Category Archives: SIN

An Open Letter To My Dear Ones! Bible Ballistics: BBs #377

19 Wednesday Jul 2017

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, Free Indeed?, Salvation, SIN, The Word, The Word Or The World?, Trials, Troubles, Walking With Jesus

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Bible Ballistics: BBs  #377 An Open Letter To My Dear Ones!

 

This is a bit off the beaten track for me, but I feel clearly led to share some things with you today that are on my heart. You, my friends, are all dear to me, yet there are those in my life and yours, (or even you, yourself) those “dear ones” close to us who are hurting beyond measure. They are the ones I want to reach out to today. And whether you are one who is hurting, confused, off-track, aimless, misguided or just weary of the battles, I am praying that this word today will bring you to Jesus’ light, truth, comfort and grace. I know that Jesus IS the answer to every need in our lives. So today, whether you are the “dear one” who is hurting, or one of your “dear ones” is hurting—this is for you.

We live in a culture that is consumed with self, and we have allowed that “self” mentality into the churches even accepting blatant error to please the ‘selfies’. Jesus never changed His message to suit any particular seeker, yet as He spoke truth to all, He saved and delivered any who came to Him as the answer to their need. He IS that answer to all our needs today. The problem is that we want to come to Jesus our own way—we want to be saved “in our sins” rather than being saved “from our sin”!

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

Jesus came that we might have eternal life, free from the penalty of sin (death), and the power of sin in our lives. While the old hymn, ‘Just As I Am’ (Written by Charlotte Elliott) proclaims the truth that we must come to Jesus, “Just as I am, without one plea”, we must realize that Jesus came to save sinners “from their sins”! Clearly, we must come to Jesus without any plea of our worthiness or of our own ‘self’ righteousness, deserving His saving grace; we must come to Him willingly recognizing, and ready to abandon, our sin to cling to HIM. Another favorite hymn comes to mind, and says it much better than I can, “I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see.” (Amazing Grace, John Newton) Jesus finds the lost sheep (you and me) to bring us home to Him; He would never find a sheep and leave it where He found it to die. In fact, He loves us so much that He not only finds us, but He puts His Spirit within us so that we can truly say, I “was blind but now I see”! Without God’s amazing salvation and redemption, we have no ability to see the truth that Satan is so busy trying to keep people from seeing. The truth that Jesus saves us “from” our sin! Amen and Amen!

One thing that makes it so difficult for people today is that we all see ourselves as “good people”. We go to church, or we do good things, we aren’t prejudiced, we share, we pay our taxes, we are involved in charitable activities—but not one of these things can save us! No, not any or all of these ‘good works’ can save us, yet we’ll never seek the salvation that Jesus offers until we see ourselves as God sees us! Jesus speaks clearly to this issue in one of His messages to the seven churches—yes, His message to the ‘church’ deals with those who think they’re good enough to be right with God because of their ‘works’ and their ‘wealth’! Familiar??

“Because thou sayest,

I am rich,

and increased with goods,

and have need of nothing;

and knowest not

that thou art wretched,

and miserable,

and poor,

and blind,

and naked:

18 I counsel thee to buy of me

gold tried in the fire,

that thou mayest be rich;

and white raiment,

that thou mayest be clothed,

and that the shame of thy nakedness

do not appear;

and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve,

that thou mayest see.” Revelation 3:17-18

Jesus called the church at Laodicea to open their eyes and see the truth—Jesus Himself! They had become so ‘self’ satisfied that they didn’t even recognize their lostness! And much of America today is in that same boat. Jesus didn’t call them ‘good’, or ‘charitable’, or ‘holy’; He called them “wretched….miserable…..poor….blind….and naked”! Terms never used of the redeemed, but of those who have no relationship with Jesus! Shocking? Yes, but Jesus didn’t leave them with no hope. He called them to come to Him and find the real wealth—the gold of salvation in Christ Jesus alone, by faith alone (never by works, see Ephesians 2:8-10, works come out of our salvation, they’re never what saves us—ever!). He called them to come to Him for real garments of HIS righteousness!!!

