by Charles R. Swindoll

I find it amazing that we as a nation will fight other nations for our national liberty, and that we as a people will, if necessary, fight one another for the freedom of those within our borders, but when it comes to the living out of our Christianity, we will give up our liberty without a fight. We’ll go to the wall and square off against any enemy who threatens to take away our national freedom, but we’ll not be nearly so passionate as Christians under grace to fight for our rightful liberty. Let enough legalists come aboard, and we will virtually give them command of the ship. We will fear their frowns, we will adapt our lives to their lists, we’ll allow ourselves to be intimidated, and for the sake of peace at any price (even though it may lead to nothing short of slavery), we will succumb to their agenda.

If Patrick Henry had the courage to say, “Give me liberty or give me death,” then the Christian ought to have the courage to say, “Give me freedom because of Christ.” Bondage is bondage, whether it is political or spiritual. Give me the liberty that He won at Calvary, or I am still enslaved. Death is to be preferred to bondage . . . so grant me the liberty He won, or I should die! To live in slavery is to nullify the grace of God.

Grace brings a freedom to enjoy the rights and privileges of being out from under slavery and allowing others such freedom. It’s freedom to experience and enjoy a new kind of power that only Christ could bring. It’s freedom to become all that He meant me to be, regardless of how He leads others. And that freedom is then released to others so they can be who they are meant to be—different from me! You see, God isn't stamping out little cookie-cutter Christians across the world so that we all think alike and look alike and sound alike and act alike. God is pleased with variety.

This freedom to be who we are is nothing short of magnificent. It is freedom to make choices, freedom to know His will, freedom to walk in it, freedom to obey His leading me in my life and you in your life. Once you’ve tasted such freedom, nothing else satisfies.