Wednesday Bible Study – “Freedom is Not Free”
May 19, 2021
“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