Freedom Is Not Free

(In Honor of Martin Luther King)

“But God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

(Romans 5:8)

God loved us while we were yet His enemies, still sinners; Christ went to the cross for us. Many people would die for a friend or a family member, but for an enemy? Now, that’s love. That sacrifice allowed man the chance for spiritual freedom: freedom from sin and eternal separation from God in an eternal hell. We have the freedom to choose to accept that gift from God or reject it, but we have the freedom to choose.

That freedom, however, came at a great cost. Christ laid aside His glory in heaven to accept the brunt of all our sin. He received the beatings, the spitting, the insults, the cross, just for you and for me. He experienced a separation from His Father so we would not have to do so. FREEDOM IS NOT FREE … it costs!

“We have come to know love by this: that Jesus laid down His life for us; thus we ought to lay down our lives for our fellow Christians. But whoever has the world’s possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue but in deed and truth.”

(1 John 3:16-18)

Jesus laid down His life … His life style for us. His life was lived on our behalf. He gave up His will for God’s will for Him and for our redemption. As I honor the life and work of Dr. King today, that’s what I take away from his sacrifice. He gave up a life of pastoring, of a husband, of a Daddy and took on the will of the people. I’m sure it was God’s will for his life as well. He became the face of civil rights for all people; rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States and by the cross of Christ. No doubt, Dr. King’s family missed a lot of time he could have been at home. His church lost out on some one-on-one counseling and some dynamic Sunday preaching and Bible study. His dedication to the needs of the people came at a price: his personal time, his family time, his time with his church, and ultimately his life!

Dr. King laid down his life for everyone in need; black, white, Christians, and non-believers. Here is my question: How will you honor the legacy of Dr. King and the ultimate mandate of God upon your life as a believer? This is not so much a race issue or even a civil rights issue anymore. It’s an issue of our basic Christian life. Whom are we living for? What will be said of you and me at our going home service? Are we laying down our lives for anyone: a friend, family, fellow believers, neighbors, for God’s will?

We here in the U.S. have more than anyone, yet we complain we don’t have enough! We hoard, we invest, we save, yet we refuse to give from our need. We’ll gladly give from our excess, sure. But will we lay down our desires, give from our basic possessions, sacrifice our very lives for someone’s need, as Dr. King and so many others have done over the years? It takes a special person. It takes a person controlled by God’s Spirit and given over to His will.

What bigger need does a person have than to feel the love of Christ and to know Him personally? In honor of Dr. King, may I challenge you to lay your life down and love in deed and truth? Will you commit to give as you see a need, not as you have extra? Will you help someone you may not even like or someone who does not think highly of you? Can we live as real brothers and sisters, not known by the color of our skin but by the content of our character? Oh, that’s still a dream in many areas, isn’t it?

I thank God for Dr. King’s sacrifice and for the sacrifice of all who have laid down their lives for our freedoms. Even today, in 2012, we cannot put a time limit on the pain folks have suffered. We can however, live in such a way that honors all people and portrays empathy and genuine love and concern. It would also help if we ALL had a correct view of HIStory, not a view from only one side. Take the time to understand!

We cannot disregard race, or the discriminations and prejudices will go ignored. Most of us still have unerlying issues of prejudice to work out if are truly honest with ourselves. Ther is a glaring need to openly, honestly, and RESPECTFULLY discuss the real issues of life and realize that ONLY THROUGH CHRIST we can all be one!

Don’t get too comfortable, there is still a price to pay! For me and my family, the fight is not over until we all are one under the blood of Christ! FREEDOM ISN’T FREE! Are we willing to lay it down?