2 Types of Freedom

There are 2 types of freedom I am very thankful for. Both types of freedom were not earned by me, but by others who gave all on my behalf.

The first type of freedom is mine only because I was born in the United States. That freedom is mine because of 2 very important documents in our nation's history: The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution.

The freedoms granted me as a U.S. citizen allow me to choose where I want to live, where I want to work, how I choose to worship and how I raise my family.

How I use that freedom is determined by another type of freedom that I cherish even more than my physical freedoms.

The other type of freedom is mine because I was born into the kingdom of God.

That freedom is mine because of the blood of Christ, who gave all on my behalf. That freedom is recorded, not just in documents, but in 2 very large books: The Word of God and the Lamb's Book of Life.

The freedom we have in Christ is not a license to sin. "God forbid," as the apostle Paul said in Romans 6. The freedom we have in Christ released us from the bondage of sin and darkness and allows us to "walk in newness of life," for His glory.

That freedom He paid for with His blood also gives us access to and relationship with the Father. That freedom enables us to "come boldly to the throne of grace" (Hebrews 4:16).

You might say that God sees us through tinted lenses. He is fully aware of our flaws and imperfections, but when He looks at you and me, He sees us as covered in the blood of Christ and declares us righteous in His sight.

Remember, the freedom we have in Christ is not to be used to serve ourselves but to serve God and to serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13-14).

No matter where you are, who you are or what your past looks like, your freedom in Christ is yours for eternity. Use it wisely.