Freedom in Christ
Born Free is a movie based on a true story set in Kenya in the 1960’s and centres around Elsa, an orphaned lion cub. The orphaned cub is taken in by George Adamson, a wildlife warden, and his wife Joy. Elsa does not grow up in her natural habitat, but in a kind of comfort zone where she loses the ability to survive in the wild. When the couple learns that Elsa has caused a massive elephant stampede, they are advised to have her placed in a zoo. Joy Adamson, however, suggests that they try to teach her how to survive in the wild. Their attempts to leave her in the wild fail as Elsa is unprepared for a life outside her comfort zone. She is unable to fend for herself in the wild and gets attacked by warthogs and wild lions. As she becomes familiar with her environment, she learns to survive in the wild and is eventually accepted by a pride of lions.
When Elsa was released into the wild, she had to learn how to survive outside of her comfort zone, which was not her natural habitat. She was, in fact, being held captive and enslaved to a life that she was not created to live. Being in the wild was where she belonged. When we decide to follow Jesus, we surrender our lives to Him. We move from our comfort zone, the environment that held us in bondage and enslaved us, to a life of freedom in Christ Jesus. In John 8:34-36, Jesus says,
“‘Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.’”
When we surrender our lives to Jesus Christ, we turn away from the lives we lived in the “comfort zone” of the world and embark on a journey with Him. A journey that takes us from a life held captive (bondage) to sin to a life lived in freedom as a child of God. This journey we embark on is a journey of sanctification. Sanctification in the truth of who Jesus is – the Way, the Truth and the Life. And sanctification through the true Word of God.
This is what Jesus says in what is known as His “High Priestly Prayer” in John 17,
They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth John 17:16-19 (ESV).
Sanctification is something we need to pursue. It is ongoing and is not passive. We are to strive to be holy just as Christ is holy (1 Peter 1:16). This means saying “Yes” to the things that please him and honour Him, and “No” to anything that goes against the truth of His word. This is not something we can do alone. We need the guidance and wisdom of the Holy Spirit. We need the grace and courage of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. We need to be continually looking to Jesus. To continually bring every temptation that would lead us away from Him and what His Word says, under the blood of Jesus, so that we can stand in the freedom that Christ brought about for us.
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me". Galatians 2:20 (NIV)
Reflection
Are there any areas in your life you need to place under the blood of Jesus? Write them down. Surrender them to Him so that He can help you pursue holiness in those areas.
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for shedding Your blood on the cross of Calvary and dying for me so that I can be set free from the bondage of sin. Help me, Lord, not to give in to temptation, but to walk in the freedom that You bought for me. Help me, Lord, to pursue my sanctification. Lead me and guide me by Your Holy Spirit. I pray for Your strength and grace to continue to stand in Your freedom. In Jesus’ name, amen.
