{"id":15357,"date":"2017-07-01T13:49:58","date_gmt":"2017-07-01T17:49:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=15357"},"modified":"2017-07-22T10:24:20","modified_gmt":"2017-07-22T14:24:20","slug":"free-of-god-or-free-in-christ","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=15357","title":{"rendered":"Free of God, or Free in Christ?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The signboard message said &#8220;Freedom in Christ.&#8221;\u00a0 But don&#8217;t many people prefer their own notion of freedom; a freedom apart from Christ?\u00a0 A freedom FROM God?\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Signboard-2017-07-01-Freedom-in-Christ-_IMG_4423.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright  wp-image-15378\" src=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Signboard-2017-07-01-Freedom-in-Christ-_IMG_4423.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"226\" height=\"170\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Signboard-2017-07-01-Freedom-in-Christ-_IMG_4423.jpg 400w, https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Signboard-2017-07-01-Freedom-in-Christ-_IMG_4423-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 226px) 100vw, 226px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Some may not understand the freedom that God offers, and instead they might prefer to have freedom to ignore God.\u00a0 They might be more apt to ask the following and choose the second option:<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0 \u00a0 FREEDOM <strong>IN<\/strong> CHRIST<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 OR<\/p>\n<p>FREEDOM <strong>FROM<\/strong> CHRIST?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #800000;\">The &#8220;God Questions&#8221;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Every human being eventually needs to come to grips with the &#8220;God Questions.&#8221;\u00a0 Questions like the following need to be answered&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/galaxies-601015_400x300.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright  wp-image-8684\" src=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/galaxies-601015_400x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"220\" height=\"165\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/galaxies-601015_400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/galaxies-601015_400x300-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 220px) 100vw, 220px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Does God exist?\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Does God know that I exist?<\/li>\n<li>Does God care that I exist?<\/li>\n<li>Does God care what I do with my life?<\/li>\n<li>Should I care if God cares or not?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Even before we open a Bible or get into any religion, we need to wade into these questions and come to an answer that makes sense to us; even if that answer changes over the course of our lives.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Free FROM God<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Many people choose to answer the &#8220;God Questions&#8221; with mostly &#8220;Nos.&#8221;\u00a0 It&#8217;s more comfortable to be rid of God and to not worry about it.\u00a0 Their thinking might go something like this:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>NO- God doesn&#8217;t exist.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>&#8230;\u00a0 And even if He did, He doesn&#8217;t care.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>&#8230;\u00a0\u00a0 &#8230; And even if He does care, there&#8217;s nothing I can do about it; <br \/>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He&#8217;s a ruthless judge and there&#8217;s no use trying to please Him.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>So, I might as well go it alone and take my chances.\u00a0 Take advantage of the short time I have on this earth and &#8220;go for the gusto.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Free IN Christ<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>But there&#8217;s another way: Maybe God really DOES care about us.\u00a0 Maybe God DOES want to have a relationship with us (and we do need to care about whether or not God cares).\u00a0 If that&#8217;s true, then God DOES care about our actions.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s what David wrote about God (in Psalm 139:1-4)&#8230;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n <em><span style=\"color: #993366;\">Lord, you have searched me and you know me. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><span style=\"color: #993366;\">You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><span style=\"color: #993366;\">You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><span style=\"color: #993366;\">Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.<\/span> <\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>And so the next question is: If God knows all about me, is He happy with what He sees?\u00a0 Is God pleased with me?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=romans+8&amp;version=TLB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Romans 8<\/span><\/a>, the Apostle Paul talks about that churchy word, &#8220;Sin.&#8221;\u00a0 But he&#8217;s not trying to make us feel guilty or to shame us into repenting or becoming more devout church members.\u00a0 In this chapter, &#8220;sin&#8221; is something that robs us of of being at peace if we answer &#8220;Yes&#8221; to the God Questions.\u00a0 Sin is something that enslaves us and tangles us up, preventing us from becoming all that God has called us to be.\u00a0 Sin prevents us from enjoying the blessings that God wants to give us.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><span style=\"color: #993366;\">Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; <br \/>\n but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.\u00a0 <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><span style=\"color: #993366;\">The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;\u00a0 <br \/>\n the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God&#8217;s law, nor can it do so.\u00a0 <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><span style=\"color: #993366;\">Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><span style=\"color: #993366;\">Romans 8:5-8<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>God <em>does<\/em> want us to become obedient children.\u00a0 But Sin keeps getting in the way and it keeps dulling our relationship with God.<\/p>\n<p>But we are free to answer &#8220;Yes&#8221; to all of the &#8220;God Questions&#8221;!\u00a0 Paul opens this chapter with the following claim (Romans 8:1-2):<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><span style=\"color: #993366;\">Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,\u00a0 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.<\/span> <\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>No condemnation!\u00a0 Free!!!<\/p>\n<p>True- God&#8217;s not pleased with many of the things we do, but He doesn&#8217;t condemn us.\u00a0 Instead, if we want to change and if we trust the fact that Jesus paid for our sins, we are <strong>free<\/strong> from worrying about our sins.\u00a0 We are <strong>free<\/strong> to receive all of the good things in life that come from having a relationship with God instead of dealing with guilt and struggling to make the most out of life by on our own terms.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993366;\">Freedom that Makes the Most out of Life<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/Sistine-Chap-God-Adam.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright  wp-image-3508\" src=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/Sistine-Chap-God-Adam.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"218\" height=\"143\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/Sistine-Chap-God-Adam.jpg 277w, https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/Sistine-Chap-God-Adam-207x136.jpg 207w, https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/Sistine-Chap-God-Adam-260x170.jpg 260w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 218px) 100vw, 218px\" \/><\/a>And so, we don&#8217;t have to be free of God.\u00a0 We don&#8217;t have to think that God doesn&#8217;t exist, and then worry about our purpose in life.\u00a0 We don&#8217;t have to think that God is a ruthless judge, and then worry if we&#8217;re pleasing Him or not.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, God gives us the option of being &#8220;<strong>Free in Christ<\/strong>&#8220;; \u00a0 of being free to know that God loves us and that He is able to forgive our mistakes and to help us to move on.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n <em><span style=\"color: #993366;\">In him and through faith in him we may approach God with <span style=\"background-color: #ffff99;\">freedom<\/span> and confidence.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">\n -Ephesians 3:12<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; color: #003366;\">+\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +<\/span><\/p>\n<p>For more signboard messages, click this button:\u00a0 <a href='https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?cat=51' class='big-button bigteal'><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Signboard Messages<\/span><\/a> \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The signboard message said &#8220;Freedom in Christ.&#8221;\u00a0 But don&#8217;t many people prefer their own notion of freedom; a freedom apart from Christ?\u00a0 A freedom FROM God?\u00a0 Some may not understand the freedom that God offers, and instead they might prefer to have freedom to ignore God.\u00a0 They might be more apt to ask the following [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15378,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[103,149],"class_list":["post-15357","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-signboard","tag-freedom","tag-sin"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15357","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15357"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15357\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15383,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15357\/revisions\/15383"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15378"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15357"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15357"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15357"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}