“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2 NIV)
Grace, the gift that cannot be earned, has set us free from being slaves to the law. Because we have felt God's love -- that amazing grace -- we are free from the world's silly games. We can step outside the ways of the world that say our worth is measured in power and possessions and prestige. We are free because we know who we are – children of God. Freedom for us is not about creating yourself in your own image, but about finding the Creator's love for you in your own soul.
We are set free from the anxiety of the world to love one another as Christ loves us, which means that the love that sets us free binds us to our brothers and sisters. Therefore, the sign of our freedom is finally the sign of the cross. Because Jesus was free, He was not afraid of what the world could do to Him. He would not bow down to Pilate or play the political game. He would not cut a deal so that someone else would suffer and He would keep His resume intact. He was free to love without fear and to live and die for us.
Once we know Christ's love for us, everything changes. That love changes how we see and act toward other people …
We are to serve one another not because we have to, not because we are trying to win God's affection by doing the right thing, but because the nature of love is to love.
-- Excerpted from “From Anger to Zion: An Alphabet of Faith” by Porter Taylor
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