The greatest freedom we could ever possess is not the freedom that our birth, family, or nation could ever provide. It is a freedom that isn’t deterred by death, but undeterred by death. This freedom is in Christ and as such is the greatest freedom we possess. All too often believers begin to hold forth the weapon of their ideal warfare and fight. They fight flesh and blood or begin to fight for ideals that are worthy. Sure they may assess their ideals are worthy because they are closest to biblical truths, but that is where the problem is. God’s Word teaches that we do not fight for that which is closest to the Bible, but for truth itself. We don’t fight for the truth because of what it affords us in this life, but because the truth has set us free – free indeed. It set us free indeed and can set anyone in the bondage of sin as servants of sin, free indeed. No government can set the people free from this bondage – not the leaders nor we the people. Sin is a more vicious and subtle enemy than any government or nation whether a representative democratic republic or sheer tyranny in all its forms. Sin holds all nations at ransom – some under the banner of freedom, some others under the banner of tyranny. Its’ subtleness is to offer death as the ideal – death masquerading as exceptionalism. Exceptionalism that can provide the soul ease all the way to death and eternal punishment is not exceptionalism but beguiling subtlety. May we not fall for it and see right through it. We must know, believe, and live in the light that the church holds the highest offices in the land. Freedom in this life is insufficient, that is, free but not free indeed. Fighting for temporary freedom can be a blood-sucking time waster, filled with debate and accompanied with uncontrollable circumstances to live a life you ought to live anyway. We use this freedom to our advantage, but we do not exalt it to our demise when it is no longer to our advantage. Instead, we fight, not for it, but fight the fight we should have already been fighting whether free in this life or not, that is, fighting the good fight of faith. We speak of the fight at the polls, in the voting box, at the grassroots – no it’s not. That isn’t our fight, that is someone else’s. What can the government tell me? – that pro-choice is right, that the government should teach my children, that I cannot share the gospel? These are the arguments of fear we hear from patriotic Christians. So their remedy fight and fight in their prescribed way. I fear these are the most fearful people. I have been fighting – where are you? I examine the last time I shared the gospel, not the last time I voted or watched the news. I examine the godliness of the church, not the godliness of the ungodly. If I allow the government to have that power over me, I am weak. See the fight for temporary freedom isn’t a fight for truth but ease and prosperity, a fight not to suffer.

This fight provides a sense of belonging, but belonging where? Our conversation is in heaven! This fight is a fight we were never given to fight. Instead, we were given to lay down our lives for the truth of Jesus Christ. Beloved, we don’t hold forth any weapon, but the word of life. Not living soul life, but quickening spirit eternal life. Do we not know what we possess? Our lack of esteem and our entanglement are costing souls. I truly am thankful for those that have sacrificed their life for my earthly freedom. Yet, such freedom simply points to a greater freedom one they cannot provide even in their death. Ultimately, dying for temporary freedom is noble for this life but vain for the life to come. Dying for eternal freedom is godly and eternal in this life and the one to come. We do warfare but in good warfare. We do fight but the good fight of faith. We do not get entangled in the affairs of this life even if they are close to the Bible. Most of all we ought not to expect a lost and dying world to receive the truth of God’s things without first believing the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Such knowledge is the light to shine in self-professed wise, but darkened hearts. All other light pales in comparison to the word of life. Such light is like a spark before the sun. Its glory is fading and fleeting – temporary and weak – a drop of water in the ocean. Herein lies one of the problems – the lack of the worthiness and value and power of God’s Word in the mind and heart of the Christian. It is easier to shine our light or the light of the world among lights of the world, but if we saw it all as darkness and the Word being the only source of light I trust we would appreciate and wield its brightness and power. We use temporary freedoms, but we stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has set us free. Are you free in this life?, you are Christ’s servant. Are you a servant in this life?, you are free in Christ. Earthly and temporary situations and circumstances are not the end goal. In fact, we have all that we need for this life and the next in Christ already. Therefore, we already have the victory thus we fight upstream not to save the stream, but because we are on another course looking to save the souls in that doomed stream. How foolish it is and would be to save the stream!

Now is the time to read, study, learn, hear, and receive God’s Word. Now is the time to communicate what you know of God’s Word. It has already been time, but Christians are starting to think saving the system is the best route. Show them the truth, show them our calling, not to save the system but save souls. Prove the will of God in your life, that God’s will is for all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth and in that order. Save yourself from this error and them that hear thee so that your profiting may appear to all. Take up that sword of the Spirit and start experiencing what it means to fight for souls for eternity and not be blinded in the darkness of some pseudo-righteousness by saving the system. Let us awake to righteousness and true holiness! Let us press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus – may we know it is a real thing!

Look Up,

Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher