True Freedom

If you know Jesus you can be in any situation, even in prison itself, but still be free because of your relationship with Him

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Henrietta Mears (1890-1963), who was a bible teacher told her students: “A bird is free in the air. Place a bird in water and he has lost his liberty. A fish is free in the water, but leave him on the sand and he perishes. He is out of his realm. Likewise, the Christian is free, when he does the will of God and is obedient to God’s command. This is as natural a realm for God’s child as the water is for the fish, or the air for the bird.”

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Many people live their lives in a mental or spiritual prison of their own making. Indeed, I believe that most of my Christian friends would admit to being in that place themselves before they knew Jesus. Many people don’t even realise that they are in a place of no hope or no escape from the things that bind them. Happiness can elude them because the things they believed would bring them that happiness actually turns out imprisoning and enslaving them. Nelson Mandela famously said: “As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison” To be free we have to get rid of our hatred, unforgiveness, blame, malice etc. and the only way to do that completely is Jesus. Only Jesus Christ can truly set us free from what binds us. In Luke 4:18 Jesus Himself says: The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free” 

Likewise in John 8:34-36 He says: Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free you will be free indeed.

If you know Jesus you can be in any situation, even in prison itself, but still be free because of your relationship with Him. I recently read in Christianity Today a moving article by a man called Antoine Davis, who is in the 16th year of a 62-year prison sentence in Washington State in the US. He heads his testimony with the words; “I went to prison for murder. God’s word brought freedom.” He tells of how he was brought up in a dysfunctional family. His step father was a very violent man, who physically abused him and his mother.  At the age of 13 his cousins introduced him to drugs and alcohol. He became the member of a gang. Another gang shot and killed one of his best friends so his gang committed a murder in retaliation. 

Three weeks before the killing he had become disillusioned with his lifestyle so he got on his knees and prayed but he still went out with his gang on that fateful day. In prison he was in deep depression. He writes: “I asked the young man in the cell for the bible he had offered and I had rejected just hours earlier. I had always believed in God, but I had never considered what he required of my life. I was too angry and bitter, never realising that my pain had become my prison, first figuratively and then literally,” He writes how after reading the word he received forgiveness and gave his heart to the Lord. When he was given his sentence of 62 years he asked God to help him through and he heard God say: “Walk with me son and I promise to work it out for your good.” 

True to His word Antoine received a certificate of Christian Leadership and then became a Pastor working under a Senior Pastor. He has seen numerous inmates come to the Lord and although he still has many years to serve in prison he has found true freedom in Christ.

Under the old covenant that was passed down through Moses, freedom was not given to the Israelites, even though they were God’s chosen people. They didn’t have direct link to God. They had priests, who served as mediators for them. They had to go to the temple and make a sacrifice as atonement for their sin. They had the unenviable task of having to follow many rules and rituals but they could not be justified by obeying the law, no matter how hard they tried. In the new covenant we have Jesus.  In John 8:31-32. 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.” When we follow Jesus, we are set free. Through that freedom we experience alleviation from the yoke of sin. Freedom is knowing that when our world is falling apart around us, we have a Heavenly Father, who is in control, we have Saviour that knows our suffering and we have the Holy Spirit that lives within us to keep and strengthen us.

In Paul’s day there were people in the early church, who wanted to hang on to some of the Jewish laws. One example is in Acts 15:1. It says: Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers unless you are circumcised according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved. Legalism causes disunity. Wherever legalism is allowed to grow disunity will follow. Even in some churches today there are people who don’t understand that legalism is a trap and disrupts the freedom we have in Jesus. 

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In his book The Grace Awakening, Charles Swindoll tells of a missionary family who literally were forced off the mission field because of peanut butter. This family was sent to a distant place where peanut butter was not available. They liked it so much that they asked friends in the US to send them some now and then. The other missionaries that were already there considered this an indulgence. The pressure from the other missionaries to stop receiving the peanut butter became so intense, that the newer family finally gave up and left the mission field. We have freedom in Christ and we must keep watch that we do not fall into legalism and make rules doctrines and regulations more important than the truth of the gospel.    

