{"id":2913,"date":"2015-06-28T09:00:52","date_gmt":"2015-06-28T14:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.barbdahlgren.com\/?p=2913"},"modified":"2015-08-10T17:14:04","modified_gmt":"2015-08-10T22:14:04","slug":"choose-to-use-freedom-wisely","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/?p=2913","title":{"rendered":"Choose to Use Freedom Wisely"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Year of Choices…<\/em><\/p>\n

By Barbara Dahlgren from Barbara\u2019s Banter at www.barbdahlgren.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Celebrate\"<\/a>As Independence Day fast approaches we all anticipate parades, picnics, and fireworks.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This annual holiday, sometimes referred to as the Fourth of July, is synonymous with celebration.\u00a0 And why not celebrate?\u00a0 After all, when the United States declared independence from Britain it became the land of the free.\u00a0 However, the founding fathers knew this new found freedom should not give license for people to just run rampant or we would be in a bigger mess than we were before.\u00a0 In other words, freedom must be used wisely.<\/p>\n

Freedom should not be used to deliberately hurt others.\u00a0 We don\u2019t want to give people the freedom to abuse others, commit murder, steal, or rape.\u00a0 We don\u2019t want pedophiles touching our children.\u00a0 We don\u2019t want public school teachers feeling free to teach every new age theory that comes along.\u00a0 We hate getting speeding tickets, but we sort of like having those speed limits, traffic lights, and stop signs.\u00a0 We trust ourselves not to misuse our freedom, but we aren\u2019t so sure about the other guy!<\/p>\n

New found freedom can be a heady experience.\u00a0 I often think of new college students.\u00a0 Some have not learned how to handle freedom by the time they move far away from home for the first time.\u00a0 Without mom and dad\u2019s watchful eye they sometimes consume massive amounts of alcohol and focus on partying instead of education.\u00a0 They become prey to credit card companies eager to issue them new credit cards so they can charge, charge, charge their lives away!\u00a0 It takes a while for them to learn that they are only hurting themselves.\u00a0 The smart ones eventually decide to use their freedom wisely.<\/p>\n

The Bible refers to Christians having freedom in Christ.\u00a0 Paul speaks of this freedom by admonishing the Galatians to \u201cstand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free\u2026\u201d \u00a0(Galatians 5)\u00a0 God no longer wants us to adhere to a long list of requirements to draw close to him.\u00a0 There is no need for circumcision or being slaves to ordinances, sacrifices, and rituals.\u00a0 Righteousness is no longer measured by a list of dos and don\u2019ts.\u00a0 A list like that provided a certain comfort level because just following it made one feel assured of pleasing God.\u00a0 And one never had to think about what was right or wrong \u2013 just look at the list.\u00a0 That was the old covenant \u2013 a physical approach to a physical law.<\/p>\n

\"Galatians<\/a><\/p>\n

The new covenant is a spiritual approach.\u00a0 We have access to God directly.\u00a0 There is no need to jump through hoops to get his attention.\u00a0 He walks with us and talks with us.\u00a0\u00a0 However, even though Paul reminds us to stand fast in this new found freedom, we are cautioned to use this new found freedom wisely \u2013 the way God intended.\u00a0 We are told not to pursue works of the flesh such as \u201cadultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, heresies, murders, drunkenness, etc\u2026\u201d Rather we are encouraged to walk in the spirit of \u201cjoy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance,\u201d and so on.<\/p>\n

Consider this\u2026 Freedom in Christ does not give one license to do evil, just like freedom in America does not give one license to do harm. \u00a0If anything, we should be filled with a sense of responsibility to use all our freedoms for the good of everyone.<\/p>\n

\"God<\/a><\/p>\n

Suggestions for practicing this choice\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n