“And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”    Revelation 19:8

It is the righteousness that only Christ Jesus provides to those who come to HIM in repentance and faith.

“For he hath made him to be sin for us,

who knew no sin;

that we might be made the righteousness

of God

in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

Jesus’ righteousness is the only ‘righteousness’ that God accepts—and we can only get it at the Cross! So my dear one, whatever you’ve been doing to try and solve your problems, to make yourself feel important, to prove to yourself and the world that you are “important”—stop riding on a merry-go-round that will take you nowhere and give your ALL to Jesus. You will never find your significance in impressing Christians at church (real or fake), or doing good works for men’s praise, or pretending that you are someone that you’re not; or in a bottle; or in sex; or in spending money you don’t have, to impress people you don’t like, all to accomplish what? Only Jesus can truly save, redeem, and deliver us from our own sin!! And my dear one, SIN is the issue—yours and mine—and only the blood of Jesus can cleanse and save us from sin and its death penalty.

“But if we walk in the light,

as he is in the light,

we have fellowship one with another,

and the blood of Jesus Christ

his Son

cleanseth us from all sin.

8 If we say that we have no sin,

we deceive ourselves,

and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins,

he is faithful and just

to forgive us our sins,

and to cleanse us

from all unrighteousness.

10 If we say that we have not sinned,

we make him a liar,

and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:7-10

So, my dear ones, will you give up your lies, to come to Jesus? He is knocking at your hearts door today (See Revelation 3:19-20), and only you can open that door to HIM, “I am come that they might have life, and ….. have it more abundantly.”

You Could Go To Jail For That? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 10 No. 1

09 Sunday Jul 2017

Posted by in Choose You This Day!, Persecution, Salvation, SIN, The Word, The Word Or The World?

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 10 No.1 You Could Go To Jail For That?

 

“And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. 18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit,

I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. 19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,

20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.

22 And the multitude rose up together

against them:

and the magistrates rent off their clothes,

and commanded to beat them.

23 And when they had laid many stripes

upon them,

they cast them into prison,

charging the jailor

to keep them safely:

24 Who, having received such a charge,

thrust them into the inner prison,

and made their feet fast in the stocks.”   Acts 16:16-24

This is a lengthy passage yet I wanted us to see that the preaching of the Gospel has never been popular. It wasn’t popular when it was proclaimed by our Lord Jesus; it wasn’t popular when Peter and James proclaimed the ‘name of Jesus’ to the people of their day; nor was it always received well when Paul took this same Gospel to the world of the Gentiles. And contrary to popular notions today, when we stand fast in the truth of God’s Word– the truth about sin, death and hell– the truth of the exclusiveness of The Gospel, as Jesus Himself proclaimed: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Paul and Silas had delivered a young woman from the demonic bondage who followed them around—how interesting to see that while the ‘demons’ acknowledged who Jesus was/is/and ever shall be, men are still denying the power of His name! Yet many today that claim His name are guilty of watering down the truth of The Gospel to accommodate the ‘political correctness’ of our day. As I heard someone say recently, “We worry about offending every one but God!” What a concise and true observation of our times, and those who stand for biblical faith/truth, are certainly among those who ‘no one’ is worried about offending. We must recognize that standing up for Biblical truth is becoming a dangerous thing to do.

Paul and Silas give us an example of how to “stand fast in the evil day” (See Ephesians 6:10-18), and we can take heart in the fact that the same God who cared for them, still cares for and provides for His own—in good times and bad!

“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed,

and sang praises unto God:

and the prisoners heard them.

26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake,

so that the foundations

of the prison were shaken:

and immediately all the doors were opened,                                             and every one’s bands were loosed.”    Acts 16:25-26

These men of God were heard singing “praises unto God” in the midst of their incarceration—we pout when the a/c goes out. These men knew whom they served and were willing to accept the difficulty that came from sharing the One whom they loved and served as opportunity presented itself. Are we willing to pay the ‘price’ regardless of the ‘cost’? We are living in a time when the ‘price’ for serving Jesus is rising disproportionately; are we willing to pay that ‘price’, even if it means ridicule, avoidance, our popularity and friends, or even our employment situation? While there is a cost for being ‘set apart’ unto God, there is also great opportunity and reward. Paul and Silas saw God bless their labor of love and devotion to their call to “preach” the Gospel.

