Freedom And Fulfillment

2 Corinthians 3:4-6

The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:6, ESV)

ERIC LIDDELL WAS ALL SET to run the 100-meter race for Great Britain at the 1924 Paris Olympics until he found out the qualifying heat for the race was on a Sunday. Participating would violate his dedication to resting on the Sabbath, while not participating would violate the trust of his teammates and the hopes of his country. Many thought his refusal to run was an act of legalism, while others saw it as an admirable sign of devotion. It came across as either an insult or a beautiful testimony.

That’s often how devotion looks to the outside world—it mystifies some and earns respect from others. It also sparks debate among Christians, some of whom see adherence to principles as legalism and some of whom see it as uncompromising commitment. The real question, from any point of view, is the motive. Was the action done out of love or obligation? Commitment to God or captivity to law? Personal devotion or the expectations of others? If inspired by the Spirit, it gives life. If done for the sake of a law, it kills. And in most cases, the motives behind our acts of devotion are eventually revealed by how much joy and fulfillment we receive from them.

Your life will create a testimony in some form or another, positively or negatively, whether that testimony is about God, the power of his Spirit, an image you’ve created for yourself, a lifestyle, a philosophy, or anything else. If your testimony is to point to your love for God, it will need to include some sense of separation from the world in general—some noticeable convictions and commitments that mark you as his. But if those convictions and commitments are done out of obligation, they will produce a different testimony: one that points to the confining, restricting aspects of religion. Liddell’s testimony was honored in the film Chariots of Fire for a reason—it came from genuine devotion and in the context of a free and fulfilling life. If your commitments come from that kind of love, they will reflect the freedom of God’s Kingdom well.

{Lord, I want to be bound to you by love and nothing else—captive to your love, free in all else. Your Spirit gives me life. May my convictions produce fulfillment and a testimony of your goodness. Amen.