DAY 60: 1 PETER

“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” (1 Peter 2:16-17)

Dear Christian,

Live in light of your freedom.

For so long I believed the lie that Christianity imprisoned me, only to find that it was the way to true freedom and joy. Many think that Christianity feels like a straitjacket — a bunch of do’s and don’ts that we have to follow to appease an angry god.

Only I came to find that God is far more loving and gracious than I could ever comprehend. When God sent His only Son Jesus into the world, He did it out of love. When Jesus came into the world, He attracted sinners more than He attracted the religious. 

Why?

He came to set them free. Free from sin. Free from condemnation. Free from slavery. Free from hell. He set all of us free by taking our curse upon Himself. He felt the full weight of condemnation, of slavery, of hell, so that we wouldn’t have to. And He rose again and defeated death with the promise that whoever believes in Him would also defeat death and have eternal life.

Friends, let us not waste the freedom we have in Christ. Let us not use our freedom to return to slavery, but let us walk in step with the Spirit, glorify God, and love others.

Love,
Patsy

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Created as part of the Books of the Bible Collection where I meditate on God’s beauty and faithfulness from beginning to end for 66 days from Genesis to Revelation. Each painting will be accompanied by an envelope containing a personal reflection based on the text the painting is based on.

An 11x14 inch original watercolor painting on 100% cold pressed cotton paper, 2023.