“And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open,

he drew out his sword,

and would have killed himself,

supposing that the prisoners

had been fled.

28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying,

Do thyself no harm:

for we are all here.

29 Then he called for a light,

and sprang in,

and came trembling,

and fell down before Paul and Silas,

30 And brought them out, and said,

Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

31 And they said,

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,

and thou shalt be saved,

and thy house.

32 And they spake unto him

the word of the Lord,

and to all that were in his house.

33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes;

and was baptized,

he and all his,

straightway.” Acts 16:27-33

Paul and Silas had the opportunity to see their jailor saved along with his whole household!! The captor became the ‘captive’ of Jesus Christ our Lord—all because Paul and Silas were unashamed to do God’s work and pay the price for doing so—even when that price was imprisonment. What price are we willing to pay? What Gospel are we sharing? The truth or a watered-down version that falls short of that which saves and delivers men from their sin. I desire to stand fast like Paul and cling to the cross, with all it’s wretched ugliness—the ugliness of sin– yet the lovely deliverance t the blood of Jesus gives to those who believe!

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Even as Paul said to the Corinthians, will we cling to the Cross alone—which alone can save? The cross and the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord, who shed HIS blood that we might have eternal life, escaping the penalty for sin!

“And I, brethren,

when I came to you,

came not

with excellency of speech

or of wisdom,

declaring unto you the testimony

of God.

2 For I determined not to know any thing

among you,

save Jesus Christ,

and him crucified.

3 And I was with you in weakness,

and in fear,

and in much trembling.

4 And my speech

and my preaching

was not with enticing words

of man’s wisdom,

but in demonstration of the Spirit

and of power:

5 That your faith should not stand

in the wisdom of men,

but in the power of God.”    1 Corinthians 2:1-5

It is only the power of God through the Gospel that changes and transforms lives—that creates, births ‘sons of God’!

“But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

to become the sons of God,

even to them

that believe on his name:

13 Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man, but

of God.” John 1:12-13

God makes us His children by the power of His Holy Spirit, through faith in the blood of Jesus! The One who came to purchase our salvation at Calvary. What price would we refuse to pay for the eternal life that Jesus has given to us? It may mean a price that we haven’t considered. Yet scripture is replete with examples of those who were imprisoned for their faith, for doing right before God, yet disregarded by men, for standing “in the evil day”! Are we willing to follow Him? Are we truly ready to sing the old hymn, “Wherever He Leads, I’ll Go”? Let’s consider some who did.

“Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.” Hebrews 13:23

“But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated,

ye endured a great fight of afflictions;

33 Partly,

whilst ye were made a gazingstock

both by reproaches and afflictions;

and partly, whilst ye became companions

of them that were so used.

34 For ye had compassion of me in my bonds,

and took joyfully the spoiling

of your goods,

knowing in yourselves

that ye have in heaven

a better

and an enduring substance.

35 Cast not away therefore your confidence,

which hath great recompence

of reward.” Hebrews 10:32-35

It doesn’t matter what our trials are here in this life, when we consider the “recompence of reward” that God has for us.

“But as it is written,

Eye hath not seen,

nor ear heard,

neither have entered into the heart of man,

the things which God hath prepared

for them that love him.”    1 Corinthians 2:9

What God has for those who love and serve Him, is beyond description or imagining. Will we trust and follow Him, or will we choose to go our own way? It’s a choice that we make every day, and just as Joshua called Israel to consider many years ago– the choice hasn’t changed!

