FREE INDEED! The Purpose Behind True Freedom

Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free… so, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." Jn. 8:31-36Our freedom doesn’t come from our government. It comes from God. And a person is only free, free indeed, when that person is "holding to Jesus’ teaching." Freedom has a purpose—not to do our own thing, but to do God’s will, His purposes. It’s being free to serve God by serving others.
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Yes, we are thankful to God to be in a country in which we are free to express ourselves and to pursue happiness. Yet, many pursuers of prosperity and power are miserable. These people are not free inside. That’s because they don’t see the purpose of true freedom.
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The Apostle Paul saw freedom’s true purpose and lived it. He said,"Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave of everyone to win as many as possible...I do this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings." 1 Cor. 9:19-23. Paul was "holding to Jesus’ teaching" and hit freedom’s true purpose—which is serving the Lord by serving others in order to lead them to a relationship with Jesus. He understood that true freedom was only attained through being committed to His cause, and he knew the secret of freedom: was to be a slave to Jesus & His will.
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Nobody is really free from serving a master. The Bible says that we are slaves to the one we obey (Rom 6:15-23). We’re only free to choose our master—which can be Satan and sin, or Jesus and His love. Being an American doesn’t automatically make one free inside. Being a sold-out follower of Jesus makes us truly free—free to be His servant.
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A good question to ask is, "Am I truly free?"Let’s always be thankful for the outward freedoms we have in this great country, and thankful for those people who gave their lives to secure those freedoms. This 4th of July enjoy the barbecue, the fireworks, the friends and family, the freedom to express yourself. But let’s also keep in the back of our mind what true freedom is all about.