Freedom and Grace

"I know that this is truth." I whisper to myself.
"But is it really?... How do I truly know this is truth?" I second guess myself for the millionth time.
"I know this is truth." I repeat.
"What proof do I have? Even if it is truth what can I do about it?...."

If you've ever had a thought process like this ^ before, we have something in common. Last week I posted about truth and how we need to read truth to discern Satan's lies. But even if we know something is true, it's hard to believe that it's true.

That may sound a bit contradictory, but think about it. Believe means having confidence in something, know means understanding something as a fact. While you may know as a fact that something is true, it can be hard to have confidence in that truth to response accordingly.

So right now I'm going to talk about freedom and grace. And where better to dive in than to look at God's Word?

I would never be able to choose a favorite book of the Bible. However, Galatians is definitely in my top five. It talks about freedom and grace, along with many other truths. Here are some verses that we'll dig more into...

Galatians ....

1:15,"... who from my mother's womb set me apart and called me by His grace..."

2:21, "I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing."

3:26, "for through faith you are all sons of God in Christ Jesus."

4:7, "So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then God has made you an heir."

4:9, "But now, since you know God, or rather have become known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elements? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again?

5:1, "For freedom, Christ has set us free. Stand firm then and don't submit again to a yoke of slavery."

5:13, "For you were called to be free..."

6:15, "... what matters instead is a new creation."

Wow! What amazing verses!

I have a question for you... Do you understand what the grace of God truly is?

Before you answer that think really hard while I ask another question: Do you put the pressure on yourself to do things for Jesus that perhaps just seem like the right things to do? Do you try to earn God's favor by doing things for Him?

I do not believe that we can get to heaven through any way, but through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). I do not believe that we can have access to God through our own works and actions.

But sometimes I struggle to believe in the abounding grace of God.

I hadn't even realized this until recently. Sometimes I try to do this life on my own. On my own terms. On my own strength.

That isn't the way we were called to live. As Galatians 5:13 says, "For you were called to be free,". Grace and freedom go hand in hand. God has such amazing grace on us that He sent His One and Only Son to die on a cross to set us free from our sins.

Okay, so I know you may be thinking, what in the world does this all have to do with truth? Good question... for a moment there I was kind of wondering where this post was going (God's got this under control).

Satan attacks us. He knows our weaknesses. For some of us that comes in the form of insecurity, doubts, and fears. He can cause us to question who we are in Christ. He can cause us to doubt God's unfailing grace. He can cause us to feel as if we aren't free. He tempts us to go back into bondage.

That's why it's so important to remember truth! What does grace and freedom have to do with true? This grace and freedom we have in Christ is truth.

God's grace is unfathomable. We can only hope to scratch the surface of His grace!

~~

One of my favorite songs is Scandal of Grace by Hillsong United. It's a great song if you wanted to listen to it (click here to listen to it).

Let's talk...

What're your thoughts on truth, grace, and freedom? What are some of your favorite Bible verses about freedom and grace? In what ways do you struggle to believe God's grace and to live in His freedom?