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD,

choose you this day whom ye will serve;

whether the gods

which your fathers served

that were on the other side of the flood,

or the gods of the Amorites,

in whose land ye dwell:

but as for me and my house,

we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15

And when we choose to “serve The LORD”, we need to understand that we will often stand alone; like Daniel and his 3 friends; or like Joseph when he was in Egypt, or Jesus as He walked up that hill to pay for our sin—but God is always our help in time of need.

“Let us therefore come boldly

unto the throne of grace,

that we may obtain mercy,

and find grace to help

in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have:

for he hath said,

I will never leave thee,

nor forsake thee.

6 So that we may boldly say,

The Lord is my helper,

and I will not fear

what man shall do

unto me.” Hebrews 13:5-6

I praise God that I have learned, and am still learning, that when I walk with God, I am never alone—Never Alone!!! But we will face opposition—the world will not like our message any more than they liked and believed our Lord and Savior when He was here on earth. He told us ahead of time:

“If the world hate you,

ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world,

the world would love his own:

but because ye are not of the world,

but I have chosen you out of the world,

therefore the world hateth you.

20 Remember the word that I said unto you,

The servant is not greater than his lord.

If they have persecuted me,

they will also persecute you;

if they have kept my saying,

they will keep yours also.

21 But all these things will they do unto you

for my name’s sake,

because they know not him

that sent me.” John 15:18-21

Jesus warned us to expect to be treated just like they treated him, when we love and follow Him. Persecution is to be the expected response to the truth that we proclaim, and while we have not always experienced it to the degree that others have, but we are seeing an increase in persecution toward those who follow Him. We must decide which side we are on, knowing that it may cost us suffering.

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12

We must be prepared for the “evil day” that Paul talked about in Ephesians 6—it’s here.

“This know also,

that in the last days perilous times

shall come.

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves,

covetous,

boasters,

proud,

blasphemers,

disobedient to parents,

unthankful,

unholy,

3 Without natural affection,

trucebreakers,

false accusers,

incontinent,

fierce,

despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors,

heady,

highminded,

lovers of pleasures

more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness,

but denying the power thereof:

from such turn away.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5

How sad that while we see these things around us on every hand, God’s people are often joining the enemy instead of turning away from the worldliness! How sad to my heart!

“Preach the word;

be instant in season,

out of season;

reprove,

rebuke,

exhort

with all longsuffering

and doctrine.

3 For the time will come

when they will not endure sound doctrine;

but after their own lusts

shall they heap to themselves teachers,

having itching ears;

4 And they shall turn away their ears

from the truth,

and shall be turned unto fables.”  2 Timothy 4:2-4

My friends we must decide if we will:

“Preach the word

 in season

 out of season”!

We must decide if we will faithfully:

“reprove,

rebuke,

exhort

with all longsuffering

and doctrine.”

Or in essence we choose to “be turned unto fables”. Even as Jesus said, there is only One Way to avoid condemnation.

“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” John 3:19

 

The Cat Food And The Light??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #374

07 Friday Jul 2017

Posted by in Let You Light So Shine, Salvation, SIN, The Cat Food And The Light?, The Word

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Bible Ballistics: BBs  #374    The Cat Food And The Light???

 

We live out in the country and often have varmints arrive in our yard uninvited, partly just because the varmints wander around looking for food, but also because we have a cat! Now the cat doesn’t attract the varmints, but her food does. When the cat food is put out for the cat, she eats from the container throughout the day, but the varmints come when we’re not looking. We don’t send out an invitation to the neighbor’s dogs, or to the skunks, possums or raccoons—but they come any way! Why? Just because the cat food is there! And I am convinced, according to God’s Word, that is the best way to make an impact on the world around us for The Lord Jesus! By putting out cat food? No, by living for Jesus, being there and letting our light shine—The Light of Jesus Christ The Lord IN us!

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying,

I am the light of the world:

he that followeth me

shall not walk in darkness,

but shall have

the light of life.” John 8:12

“I am come a light into the world,

that whosoever believeth on me

should not abide in darkness.” John 12:46

Jesus declared Himself to be The ‘Light of the world’, and here in John’s account Jesus makes it clear that “he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness”! When we come to Jesus in repentance and faith, when we are born again by His Spirit and grace, we clearly “shall have the light of life”! When we receive Jesus, we become a vessel to shine HIS light to the world. Why do we walk in the dark, when we have HIS light within us and without?

