Freedom and Grace

I remember reading a book by Watchman Nee entitled "The Normal Christian Life" a few years ago which really opened up the eyes of my heart about the difference between Law and Grace.

Although there are many so-called 'grace preachers' or 'prosperity preachers' around and some have been found to be quite 'flaky' but there is no excuse not to explore and understand this important truth about Law and Grace.

Ian Russell reminded us as a church about the purpose of Grace through Christ who came to set us free.

Too many Christians has been bound up in legalism and religion rather than practicing the love and truth of the gospel in Grace.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free! We are a covenant people who has been called out of bondage of sin into a life of freedom and hope. Freely we received, freely give (this does not just apply to offering and tithing).

I love how God is showing us as a Church community, especially speaking a lot to me individually regarding freedom and grace.

Freedom is not a license to do what we want to do but it is a gift to enable us to do what we need to do for the sake of the gospel. Freedom when understood in the light of the Gospel leads to empowerment and the advance of the kingdom of God.

There are so many areas of freedom that God has taught me for the past few years. Freedom from sin, freedom to be myself, freedom in worship and expressing my heart to God, freedom in prayers, freedom from fear of men, freedom from guilt and fear, freedom to fulfill my calling in God without being afraid of the fleshly incompetence, freedom to reach out to people, to bless them and to love them with the love that I have freely received, freedom to express myself, freedom from false humility, etc etc. All these areas have been and are continued to be worked upon by the gentle and powerful person in me, the Holy Spirit as where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom!

When I first became a Christian, I used to be afraid of what people think of the way I act, the way I worship, the way I think and so many more. It was trying to please men rather than God. Praise God for His grace and His love who has taught me to fear Him and no one else. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom which then leads to much more understanding of what the gospel of Grace is all about.

It is definitely not about taking the grace of God for granted and continue to sin as what Paul was saying in Romans 7. In fact, he told us later that we should use our freedom to love others. Well love is patient and love is kind, it does not envy and it does not boast, it is not easily angered. Love is a verb, not a noun. It always leads to action, not just based on a feeling.

This is the freedom that helps us not to offend and to be offended by others easily, rather to practice patience, forgiveness and kindness to others. Do I have a choice not to take offense? Yes, I do! Do I have the choice to forgive and move on? Yes, in freedom I do! Am I able to overcome self-pity and choose to believe the voice of God rather than the devil? Absolutely! Freedom gives us the ability to choose life over death, love over hatred, kindness over evil and light over darkness.

Freedom gives us power to love and love with power. Richard, one of our elders made a beautiful statement, 'What good is love if it is powerless?' What is the use of love if we have not got the power to help the ones what we love. Imagine if God says He loves us but He is unable to help us? But thanks be to God, this is not the case! He is our Almighty, Al-powerful God! Name above every other name and He is seated far above all rule and authority, power and dominion. Wow! That is what I call powerful!

I am so so privileged, absolutely blessed to know this freedom in Christ Jesus. Thank You, Lord. Forever I am Yours! :)