Wednesday Bible Study – “Freedom is Not Free”

“FREEDOM IS NOT FREE” 

REFERENCE – ST JOHN 8:30-32

• LIKE SO MANY OTHER THINGS IN LIFE, TRUE FREEDOM IS ABOUT MAKING LIFELONG CHOICES. 
• TO EXPERIENCE THE FREEDOM THAT ONLY JESUS PROVIDES, IT WILL COST YOU YOUR TOTAL BELIEF AND COMMITMENT TO LEAVE AN OLD LIFE AND PURSUE A NEW LIFE IN JESUS.
• ACCORDING TO JESUS IN ST JOHN 8:30: IT IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH THAT MAKES US FREE
• AND GAINING KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH WILL COST YOU BY:
  • PLACING YOUR BELIEF IN JESUS. 
  • BUT ALSO IT’S LETTING GO OF AN OLD BELIEF SYSTEM TO EMBRACE THE NEW CHRIST-CENTERED BELIEF SYSTEM TO LIVE BY.

• THIS IS NOT EASY FOR MOST PEOPLE,  BECAUSE WE HAVE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO BELIEVING WAYS OF THINKING WE HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO.
• ROMANS 12:1-2 – ONCE YOUR MIND OR THINKING CHANGES, THEN YOUR BELIEFS CHANGE AND YOUR DECISIONS IN LIFE, AUTOMATICALLY REFLECT YOUR NEWLY EMBRACED WAY OF LIVING IN CHRIST. 
• WE MUST DECIDE TO BECOME A DIFFERENT PERSON, A NEW CREATION IN CHRIST.
• 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 – IT’S YOUR CHOICE, TO LET YOUR SELF BE A NEW CREATURE IN CHRIST. 

• THERE IS TRADE-OFF DECISION MAKING, IN SAYING YES TO GOD. IT’S EITHER OR… NOT BOTH!
• FREEDOM REQUIRES YOU TO MAKE MANY EITHER-OR DECISIONS THAT HAVE LIFE CONSEQUENCES, SUCH AS: 
  • TELLING THE TRUTH 
  • AVOIDING WHAT GOD CALLS SIN. BECAUSE SIN CAN BE APPEALING AND PLEASURABLE TO OUR HUMAN FLESHLY INSTINCTS. (HEBREWS 11:24-27)
  • MAKING LIFE OR DEATH DECISIONS 
  • COMMITTING TO A LIFELONG PATTERN OF LEARNING, GROWING, AND BECOMING! 

• THE BOTTOM LINE IS, FREEDOM IS ABOUT CHOICES, TO EMBRACE A NEW BELIEF SYSTEM AND WORLD VIEW OF LIVING LIFE TODAY AND INTO ETERNITY, AS A DEVOTED FOLLOWER  OF CHRIST AND HIS BIBLICAL TEACHING. 
• YES, FREEDOM IS NOT FREE. BUT IT’S WORTH THE PRICE TO GAIN YOUR LIFE AND THE LIVES OF YOUR CHILDREN. (DEUTERONOMY 30:19)  

THE BENEFITS FOR GROWING

IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

 WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE:

• 2 PETER 1:2-10 
• GRACE AND PEACE IN YOUR LIFE COMES IN GREAT ABUNDANCE.
• NOTICE MORE GRACE AND PEACE COMES THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. THE KNOWLEDGE WE GAIN AND RETAIN (REFRESH), BY CONTINUING TO FOLLOW AND LEARN FROM JESUS. 
• WE CANNOT EXHAUST THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. THERE IS ALWAYS MORE AS WE GO DEEPER IN OUR WALK WITH HIM.
• THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD’S TRUTH REVEALS HE HAS GIVEN US ALL THINGS THAT PERTAIN TO LIFE AND GODLINESS. 
• AS WELL AS THE GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISE GOD HAS GIVEN TO US TO ENJOY.

CHOOSE LIFE TO FOLLOW JESUS TODAY.         

BISHOP ED SMITH