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105

When we commit ourselves to study The Word of God, we will find the knowledge, wisdom and power to shine His light to a dark and wicked world. Much like the kerosene and oil lamps that we use during power failures, when we don’t keep the globes clean, the light is burning and shining inside, but the globe is so darkened with smut, that we can’t see much of the light. How are we living our lives? Are we letting the light of Jesus shine through a clean globe, or are we so ‘smutty’ that we have, in essence, “hidden” our light with the ‘smut’ of the world.

“Ye are the light of the world.

A city that is set on an hill

cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle,

and put it under a bushel,

but on a candlestick;

and it giveth light

unto all

that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine

before men,

that they may see your good works,

and glorify your Father

which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

What do people see in my life? Do they see the light of Jesus, or do they see the smut of the world that I have allowed to dim the light that is within me? Jesus tells us that we are to “Let your light so shine” that the world will not only see good works, but that they will see our “good works” (the works that God does through our yielded life) and will be drawn to the light within us and “glorify your Father which is in heaven”! Our lives are to be a light in the darkness of sin around us. So the question is, “Are we shinning the light of Jesus, or are we putting our light “under a bushel”?” Is our light attracting those who are lost in the darkness, or is it so dim they don’t even recognize it as light?

May you, and I, “Let your light so shine”, being that life-saving lighthouse to those lost on the raging seas of sin; pleasing our Lord as we “Throw Out The Lifeline” (A hymn Written by Edwin S. Ufford) of salvation, rather than failing to shine the light on the rocks of peril that can destroy those out in the storms of life?

There is one other thing that I need to share about this issue of ‘shining’ our light to the world; there are those who won’t be attracted to the light, because they hate the light. There are evil people who have so rejected God and His ways, that they will also reject you. Don’t be surprised or amazed that not everyone will like or approve of your message when you share Jesus, but we are called to share as we have opportunity whether others respond or not. God calls us to shine—to be “fisher’s of men”– to shine and leave the results to HIM!!! But we are to shine, trusting Him whether we see the results we want or not.

Remember Jesus was, is and ever will be THE “light of the world” and they nailed HIM to a cross. Believe Him or not, shine or not, stay in the dark or come to the light—it’s your choice. But choose wisely—there is a test at the end!

“And this is the condemnation,

that light is come into the world,

and men loved darkness

rather than light,

because their deeds were evil.”    John 3:19

Men loved “darkness rather than light”—what do we love? Will we be HIS light—attracting the world to Jesus!

Showers Of Blessing!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #373

05 Wednesday Jul 2017

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Bible Ballistics: BBs  #373    Showers Of Blessing!!!

 

We have relished in the lovely rains we have been blessed with the last couple of days. Living in Southwestern Oklahoma, you learn to appreciate the rain any time, but especially the summer rains—and a good rain in July or August is an extra blessing. It’s so refreshing to see the puddles and the green vegetation—which we don’t always see here in Oklahoma in July. I am so glad to know that it is our Almighty God, Creator of all things, who sends the blessed showers that bless our land and our hearts.

“Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.” Jeremiah 5:24

Praise The Lord, it is He who sends the rains or restrains them in His times and His will. Are we like those who Jeremiah said refused to acknowledge the total sovereign work of Almighty God? Or are we aware of God’s work around us continually? Do we thank Him for the rain, when it comes, and the dry seasons when they seem to prevail? Are we among those who never give God a thought, and just complain about the weatherman or the government for the conditions and the weather? Should we not rather be those who praise our God and Son The Son, for all the blessings that they shower upon us whether in sunshine or rain?

“Do not err,

my beloved brethren.

