Freedom isn't free. I mean, it's free to us. We gather with our Brothers and Sisters in Christ for worship publically and without any fear whatsoever. But we enjoy this freedom because others have and are paying a huge price. Countless members from all branches of the military have lost their lives in the fight for and defense of freedom over the years. Others have sacrificed limbs, and all have sacrificed time away from their families and endured untold pain so we could stand to worship in freedom. It's clear: Freedom isn't free! It is purchased at a very high price.
Likewise, our spiritual freedom in Christ isn't free. Again, it's free to us. We certainly could never earn it with our works (see Ephesians 2:8-9). But Christ paid the price for our freedom with His own blood. If you want to try to catch a glimpse of all Jesus suffered for us, watch The Passion of the Christ. This film tries to capture some of the physical torture Christ endured to pay the price for our freedom. But a camera lense simply cannot bring into focus the spiritual agony of Jesus' death. Even the sun refused to shine on the day Christ died. Listen as one theologian tries to capture something of the incomprehensible suffering of Jesus on our behalf - here's how he describes Christ's agony on the cross as He bore God's just wrath on our behalf when He took our sins upon Himself:
[T]o bear the guilt of millions of sins even for a moment would cause the greatest anguish of soul. To face the deep and furious wrath of an infinite God even for an instant would cause the most profound fear. But Jesus' suffering was not over in a minute - or two - or ten. When would it end? Could there be yet more weight of sin? Yet more wrath of God? Hour after hour it went on - the dark weight of sin and the deep wrath of God poured over Jesus in wave after wave. Jesus at last cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Then at last Jesus knew his suffering was nearing completion. He knew he had consciously borne all the wrath of the Father against our sins, for God's anger had abated and the awful heaviness of sin was being removed. He knew that all that remained was to yield up his spirit to his heavenly Father and die. With a shout of victory Jesus cried out, "It is finished!" (John 19:30). Then with a loud voice he once more cried out,"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" (Luke 23:46). And then he voluntarily gave up the life that no one could take from him (John 10:17-18), and he died. As Isaiah had predicted, "he poured out his soul to death" and "bore the sin of many" (Isa. 53:12). God the Father saw "the fruit of the travail of his soul" and was "satisfied" (Isa. 53:11). [Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994), 577.]
Shall I dare ask the question: Is freedom free? Yes, it's free to us because we could never pay the price, but Jesus - the sinless Lamb of God who ALONE could pay the price - paid the price!And what is our response to this great salvation offered by God's grace? Paul tells us: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship" (Romans 12:1, NIV). Of course, our complete surrender to the Lordship of Christ isn't a "pay-back" for His death. It doesn't "earn" His salvation. But it is our response, by the power of God's Spirit, to His salvation. Those who truly understand grace don't see it as a license to sin but as liberty from sin.
He paid a debt, He did not owe;
I owed a debt, I could not pay;
I needed Someone to wash my sins away.
And now I sing a brand new song,
"Amazing Grace," the whole day long!
Christ Jesus paid the debt that I could never pay.
[The above images were copied from the following sites:
http://www.homeofheroes.com/gravesites/unknowns/0_unknowns_sentinels.html
http://hollywoodjesus.com/passion_photo.htm]
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