By Pastor Steve Nickodemus

Standing in Christ

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“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
Galatians 5:1 English Standard Version

It is a wonderful thing to dance and leap freely and joyfully about!  When the lame beggar is healed in Acts 3, he is “walking and leaping and praising God”!  No longer imprisoned by his handicap, he leaps and dances about, praising God for the freedom he has been given through Jesus Christ.

And even more so, when you and I are freed from the grip of sin, from our bondage to the law that condemns us, we rejoice and our hearts leap for joy and exuberance!  Jesus came into this world to set free those imprisoned by sin.  No more are we trying to desperately please God by keeping His commandments, futilely trying to make ourselves righteous before God.  Instead, Jesus, by His death on the cross, set us free from sin and death and the devil.

At the same time that we are set free, we use our new freedom in Christ to witness to others, firm in His grace and forgiveness.  We stand firm against all the attacks of the evil one who would accuse us of our guilt.  We stand firm in the security of being pardoned by the sacrifice of His blood.  We are set free from sin so that we can serve our Lord, never again living under the law’s accusations.

We refuse to be placed under the yoke of slavery of “always trying to be a little bit better.”  We live by the Spirit, joyfully serving Jesus.  We share this freedom from sin, this forgiveness and pardon in Jesus with all who are under the bondage of sin.  In Christ Jesus there is freedom and joy and peace. Amen!

Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church Colorado Springs, Colorado