Freedom In Jesus!
by Ronald Harnage on Friday, March 23, 2012 at 3:41pm ·
Grace is the unmerited favor of God, God's love given freely to us, therefore a gift. By grace,through faith in Christ’s sacrifice for our sins we are given freedom and forgiveness by the power of God to become righteous, whatever our sins may have been. This righteousness from God comes by faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and we are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Rom 3:22-24. By repentance in humble submission to Him in faith, we all become righteous and become justified freely by grace; not because we deserve it but because God loves us despite our unworthiness and the fact we don’t deserve his mercy is shown to us by grace revealing our sinful nature to us.This also brings us the revelation of his holiness and our total need for Jesus and his grace because we see clearly that it is impossible for us to accomplish this by our own efforts and that it must all be done through faith in Him and his finished work on the cross.
Now we are not given freedom to remain in our sin, we are given freedom to work out our salvation,with fear and trembling as scripture says. 2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
Christ didn’t pay the price for us to remain the same way. He came to set the captives free and show us the way that leads to purification and entering into the rest of God. So he didn’t come to give us a guilt free ticket to remain in our bondage. Isaiah 61:1,The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that arebound;Scripture has been fulfilled in our ears by Christ's work on the cross. We are released from the prison of sin and death through our faith in Jesus.He did it all at the cross,he has put all things under his feet.
I would add-Can a true Christian be carnal? In answering this question, let’s first define the term “carnal.” The word “carnal” is translated from the Greek word "sarkikos", which literally means “fleshly.”
This descriptive word is seen in the context of Christians in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3. In this passage, the apostle Paul is addressing the readers as “brethren,” a term he uses almost exclusively to refer to other Christians; he then goes on to describe them as “carnal.” Therefore, we can conclude that Christians can be carnal. The Bible is absolutely clear that no one is sinless (1 John 1:8). Every time we sin, we are acting carnally.
The key thing to understand is that while a Christian can be, for a time, carnal, a true Christian will not remain carnal for a lifetime. Some have abused the idea of a “carnal Christian” by saying that it is possible for people to come to faith in Christ and then proceed to live the rest of their lives in a completely carnal manner, with no evidence of being born again or a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Such a concept is completely unbiblical. James 2 makes it abundantly clear that genuine faith will always result in good works. Ephesians 2:8-10 declares that while we are saved by grace alone through faith alone, that salvation will result in works. Can a Christian, in a time of failure and/or rebellion, appear to be carnal? Yes. Will a true Christian remain carnal? No. Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
We are new creations in Christ having his spirit,which is freedom, 2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Romans 6:6,7-Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might bedestroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Here we see that the power of sin is destroyed, our old nature has been put to death through faith in Jesus’ work on the cross. Our old self is dead, but we are alive in Jesus!
James1:14,15-But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, andenticed.Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. This verse illustrates the progression that lust brings seductive temptation and when its finished it brings sin and sin brings death, it takes us back to the curse of sin and death, the fallen nature. This shows our susceptibility in falling back into bondage once we entertain sin and allow it to gain a foothold in our lives.
Romans 6:12-16,
12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. Its popular to leave out the first part of this verse, but it is there in black and white,sin shall not have dominion over you…The power of sin is broken, we don’t have freedom to sin, we have freedom from sin….15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
So there is no license to sin, there is no grace to remain in any bondage to sin, but rather we are told to come out of it, that we are free from its power. The power of sin is broken, we don’t have freedom to sin, we have freedom from sin..
16Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? We talked about this last week,the choice between the two slaveries. God always leaves us with a choice,and there is only two choices as scripture shows.
22But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
We must overcome to enter into his rest; and we do this by faith in his word of grace, that being his children we have been freed from both the power and penalty of sin….Colossians 1:13,Who hathdelivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.
Colossians 2:15,And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
So we dont have to remain in our sin, or seek to justify it. We accept grace and allow it to work in our lives by believing in the finished work of the cross of Jesus that has set us free, and being set free we walk free. This is not a religious work, it is a simple act of faith in God’s word of promise that Jesus has set us free and provided forgiveness, and that is the gospel, that is the good news! Whom the Son sets free is free indeed! And the knowledge of this freedom is what gives us the power to overcomeby simply putting faith in the freedom that Jesus has already given to us, and Jesus had something to say about overcoming.
Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Revelation 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
1 John 2:13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith
When we overcome we enter into God’s rest.
Hebrews 4
4For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
5And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
6Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
Here we see that faith carries us into the rest of God,faith in Christ’s finished work that has both forgiven us, and freed us from both the power and penalty of sin.
7Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
8For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
9There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
10For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example ofunbelief.
This is a serious warning to all who call themselves Christians: to avoid losing your soul and being banned from heaven, as the Jews were killed in the desert and banned from entering the promised land because of unbelief in God's promises, you must zealously labor in faith to attain the promised rest of the spiritual Sabbath, which is union with God and entrance into the kingdom of Heaven. We trust in Christ to enter the rest, to enter the rest from fighting our enemies, like Israel entered the rest from fighting and purging their land of the surrounding heathen peoples; only our enemies are spiritual: lust, rage, pride, selfishness, envy, greed, covetousness, jealousy, lying, cheating, stealing, sexual immorality, profane language, and evil thoughts, etc. Salvation is to be delivered and released from sin and be protected from evil, sanctified from our enemies of sin.
We will be judged by our works,not because they have earned us anything but because works are theevidence of someone who has been redeemed by Christ. Good trees do not bear evil fruit and evil trees do not bear good fruit,and we will be judged according to our fruits. Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.This is all very true, but we shall see that scripture says works do have a role to play in this.
True Christians are "God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works."(See Eph. 2:10) Most people who identify themselves as Christian believers fail to do what God requires of those who have been purchased with the blood of Christ, because they have been falsely taught that "doing" (obeying God) is opposed to grace!
AFTER YOU ARE SAVED, Doing good works which God hath before ordained that you should walk in (1) is not filthy rags, is not opposed to grace (2) and it is not self-righteousness. God requires those who are saved to "continue in his goodness" and do the works that he has prepared beforehand for them to walk in.
A holy lifestyle is the evidence of your salvation, not the qualification, never the less we will still be judged by our works on Judgment Day. This is where the false grace teachers lead people astray, they confuse sanctification with religious works, there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation, but sanctification is the evidence of a saving faith in a believers life. Peter and Paul both said they hadn’t reached divine perfection; however they both preached living a holy lifestyle and turning from habitual sin.
Here is what scripture shows us about our works:
Matthew 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
Romans 2:10,But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:11For there is no respect of persons with God.
Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Titus 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
James 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
James 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Revelation 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Matthew 24
48But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
We see that the bible says that we have freedom from sin,it also says that we can be succeptible to falling into bondage if we choose to remain in our sin and sometimes we need deliverance for that, but sometimes we just need to learn our freedom we have in Christ, and see that we are no longer slaves to sin if we simply believe in the work Jesus has done to free us.This brings us to another issue,and that’s what I call false bondage.
False bondage is not realizing that you are free, but when we look at God’s word it clearly shows us that we have been set free from the power of sin and if we act on faith we discover that there is no compulsion to remain as we once were but that there is just a memory of our bondage, that has no power, and is just a ghost of its former self. This is where we have to exert a little discipline in having faith toward grace and freedom by receiving God’s word in faith, therefore submit yourselves to God resist the devil and he will flee.
Now if we find that we are under some compulsion, that we’re having trouble resisting,that we just cant seem to get the victory over then we probably have a bondage issue that needs to be dealt with.
Forgiveness and freedom are inseparable,Jesus demonstrates this in the story of the palsied man,
5When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
6But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
7Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
8And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
9Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
10But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
11I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
12And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
What false grace messages teach you is that you have forgiveness without freedom. That you can have forgiveness without obeying God’s law,that you are forgiven of your sin and you can remain in it. They say it's forgiveness, but it's really license, and that leads to a seared conscience and a reprobate mind.This would be my prayer today that we grow in faith in God’s gift of freedom to us so that we may walk pleasing to Him.
Freedom through Christ is there for us, if you will harden not your hearts and hear what God is saying and enter into his rest. Now because his freedom is available to us,he is there to pick up the pieces when we fall,when we make mistakes but lets not take that for granted because we’re also told that we can wind up with our conscience seared,a reprobate mind,we can wind up with our faith shipwrecked and find ourselves not believing at all,totally lost. This is something we need to take into account. He is here for us but let’s strive to enter into that straight gate as Jesus said,and let us move on from the milk to the meat of his word,so that we can move on and do what we are called to do. There is hope,there is freedom in Jesus, let's walk free in Jesus.amen.:)
Im sad to say that brother Ron Harnage is no longer with us,He has been martyred in the mountains of India where he and his family were living..He is now safe in the hands of our Heavenly Father.Pleseckeep his wife and young son in prayer.. there is a donation page set up on Facebook for tgem if God puts it on your heart .Thank You😢🙏 ...Holly Mathews (friend)
ReplyDeleteHe paid the ultimate price for preaching the word of God. Murdered for his belief in the Lord our savior.
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