Freedom

“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that our very act of existence is an act of rebellion.” Albert Camus

In this growing grace revolution that our Father is propelling, those of us who are moving forward with Him must be prepared for misunderstanding and criticism. The Bible says that one day everybody who has ever lived will see Jesus, "And one will say to Him, 'What are those wounds between your arms?' Then He will say, 'Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.'" (Zechariah 13:6)

Remember, it wasn't the God-haters who persecuted Jesus, but the religious people of His day. Don't be surprised when you are misunderstood and maligned for your stand. Jesus said, "Blessed are you when you are persecuted for righteousness sake." The message of the grace walk is the message of righteousness - God's righteousness being given to us without our having to do a single thing to get it. The very idea of that kind of raw grace flies in the face of the religious world.

Live free and you'll be seen as a rebel. Tell people that we don't have to live by religious rules anymore and they'll accuse you of being antinomian (against the law). Tell them that God's love is bigger than they can imagine and they'll accuse you of being a universalist. Tell them that we don't have to do anything and they'll accuse you of teaching passivity. Tell them that all their sins are forgiven - past, present and future - and they'll accuse you of encouraging licentiousness (a license to sin).

Free people look rebellious to those who think prison is God's intended home for us all. What do we do? Just keep telling the truth. Love people enough not to water down the gospel with the works of the law no matter how much they want to you to do that.

Paul asked the Galatians, "So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?" (Galatians 4:16) Don't be surprised when you find the same question coming to your own mind. In fact, if you aren’t ever criticized, you might ask yourself why. Tertullian was one of the first Christian authors whose writings became widespread. He lived 150-200 years after the life of Jesus. He was the man who coined the word “trinity.” (The word isn’t found in the Bible.) About biblical truth, Tertulian wrote, “The first reaction to truth is hatred.

Live free. Live free when people criticize you. Live free when they think you've gone off the deep end. Live free when they think you are irreverent. Live free! They may think your very existence is an act of rebellion, but in reality it is an expression of the righteousness of Almighty God.