The early church became known for promoting peace toward outsiders. Christians were known not only for peace, but also for sacrificial love.
In ancient Roman times, if a woman or parents were burdened by the birth of an unwanted child, they took that innocent baby out into a field to die!
Today’s sophisticated society still destroys the innocent; we just call it by another name. Read Psalm 139 for God’s view on this practice.
What is the cost of freedom? When the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Galatia, he was greatly concerned about their giving up freedom -- not from oppressive people, nor from prison.
His concern was that they gave up their freedom in Jesus. Yes, Jesus makes people free in a significant way that only He is able.
Only Jesus can free you from your sins. Yet people use Jesus’ Name like a common foul word.
We don’t hear the Muslim god’s name used that way. No one uses the name of the “great prophet” in Islam or of other world religions like a common cuss word, do they?
But when it comes to the only one who can free them from sins, some treat His Name as a disgusting exclamation. Do you say Jesus’ name in a common and degrading way? I hope not.
Paul told the Galatians, “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ…to distort the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:6-9).
What qualifies as a distortion of the gospel? People in Paul’s day, and even today, trivialize what Jesus did. If only they’d read the historical accounts of Jesus’ suffering and sacrifice.
Jesus willingly went through horrific pain! So, what is the cost of freedom? Jesus willingly gave HIs life for all who couldn’t care less what He did for them.
Christians love disbelievers and those who mock God because they know what will happen to them for their insulting disobedience if they don’t change their hearts and minds. Your freedom in Jesus cost Him His lifeblood!
Jesus willingly took an unmerciful beating for hateful people. Would you give up your life for people who spit on and mock you? Jesus did!
He had every nerve in His body ripped apart, though innocent! Would you take the place of the guilty and suffer horribly for them? Jesus did!
What is the cost of freedom? Next time someone uses Jesus’ Name as common, why not tell him or her of His uncommon death for our sins so that we can be free from sin? God provides a way to cleanse us from our sins so that we can look forward to eternal life with Him.