17 Every good gift

and every perfect gift

is from above,

and cometh down

from the Father of lights,

with whom is no variableness,

neither shadow of turning.”James 1:16-17

God never changes! He is the creator and sustainer of all things, and it is because of His mercy that we are not consumed, “upholding all things by the word of his power”! (See Hebrews 1:3). Are we praising Him today for the ‘rain’? Are we seeking His will and provision in our lives, or are we so busy ‘doing it ourselves’, that we don’t give Him a thought in the daily events of life? He is always at work around us!

“Jesus Christ

the same yesterday,

and to day,

and for ever.” Hebrews 13:8

And because Jesus/God never changes, we can depend on Him for every need, every moment of every day. How about you? What/Who are you trusting in to take care of your day? We can become so overwhelmed living life that we forget that God is always in control. While He never changes, we tend to change with the wind, rather than to seek God’s face when we are in doubt. He will supply our needs whether they are physical or spiritual—not always in the way that we dictate; but when we learn to truly trust to His care, we will learn to rest in His care. And that is a conscious choice.

“If any of you lack wisdom,

let him ask of God,

that giveth to all men liberally,

and upbraideth not;

and it shall be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith,

nothing wavering.

For he that wavereth

is like a wave of the sea

driven with the wind

and tossed.” James 1:5-6

Don’t let the winds of change shake your confidence in God; instead walk in faith and you will come to know and understand His working in your life. Leave the work on others to Him, and don’t be “driven with the wind and tossed! Don’t join the many today who are being driven and tossed. The Spirit of God will lead us—not drive us.

So spend some time in the presence of this unchangeable God and His Son Jesus Christ. He is the One who sends the “Showers Of Blessing” to our soul and to our land! Only HE can. It may be the ‘early’ rain or it may be the ‘latter’ rain—but remember, only God can send it in the right time!

“Then shall we know,

if we follow on

to know the LORD:

his going forth is prepared

as the morning;

and he shall come unto us as the rain,

as the latter

and former rain

unto the earth.” Hosea 6:3

Have a blessed day and don’t forget who is sending your ‘early’ rain and your ‘latter’ rain. He wants to bless you today, and grant you perfect rest in HIM!

“Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him:

fret not thyself because of him

who prospereth in his way,

because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

8 Cease from anger,

and forsake wrath:

fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.”     Psalm 37:7-8

Free Indeed…..??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 9 No. 26

02 Sunday Jul 2017

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, Free Indeed?, Salvation, SIN, The Word

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 9 No.26      Free Indeed……….???

 

“Jesus answered them,

Verily, verily, I say unto you,

Whosoever committeth sin

is the servant of sin.

35 And the servant abideth not

in the house for ever:

but the Son abideth ever.

36 If the Son therefore

shall make you free,

ye shall be free indeed.”    John 8:34-36

As we celebrate our freedom here in the U.S., we ought to consider what real freedom is! We can live in any country across the globe, and whether the government is one which extends personal freedom to its constituents or not, unless we have come to know Jesus Christ as Lord through repentance and faith, we can’t understand, experience of possess real freedom. As we have often talked about here at Bible Ballistics, Jesus came to give us eternal life and true freedom—to all who will believe and receive His sacrifice for sin.

“I am the door:

by me if any man enter in,

he shall be saved,

and shall go in and out,

and find pasture.

10 The thief cometh not,

but for to steal,

and to kill,

and to destroy:

I am come that they might have life,

and that they might have it

more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd:

the good shepherd giveth his life

for the sheep.” John 10:9-11

Jesus came to give us life, at the cost of His own life’s blood on the cross of Calvary, and when we come to HIM, He imparts to us eternal life. He makes us free from the penalty, power and eventually, from the very presence of sin. And just as we saw in the passage above, Jesus gives us life–life that makes us free! We truly become what Paul called himself, the bond-servant of Jesus, and not only servants of God, but His children—children who are “free indeed”, because we are no longer the “servants/slaves” of sin, but we are adopted into God’s family.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who hath blessed us

with all spiritual blessings

in heavenly places in Christ:

4 According as he hath chosen us

in him

before the foundation of the world,

that we should be holy

and without blame

before him

in love:

5 Having predestinated us

unto the adoption of children

by Jesus Christ

to himself,

according to the good pleasure

of his will,

6 To the praise of the glory

of his grace,

wherein he hath made us accepted

in the beloved.

