2 Corinthians 3:17 - There is Liberty
Food for Thought
An all-creatures.org Guide to Kingdom Living

By Marni Montanez

2 Corinthians 3:17

New King James Version (NKJV)

17. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

There is a deception that has traveled throughout the earth. No doubt this lie was perpetrated by our enemy.  It is the lie that Christianity somehow puts people in bondage. It has been believed that it takes away our fleshly fun and chains us up with the belief there are too many restrictions. What not to do.  This could not be further from the truth.  To be positioned in the Spirit of God is to be free. Totally free where one can take in the goodness of God and feel the power of His presence.   It is a place where our wounds are healed and our broken hearts mended.  It is our Lord who walked through the long dark tunnel of hell in order for us to walk in peace and hope.  This is liberty.  He walks among us and is involved in our lives and though He never invades He is very much willing to walk through an open door if we open it.  God, who created all things, dwells within and desires intimacy with us. It gives God pleasure to see us moving freely in His presence and dancing on the wings of the wind. He claps with joy when we believe with child-like faith that He is and wants to bless us.  He consumes our deepest fears and warns us of impending dangers.  He delights in our existence and with the eyes of an accepting Father, He watches over us with great delight.  When we are rebellious and defiant He waits longingly for our return and welcomes us with open and outstretched mercy.

God is omnipresent which means He is everywhere. The promise that where the Spirit of Lord is, there is liberty is extended to the unbeliever.  Being the all-powerful God He is, He could force unbelievers to turn to Him, but instead He showers love upon all mankind.  The sun rises and the rain pours on the just and unjust.  God’s love and mercy is all encompassing.  He is love and wishes to express that to every living creature. 

In the case of the woman in adultery, Jesus revealed God’s nature when He said “neither do I condemn you”.  He forgave her instantly without expecting her to ask for forgiveness. He offered her freedom without condition and without restraints.  This is God today.  But now He uses other believers to get His character of acceptance and love expressed to those who have lived a life of bondage.   His desire is to free us from every chain that satan puts on us.

Challenge:  Learn of the freedom you have in Christ and practice living in it.

God bless

Marni

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lamb-rightThe purpose of this series is to encourage people to live as loving, compassionate, and peacemaking children of God: Jesus tells us to pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10) God tells us through Micah (6:8), "He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God." And we know from Revelation 21:4 that there will be no more mourning, or crying, or pain, or death. Thus, Christian living requires us to set the standards of these conditions here on earth for our fellow human beings, and for the other animals, as a witness to the rest of the world. To do otherwise is not Christian.