October 16 Day 289 Faith, Love and Freedom In early February 1974 I was facing the biggest decision of my life. I was convinced through reading the New Testament that Jesus really was the Son of God. But I did not want to be a Christian ......as I feared that I would lose my freedom. The last things that I associated with faith were love and freedom. In fact, the opposite was the case. I associated faith with losing my freedom. I thought that God would want me to stop doing all the things that were fun and that I enjoyed. For many people today, freedom and love are the last things in the world that they associate with faith. Some even regard people of faith as preachers of hatred. In fact, I have discovered over the last 40 years that, as we see in today’s passages, true faith leads to freedom and love. Love, faith and freedom are inextricably entwined. 1. Have faith in God’s Word, let God’s love shape you and walk in freedom Psalm 119:41-48 This section of Psalm 119 begins with God’s unfailing love: ‘Let your love, God, shape my life’ (v.41a MSG). It ends with the psalmist’s response of love: ‘I cherish your commandments – oh, how I love them! – relishing every fragment of your counsel’ (vv.47b–48, MSG). In between, he speaks of his faith in God’s word. He says, ‘then I will answer the one who taunts me, for I trust in your word’ (v.42). Trust and faith are almost synonyms. People of faith are taunted today as they always have been. But, whatever happens, keep on trusting in God’s word. Ask God to reveal to you more and more of his unfailing love (v.41). Respond in love (vv.47–48), trust, hope and obedience (vv.42–44). Seek God’s ways through the Bible, and you will discover true freedom and be able to say, ‘I’ll stride freely through wide open spaces as I look for your truth and your wisdom’ (v.45, MSG). Lord, today may we experience your unfailing love and respond with love for you and all those we meet and those with whom we speak. As we put our trust in you and your word, may we walk in freedom. 2. Hold on to faith, respond with love and see people set free 1 Timothy 1:1-20 The apostle Paul was responsible for leading Timothy to faith in Jesus Christ and in this way is Timothy’s spiritual father. Like any good father, Paul is concerned about Timothy and wants the very best for him. He describes Timothy, to whom this letter is written, as his ‘true son in the faith’ (v.2). Timothy has also become a leader, pastor and teacher. Paul gives him instructions on leadership and how to deal with problems in the church. These are of great relevance to all of us today. God’s work is by faith (v.4). ‘The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith’ (v.5). Love and faith should always go together. Paul lists various sins that are to be avoided at all costs (vv.8–11). Among these is slave trading (v.10). Slavery is the opposite of freedom and trafficking people is an abomination. Paul goes on to give his own testimony in which faith, love and freedom are intertwined. He was ‘once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man’ (v.13). He describes himself as ‘the worst of sinners’ (v.16). I find it fascinating to see the way in which the apostle Paul describes himself. Much earlier, he described himself as ‘the least of the apostles’ who does not ‘even deserve to be called an apostle’ (1 Corinthians 15:9). Later on, he says, ‘I am less than the least of all God’s people’ (Ephesians 3:8). Now, he describes himself as ‘the worst of sinners’ (1 Timothy 1:16). It seems that the more he has grown in his relationship with the Lord and the closer he has come to the light of Christ, the more he sees his own unworthiness. I think it is often true that as we go on in the Christian life, our conviction of sin increases and our appreciation of God’s forgiveness, love and mercy grows. True guilt is not an unhealthy emotion – provided it is followed by repentance and forgiveness. PT Forsyth once said, ‘Our churches are full of the nicest, kindest people who have never known the despair of guilt or the breathless wonder of forgiveness.’ Jesus Christ sets us free: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst’ (v.15). Salvation means freedom; it came about as a result of grace. Do not wallow in your past. Rather celebrate your present freedom and the grace that brought it about. ‘Grace mixed with faith and love poured over me and into me. And all because of Jesus’ (v.14, MSG). Christian love flows out of God’s love for us, which is poured into your heart by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). Yet it is far more than an emotion. As John Stott writes, ‘Christian love is not the victim of our emotions but the servant of our will’. As Stephen Neill wrote, ‘If a mathematical analysis of ‘love’ were to be attempted, it would probably assign 10% to emotion, 20% to understanding and 70% to will.’ Paul became an example for others who would believe in Jesus Christ and receive eternal life (v.16). ‘To believe on him’ is the act of faith. This initial act of faith needs to be followed by a life of faith. Thus, Paul urges Timothy to ‘fight the good fight, holding on to faith’ (vv.18–19). He warns of others who have ‘shipwrecked their faith’ (v.19). Lord, thank you for the example of Paul. Thank you that although he was the worst of sinners – a blasphemer, a persecutor and a violent man – you set him free. Thank you that if you did that for him you can do it for me and for everyone to whom we bring the good news of Jesus. Help us to respond with love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience and sincere faith. Help us all to fight the good fight and to hold on to our faith. 3. Put your faith in Jesus, know his love and set the captives free Jeremiah 32:26-34:22 ‘Whatever you love most, be it sports, pleasure, business, or God, that is your god!’ wrote Billy Graham. The constant temptation of the world is to divide our hearts. But God is looking for those who are single-minded. God himself rejoices in doing good to us with all his heart and soul (v.41). Surely we can return his love by serving him with all our heart and soul – with singleness of heart and action? God’s love endures forever (33:11). He loves his people. He longs for them to walk in a close relationship with him. He was desperately disappointed that they ‘turned their backs on me – won’t even look me in the face!’ (32:33, MSG). He longed for a time when they would relate to him in ‘singleness of heart and action’ (v.39). In his love for you God wants to communicate with you: ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know’ (33:3). He wants to bring you health and healing (v.6a). He wants you to enjoy peace and security (v.6b). He wants to cleanse you from all the sins you have committed and forgive you completely (v.8). He wants you to enjoy freedom from captivity (v.7). He wants to bring you joy and gladness (v.11). All this will result in renown, joy, praise and honour for God (v.9). It will lead to thanksgiving. ‘Give thanks to the Lord Almighty, for the Lord is good; his love endures forever’ (v.11). God wants his people to be free. Jeremiah was being held in captivity (v.1), which was contrary to God’s purpose for his people. God wants to set his people free from the captivity of the exile into which they are about to go. In New Testament terms, this restoration, this redemption from exile, is ultimately fulfilled in the freedom Jesus brings from the captivity of sin. God continues to have a concern about physical captivity. That is why slavery is such a terrible evil. In the Old Testament we see some hints of God’s disapproval of slavery. He tells Jeremiah ‘to proclaim freedom for the slaves’ (34:8). Initially, the people responded by setting their slaves free, but afterwards they changed their minds and took them back (vv.10–11). God strongly disapproved of their actions. The Lord says, ‘you have not proclaimed freedom for your own people. So I now proclaim ‘freedom’ for you … ‘freedom’ to fall by the sword, plague and famine’ (v.17). This ‘freedom’ is the false freedom that we so often see experienced in the world today. The freedom to sin leads to destruction. The freedom that God wants to bring in your life leads to a life of faith and love. This is true freedom. Lord, thank you for the freedom you bring to our lives. Help us today to turn our face toward you. I want to call on you and hear your voice – to understand great and unsearchable things. Help me to serve you today with singleness of heart and action, to give thanks to you for all your goodness and for your love, which endures forever. Pippa Adds Jeremiah 32:27 When facing the big stuff in our lives, it is encouraging to read: ‘Is anything too hard for the Lord?’
Posted on: Tue, 15 Oct 2013 21:32:56 +0000
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