7 In whom we have redemption

through his blood,

the forgiveness of sins,

according to the riches

of his grace;”   Ephesians 1:3-7

Jesus bought our redemption “through his blood”, and it is His blood which translates us into sons of God, rather than slaves of sin.

“Giving thanks unto the Father,

which hath made us meet

to be partakers

of the inheritance of the saints

in light:

13 Who hath delivered us

from the power of darkness,

and hath translated us

into the kingdom

of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption

through his blood,

even the forgiveness of sins:”    Colossians 1:12-14

And contrary to popular opinion, SIN is the issue; and without the blood of Jesus which “cleanseth us from all sin”, there is no freedom—no freedom from the penalty of sin, and no freedom to have His “abundant” life! The life that makes us children of God; children of grace, forgiveness and recipients of new life, new life “in Christ”! (See John 3)

“He was in the world,

and the world was made by him,

and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own,

and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

to become the sons of God,

even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

but of God.

14 And the Word was made flesh,

and dwelt among us,

(and we beheld his glory,

the glory as of the only begotten

of the Father,)

full of grace and truth.”   John 1:10-14

The thing I’d like us to consider is, ‘Whose servant am I?’ Am I the servant of the sin that rules my world, and wants to rule me? Or have I become a servant of “righteousness” through Jesus and His sacrificial, substitutionary death for sin—my sin?

“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey,

his servants ye are

to whom ye obey;

or of obedience unto righteousness?

17 But God be thanked,

that ye were the servants of sin,

but ye have obeyed from the heart

that form of doctrine

which was delivered you.

18 Being then made free from sin,

ye became the servants

of righteousness.

19 I speak after the manner of men

because of the infirmity of your flesh:

for as ye have yielded your members

servants to uncleanness

and to iniquity unto iniquity;

even so now yield your members

servants to righteousness

unto holiness.

20 For when ye were the servants of sin,

ye were free from righteousness.

21 What fruit had ye then in those things

whereof ye are now ashamed?

for the end of those things is death.

22 But now being made free from sin,

and become servants to God,

ye have your fruit unto holiness,

and the end everlasting life.

23 For the wages of sin is death;

but the gift of God

is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord.”    Romans 6:16-23

Jesus makes us “free from sin”, and “servants to God” instead; and our lives should reflect His presence in our heart and mind! Because we are the recipients of “everlasting life” our fruit (Our behavior and works of devotion to God.) ought to be a reflection of holiness. Being free from the power of sin in our lives by the blood of Jesus we are to influence the world around us by the power of Jesus Christ in us! Doing God’s work because we are made in His image by His redeeming work on the Cross.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ,

he is a new creature:

old things are passed away;

behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God,

who hath reconciled us to himself

by Jesus Christ,

and hath given to us the ministry

of reconciliation;

19 To wit, that God was in Christ,

reconciling the world unto himself,

not imputing their trespasses unto them;

and hath committed unto us

the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,

as though God did beseech you by us:

we pray you in Christ’s stead,

be ye reconciled to God.

21 For he hath made him to be sin

for us,

who knew no sin;

that we might be made

the righteousness of God

in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Jesus bore our sin, when He had none, that we might have His righteousness applied to us, because we had none! The greatest trade of the ages—He took my sin, and imparted His righteousness to me! Jesus is the Savior and Redeemer of all who will come to Him in repentance and faith.

Are you “free indeed”? Or are you still the servant “of sin unto death”, or have you come to the Cross of Jesus Christ for salvation? Jesus gave His all that we might have life. Are you choosing death or life and freedom in Christ Jesus? And if we belong to Him, then we ought to walk and live in His freedom unto His purposes and His glory!

“But now being made free from sin,

and become servants to God,

ye have your fruit unto holiness,

and the end everlasting life.

23 For the wages of sin is death;

but the gift of God

is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord.”