A life given for our life...

In Canada, today is Remembrance Day. In the USA, it is called Veteran’s Day. Either way, this day we are to honor those who gave their lives that we might live in freedom from oppressive entities that tried to rule over us.

This day bears a vivid resemblance to what the Lord Jesus Christ did for us when He went to war against sin and Satan, dying on the cross that we might be free from sin that otherwise rules our lives. The Bible lists some of those extreme sins, such as murder, hatred, and so on, but it also spells out the root of all of them:

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)

Doing my own thing is a sin that is expressed in so many ways, some extreme and some easily hidden, yet nevertheless my way rather than the way of the Lord.

As I wear a poppy and remember the men and women who gave their lives for our physical freedom, I also think about Jesus who gave His life for my spiritual freedom so I could be no longer a slave to sin but a child of God, able to truly have a choice in what I do. While an unforgiven sinner, my way was the only way, my only choice, but now, in Christ, I can choose to obey Him and enjoy freedom. It is just as He said to those who claimed to believe in Him:

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:31–36)

This isn’t about freedom to do as I please. It is the freedom from having no another choice than going my own way — which is sin!

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. (Romans 6:1–7)

The word ‘death’ has several meanings, yet most of them are about separation… separation of the spirit from the body as in physical death, or separation of the soul from God as in spiritual death, or separation from sin to serve Christ as in being dead to sin and alive to God in the new life that Jesus gives. This is a death most welcome because it set me free from the only choice of running my own life, to the two choices: walking in the flesh or walking in the Spirit. The NT describes this well. See Romans 6:8-18 and also:

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery… But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (Galatians 5:1; 16–18)

PRAY: Jesus, the wonder of being able to walk in the Spirit certainly fills life with continual God-surprises. Not only do unexpected blessings happen to me, but I say and do things that are not premeditated and surprise me and bring blessings and smiles to others. Your freedom is utterly amazing and most certainly the way to live. “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) And the red poppy reminds me also of Your great sacrifice.