Living In Freedom

Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly.

I say to you, whoever commits sin

is a slave to sin. And a slave does not

abide in the house forever, but a son

abides forever. Therefore if the Son

makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

John 8:34–36

            It this fact that we must assimilate into our very being, into our very thinking, and become a part of who we are: “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father’” (Romans 8:15). There are two choices in life; to be in bondage to sin, or to be in bondage to righteousness, to be a slave to sin, or to be free from sin. What have we to fear? What is it that causes you to fear? Is it death? Is it fear of persecution? Is it fear of losing friends? Is it fear of losing a job? Maybe it is fear of losing a spouse, or to be abandoned by your children for your stance to live according to whose your are: a child of God, free, forever free. There is nothing that this world can throw at you to deter you from whose you are, to whom you are a bondservant. Either you believe what God has promised or you only hope that what God promised is true. We are the children of God: “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs––heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Romans 8:16–17). Here, once again a confrontation with a truth that by necessity we assimilate in us to the degree so overwhelmingly consumed with this fact: we are heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Are you looking at this world seeing the bad, the problems, and you are looking downward into this world? We should be looking heavenly for there is where our home is and this journey on this earth is temporary, and the life that is free is eternal: “For I consider that the suffering of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us,” (Romans 8:18). Do you believe when God says: “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11). The English word, “obtained,” is translated from the Greek word, “έκληρώθημεν” and the literal translation, for this is an aorist word, that is something that has occurred past tense, a first person plural word, indicative, a statement of fact, and passive which means the subject, “we,” are the recipients of the action, therefore, in the literal, it is: “we have been chosen to an inheritance,” and this choosing is of God by the counsel of His will. This “obtaining” is not something that we have done to receive this inheritance, no it is simply the will of God, it is His purpose and His purpose alone. Quit trying to work for salvation: it is not of you, it is of God, all that we are to do is to be the ambassador for Christ Jesus, and this is by allowing the Holy Spirit to work out of us what we have put into us: His Word. It is the gospel and that gospel is simply this: God the Father sent His Son, His very Wisdom, to be clothed in flesh, and to live as a man, pure, without sin, to die upon the cross for sin, and then to be resurrected from this mortal death to life eternal as the Son of God sitting at the Father’s right hand making intercession for all; those God chose before the foundation of the world, applying that propitiation for sin, to those who are the heirs, of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ: “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:13–14). We are to live in expectation for the revealing of this promise to eternal life, keeping our eyes on the truth, on Jesus Christ and saying no to this world and all that it has to offer, those things that are in opposition to the will of God: “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God” (Romans 8:19). Paul not begins his contrast with the creation, first he speaks of the creation, and then of the “whole creation,” and we must not in any way conjoin those this term creation with the “whole creation.” This will be confuted by the context, this conjoining of this term, “creation,” with ‘whole creation.” The first is that of the creation that God created by the counsel of His will to have the inheritance promised and is our hope, a hope secure in the truth of God, in His word. So Paul begins this contrast in this manner, “For the creation was subjected to futility, no willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope, because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:20–21). Notice this: the creation is joined together with the children of God who will be delivered from the bondage of corruption, that is delivered from this bondage of sin. Yes, all people suffer under this bondage of corruption: “For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now” (Romans 8:22). How is it that the groan “together?” Simply put: the groan and we groan, for deliverance from the corrupted world and this has occurred from ancient of times until now. Have you converted, that is, have you become so absorbed, that your personality has changed, built upon the hope that God has given to you? We are designed for a great capacity for God, and it is this bondage to sin that keeps us from utilizing this designation that we are free, free indeed, in hope, in faith. We need to put away our natural man, and put on the whole armor of God, being transformed into a child of God, to be what we are, a citizen of the heavenly kingdom. Let us then, become identified with Jesus Christ, and live free, free, free, free indeed.

Oh, sing to the LORD a new song!

            For He has don marvelous things;

His right hand and His holy arm have

            Gained the victory.

                                    Psalm 98:1

Believe it! You are a Free child of God

Richard L. Crumb