Freedom IS free

1 Peter 2

"Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God."

(see blog post of 9/29/08 for Paul's assertion of the same topic to the Galatian church).

The paradoxes of the gospel are, as one might expect, simultaneously compelling and repulsive. As a good American, I know that freedom means I don't have to do nothin' for nobody and if anyone so much as tries to say otherwise, I can punch 'em in the mouth.

In the gospel, though, we see our true freedom lies in servanthood (slavery). Freedom, first and foremost is freedom from self...self-awareness...selfish concerns. As free people, our identity is completely swallowed up in that of Christ (Galatians 2:20). As we come to understand that our best life starts with death - that our ultimate freedom is being shackled to the risen Christ - we can begin to love as he loved.