As ever I will end by offering a quote from Charles Spurgeon on freedom in Christ. He says: 

“We are free by might, as well as by right, for that same Jesus who bought our liberty for us, has secured it to us. Those grim prison walls, He has thrown down by His own pierced hands. Those ebon shades of darkness that surrounded us, He has chased away by His own glorious manifestation as our Sun of Righteousness. It is the Lord, the Liberator, who has set His people free, therefore, if you are among them, rend the heavens with your joyful shouts, you liberated ones! By the blood of the covenant, you are set free by the almighty “Breaker” who has come to break down your prison walls, and to make you ‘free indeed’ ”

Author: Thelma Cameron

(This is the Final MCF Life Church Blog article, and I would like to thank all the people who, for the past ten years have faithfully written articles to encourage and inspire people from all over the world, and all those who have taken the time to read them, we hope you were truly blessed. A special thank you to Gary O'Neil who inspired the start of the MCF Life Church 'blogspot' in 2015. The reason for this being the final blog, is that the MCF Life Church website will close down by the end of May 2025, as the fellowship moves into a new chapter of it's journey with the Lord).

As we hold to Christ's teaching, may you all walk in the freedom for which Christ has set us free. God bless you and may His favour be with you always.

Pastor Kevin Hunt

The Everlasting Covenant

The constituents of covenant are: a promise, an oath, a sign or sacrifice, a seal, and finally a shared meal.

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The concept of covenant runs right through the Bible. It is the basis of God's dealing with mankind, from the creation of this universe to its closure.

There are five clearly described God-given key covenants:

- with Noah (to preserve a functioning world until its end) [Genesis 8:21-22],

- with Abraham (a land for his descendants) [Genesis ch15, ch17]

- with Moses (laws and blessings for that people) [Exodus ch19 - 24]

- with David (an everlasting kingdom and King from his tribe) [2 Samuel ch7]

- and the new covenant (laws written on hearts and minds, forgiveness from iniquity, and the promised eternal inheritance) [Jeremiah 31:31-34, Hebrews ch8-9]

These covenants progressively build on one another to form a comprehensive redemptive narrative. In my view there is actually only one covenant, made up of successive declarations to an individual, to a tribe, then to a nation that could be used to bless all nations. God rescued contaminated humanity through Noah, initiated redemption through Abraham, promised an everlasting shepherd-king through David, then fulfilled all of this in Jesus, making redemption available, not only to the chosen Hebrew people, but to us all.

The world functions around contract, being an agreement amongst equals, supposedly to the mutual benefit of all, yet so often utilised to exploit and control. But the Bible is based on covenant, being an arrangement between a greater (suzeraine) and a lesser (vassal). The vassal has only to offer loyalty but gets in return protection and prosperity, safety and security. Man-made covenants existed, but God perfected the practice.

The constituents of covenant are: a promise, an oath, a sign or sacrifice, a seal, and finally a shared meal.

Jeremiah (ch 31:31-34) looks forward to the new covenant, which is then quoted in full by the writer to the Hebrews (ch 8:6-12). Then we find the words:

'In speaking of a new covenant, He makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.' (v13)

Does this mean we can do away with the entire Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)? By no means. God has seen to its preservation so that we may be instructed in the complete redemptive narrative, and the crucial connection between Jew and Gentile, linking Jewish Messiah and Saviour of the world.

The wider context of the letter makes this clear. Firstly, the letter wasn't written to gentile people looking for ways to set aside the Jewish identity of Jesus, but was written to Jews who were contemplating slipping back into Jewish law in order to avoid persecution as Christians.

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Secondly, the context of chapters 7-10 is about one specific part of the covenant with Moses, that of the sacrificial system and the use of animal blood as temporary atonement for unintentional sin. This aspect has indeed been fulfilled and therefore does not need repeating. We no longer sacrifice animals for sin because the perfect, unblemished, sinless Lamb of God has been killed on our behalf. Ritual slaughter is now obsolete, the most holy place has been opened to all who repent of their sins and turn to Jesus who became sin for us and the Way to our redemption.

So all the rest of the covenant story is intact, and as relevant today as it was at its inception. The seasons promised to Noah still provide for seed and harvest. The land of Canaan promised to Abraham's descendants has been miraculously restored to them and is still their homeland despite threats from all sides. A Prophet like Moses intercedes for us in heaven. A King in the line of David sits on the throne in the Kingdom of Heaven and will one day judge us all. And today the Holy Spirit visits us, instilling His instruction into our hearts and our minds, as we look forward to sharing an everlasting inheritance with Jesus who has gone before us.

“Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way." (2Chronicles 6:14)

Author: John Plumb

May God bless and enrich your life

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