It
is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then,
and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of
slavery. Galatians 5:1
The chains have been broken! The lock has been cut! All the
unbearably heavy hardware which demanded that we earn peace
with God by our good deeds has been forever demolished by
Christ! Through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior,
we receive our glorious freedom from that old system of trying
to earn God’s love and are welcomed into the embrace
of God, our Father. Freedom! is an attempt to visually
demonstrate and celebrate this amazing and unique Christian
truth.
The first sculpture (on the left) conveys the bondage of a
soul that tries to earn peace with God through good deeds.
The piece is overwhelmingly cold and metallic to reflect the
spiritual destitution of this posture toward God. The heavy
chains are securely bolted to a foundation of blackness. The
lock even bears the unchallenged titles of slavery: “Master”
and “Hardened.” It is mounted over a faint impression
of a black heart; a heart darkened by sin and the despair
of trying to earn the love of God which can not be earned
by human effort. This heart is in bondage so deep that only
the possibility of outside intervention offers any hope for
freedom.
It is in the second sculpture (on the right) that the emancipating
intervention of Christ is realized. The old “Master”
of sin has been cut by Christ. A heart once “Hardened”
toward God’s free gift of love has been liberated by
Christ. Christ leaves the marks of His work – a cross
melted into the body of the old “Master” lock,
cuts and scars all over the lock shaft and chains, and a blood-soaked
key. Indeed, the “key” to true and deep soul-freedom
is the blood of Christ! It is only through faith in His blood
shed on the cross that one receives peace with God. The trusting
heart is no longer shrouded in blackness. She has been freed
to enjoy Christ and serve Him with the gratitude of a liberated
slave.
It is God’s prime interest, as revealed by His words
through the Apostle Paul in Galatians 5:1 that men and women
fully embrace the freedom He’s purchased for them in
Christ. Freedom, that is, from trying to earn His love and
acceptance. It is to this end that I have created Freedom!.
May God bless this work to your heart so that you may “stand
firm” daily in the gift of His love and the joy you
have to now serve Him without slavish fear or hopes of acceptance.
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