behaviour, the life of the kingdom is in the seed of the kingdom, when you plant the seed you can’t help but harvest the life.
This is a real struggle for many, this freedom to do anything. They want God to judge sin and punish sinners who are in the Kingdom. But God can’t judge sin and defeat it again, He already did that in Jesus. They don’t believe the love of God and the beauty of life in the kingdom, are enough motivation for taking your freedom and living Kingdom life. So they want to reinforce and reinstate law and punishment, despite the fact that neither of these ever work. In a broken world, in our brokenness, we will never follow Jesus into the fullness of the kingdom, but God doesn’t withdraw our freedom in an effort to gain our complete obedience. He would rather have me broken, than not have me at all.
There is a warning here. When you walk in the ways of the world it has a habit of enslaving you. You can become addicted to its taste, its sensation. And while kingdom seed releases kingdom life, don’t be fooled there is a death still in the seed of sin. It’s not death to right relationship with God, it’s a dilution of the beauty of Kingdom life. We must recognise that life is a responsible activity, Jesus has taken full responsibility for my relationship rightness with God, but I am responsible for the life of the Kingdom flowing in and through me. So I am completely free, but I am responsible for that freedom.
Application
Live free, live responsible.
Response
Thank you that you do not free me and then place new shackles of law and punishment to make me obedient. You free me completely, no strings, no judgment, no stand-downs. I am free to enjoy you every day of my life. Thank you that you give me all the kingdom to enjoy, but you do not from me my freedom of choice, should I choose not to. I am a blessed man to know freedom and life.
Meditation
Meditation truth – “I am allowed to do anything.”
Consider:
How often do I take my freedom and use it irresponsibly? Am I enslaved by something my freedom has brought into my life?
Do I live in this kind of complete freedom where “I am allowed to do anything,” or do I still feel like God will punish me, reject me when I exercise freedom poorly?
JOURNEY DEEPER
