Set Free: 21 Day Devotional: Day 18

Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 1 Peter 2:16 (NIV)

Being “free people,” has meant different things, at different times in history. In the Roman world that Peter was writing to, the free people were Roman citizens. Citizenship came with privileges, but it also came with responsibilities.

Our view of freedom tens to be more modern, more Western, more American. We view freedom as autonomy, not being held to account for anything, and being able to do whatever we want, whenever we want.  

But freedom without responsibility is the forge of tyranny.

Does freedom without responsibility make you a slave to others? No, but it will make you a slave to your desires, to your sin.

It is easy to justify our behaviors, saying things like, “I’m just being real,” or “God knows my heart,” and while I would NEVER make a case for us to assume a more religious attitude, I will make a case for us to assume a more sanctified lifestyle.

If we treat the freedom that God has given us as an excuse to cover up our evil behaviors, we have simply traded masters, and installed an actual tyrant over our lives.

Like the Romans, our freedom in Christ is an issue of citizenship. We choose the one truly good Master, and we reject the others, including ourselves. Instead of Casesar, we bow to Jesus, and He gives us freedom; a different sort of freedom. Freedom, with responsibility, the sort of freedom that ends our selfish tyranny, and makes us more like Jesus.

Lord, thank you for setting me free.  Help me to never take advantage of this freedom, but instead, use me to help bring freedom to others. Amen.