Words are funny, aren't they? Every once in awhile I come upon a word or phrase that is used in a way that I've never heard before. In my first years of ministry I had a meeting with a woman named Cathy who was going to play piano at our church. She sat down and started talking, exclaiming, "I'm chatty cathy". I had never heard that phrase before and it took me a few minutes, although not long, to figure out what "chatty cathy" meant. Ha. Much has been made over the years of words like "bad" or "sick" that can be used to refer to something good. "It was a sick party and there was tons of cool people there" (That means they really liked the party ;). It's important to understand the meaning intended.
A few weeks ago I heard a song that had such a phrase, and it has become a favourite at our church. The phrase is, "I am free because I'm bound". As you read the rest of the chorus, you can see there's a double meaning intended.
"I am free because I’m bound
I am bound for heavens gate
Where my feet will stand on holy ground
I am bound for glory".
As Christians, we are bound for heaven. Sometimes heaven is referred to as "glory". I think that Romans 6:19-23 explains that phrase "I am free because I'm bound" beautifully. Here it is in the New International Version:
"I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Sin does not lead to life, or freedom. Sin leads to death. But being bound to God leads to holiness, Christlikeness and ultimately eternal life. Thanks be to God!
Take a listen to "Bound for Glory" below.
A few weeks ago I heard a song that had such a phrase, and it has become a favourite at our church. The phrase is, "I am free because I'm bound". As you read the rest of the chorus, you can see there's a double meaning intended.
"I am free because I’m bound
I am bound for heavens gate
Where my feet will stand on holy ground
I am bound for glory".
As Christians, we are bound for heaven. Sometimes heaven is referred to as "glory". I think that Romans 6:19-23 explains that phrase "I am free because I'm bound" beautifully. Here it is in the New International Version:
"I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Sin does not lead to life, or freedom. Sin leads to death. But being bound to God leads to holiness, Christlikeness and ultimately eternal life. Thanks be to God!
Take a listen to "Bound for Glory" below.
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