“Whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in that world by lust.” (ASV)
Freedom is an ideal that we as humans have striven toward throughout our history. Just as God's chosen people Israel sought freedom from their bondage in Egypt, Christians today seek freedom from the slavery of their sins. Unfortunately freedom is seldom easily won.
We can take heart though in knowing that God also desires our freedom. He has gone to a great deal of trouble to ensure that we will have it. "For freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage." (Galatians 5:1 ASV) The justification provided to us when Christ hung on the cross covers all of our sins, past, present and future. We need only accept it.
Of course, once we have accepted justification, that isn't the end of the story. "For ye, brethren, were called for freedom; only use not your freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through love be servants one to another." (Galatians 5:13 ASV) "I can do all things in him that strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13 ASV) We still must struggle against sin every day, but we can know that God is there with us and He will provide us the strength to overcome.
Freedom is ours, as children of God. We need only to reach out and grasp it.
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