The Fragrance of Freedom

Recently I was listening to a Biblical lecture and the speaker used this phrase, "The fragrance of freedom." I had not heard this saying before and it set me thinking. We do not normally associate freedom with fragrance.

Collins Concise Dictionary gives us the following definitions of the word freedom.
1. Personal liberty.
2. Liberation as from confinement or bondage.
3. The quality or state of being free, esp. to enjoy political and civil liberties.
4. Exemption or immunity: freedom from taxation.
5. The right or privilege of unrestricted use or access.
6. Autonomy, self government or independence.
7. The power or liberty to order one's own actions.
8. The quality esp. of the will or the individual of not being totally constrained.
9. Ease or frankness of manner.
10. Excessive familiarity of manner.
11. Ease and grace, as of manner.

The definitions encapsulate a range of different scenarios. However in each case there is a definite setting free from some form of constraint. For instance, if you have incurred a financial debt under a legal contract, then you have a legal obligation to repay that debt. You are not free from this debt until it is paid in full. When it is paid out, then and only then, you are free from the debt.

If you are a citizen of a sovereign nation then you have certain liberties and privileges conferred on you as a citizen. However, those liberties and privileges are usually dependent on you obeying the national laws of that country.

No matter what nationality you are we all have an obligation to obey the true and living God. Disobeying God is sin! The Holy Scriptures inform us that, "The wages of sin is death..." (Romans 6:23). Why do people die? Romans 3:23 tells us, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." There are no exceptions!

We have contracted a debt of sin that results in death! Wouldn't you like to be free from this debt?

Romans 8:2:
"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."

Now let's examine this verse.
1. There is a law of the Spirit of life.
2. The Spirit of life is in Christ Jesus.
3. As we have already noticed there is a law of sin and death.
4. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus transcends the law of sin and death.
5. The law of the Spirit of life sets me free from the law of sin and death.

How does Christ Jesus give me freedom? How does He clear my debt of sin? What has taken place for me to gain my freedom?

Every day we sin we accrue more "wages of sin". The only way our debt of sin could be paid is for someone to pay the penalty on our behalf! We certainly can't pay it ourselves. Neither can any other sinner! They have their own debt to pay. It requires a sinless person to pay our debt for us. That person is the Lord Jesus Christ. That's why He died on a Roman cross at Calvary; it was to pay the debt of our sins!

1 Peter 2:21-24:
"(21) For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
(22) "Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth";
(23) who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;
(24) who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed."

So here is the answer - Jesus Christ, the Son of God paid the penalty for your sins and my sins by dying on that cross at Calvary. He was buried and rose again three days later in a resurrected body that was suitable for Heaven. Forty days after this He ascended to Heaven to sit at God the Father's right hand.

The Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is eternal life! Let's look at Jesus' own words in John 8:36:
"Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."

Romans 8:31-34:
"(31) what then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
(32) He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
(33) Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.
(34) Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us."

This is true freedom!

It is like a person released from prison. The prison gates are opened and you walk out free. The debt has been paid! You walk out into the sunshine and smell the fresh air of freedom. The fragrance of freedom fills your nostrils like a sweet aroma.

I am reminded of migrants from Europe when I was growing up. Those who were under Nazi oppression could hardly believe the freedom and liberty we had in Australia. No longer did they have to worry about being reported and imprisoned or even shot to death. I recall an incident when an ambulance came racing down the street making an "Ee-aw, ee-aw" sound. The fear on the person I was talking to was palpable. This was the sound the Nazis' used on their military vehicles! He visibly relaxed when he realised it was an ambulance. That sound was later discarded for the present day sirens.

Another chap at a later date who had escaped from the Soviet Union told me it took him a long while to realise that he was safe in Australia; that no one was reporting on him and he was free to come and go. There were no secret police to worry about. To people like that there is a definite sweet fragrance to their freedom.

Now how about you? Do you know the fragrance of freedom from your sins? It's not too late! Come to Jesus Christ today and you can know the freedom of sins forgiven - eternal life - and a home in Heaven at the end of your days.

Jon Peasey
Words of Life blog www.jrpeasey.blogspot.com
Ebooks author page https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JRPeasey

[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version; unless otherwise noted. Words enclosed in [ ] are inserted for clarity. Words in bold type emphasise a point. You may notice some verses are quoted with ... at the beginning, ending or elsewhere in a verse. Only the relevant part or parts of the verse, that relate directly to the current subject matter is quoted.]

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