Perspectives

Freedom is through Christ, not idols

By Miles McNair
Posted 1/13/22

Sometimes we just blow it; we flat out know what to do and what is right, and we just don’t do it. I have this on divinely inspired authority, in fact. Check out Romans chapter seven. So, what …

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Perspectives

Freedom is through Christ, not idols

Posted

Sometimes we just blow it; we flat out know what to do and what is right, and we just don’t do it. I have this on divinely inspired authority, in fact. Check out Romans chapter seven. So, what is the issue? Why do we go away from the God who redeemed us from all iniquity and follow after things that are not profitable — in fact, oftentimes they are destructive?

It really is simple: At that moment, we love ourselves and our desires more than we love God and those around us. If we would frame our transgressions in this manner, it might well keep us from committing more sin against our creator and those we care for.

This framing is difficult because we like to give ourselves a pass when it comes to our transgressions — when in the same instance, we would bring the hammer down on someone committing the same offense. Again, it goes back to self-love and the idols we have built up in our hearts and minds.

This might seem harsh, and in a lot of ways it is, but resetting bones is never fun, and correcting our misguided hearts isn’t either. Fortunately for us, we have a God who was manifest in the flesh: Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us that through him we might have eternal life and be freed from the chains of sin.

If we love as Christ loved — see Philippians chapter two and Romans chapter five — we will not so easily go following idols but be fixed on the savior, in service to him and others, putting our desires and love of self behind us. As often is the case, this is more easily said than done, but this is the point. You can’t do it, but Christ can and we need to lean into and allow him to work in us in order to be freed from these idols — because only he does all things well.

 

(Miles McNair is the connections pastor at New Life Church of Powell.)

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