“Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.” 1 Peter 2:16
Peter has just finished telling us to submit to all authorities, now he tells us to live as a free people. Every one loves freedom. America was founded on the principle of freedom.
The first thing is to live as a free people, but with a condition. You are not to use that freedom as a cover-up for evil. Many people, and even some churches, use the freedom they have in Jesus to say living in sinful practice is acceptable. Even though the Bible states to not have relations outside of marriage for a man and a woman, many do so because they are “free in Christ”. If you look around you can see many other ways people are using their “freedom in Christ” to live a sinful life.
This is where Peter states the next part of this verse: live as God’s slaves. Many people do not like the title of slave, it brings about bad connotations. With being a slave to God, this is for your good, not just to benefit God. You are to be bound to God as His slave. This means you must do everything that God tells you no matter what you think of it. In this position you no longer have any rights or privileges, you are owned completely by God and God alone.
You now have the freedom to do whatever God wants you to do when He wants you to do it. You are free to live a life not giving into the old sinful nature. In this way you can live as a free person. Being bound to God gives you all of His favor, wisdom, direction, strength, love, and help to do whatever needs to be done.
God is a loving God and not a tyrant of a master. Men are often tyrants with those under their authority. God does not work that way. God loves you and will never fail to lead you down the best path for your life. Sometimes that path may be painful, but it is still the best for you. You can trust God to care for you in every situation in life. All you need to do is be bound to God and trust and obey Him in everything.
I pray that today God will strengthen you to follow Him as His slave; that God will help you to trust Him in every situation; that God will reveal His love for you to you; that you will live your life freely for God; and you will not use your freedom in Christ for sinful living.
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