July 2007
We celebrate our freedom
as a Nation this month, but as a Christian
I will focus on the believer's Spiritual
freedom in this Monthly View. “Jesus said
to the people who believed in Him, you are
truly my disciples if you keep obeying my
teachings. And you will know the truth,
and the truth will set you free. So if the
Son sets you free, you will indeed be free."
1
What Does God Say?
We never question the
fact that the United States declared its
freedom from England on July 4th 1776.
The early Americans fought for and gained
their freedom, and ours, in the Revolutionary
War. We question however, through our unbelief,
that Jesus Christ gained our freedom from
sin, self and Satan in His death on the
cross and His resurrection. It is pretty
serious to call God a liar because we do
not believe what He says about His Son,
Jesus Christ.
Just as we believe man's
testimony about Independence Day, we are
to believe even more in God's testimony
of His Son. It is proper to understand a
testimony or witness in the Judicial sense.
In like manner, we are to make a judicial
estimation of the witness of God about His
Son, Jesus Christ.
This is what God says
about His Son: "He has given us eternal
life, and this life is in His Son. So whoever
has God's Son has life; whoever does not
have His Son does not have life”. 2
Jesus says, "I assure you, those who
listen to my message and believe in God
who sent me have eternal life. They will
never be condemned for their sins, but
they have already passed from death into
life". 3
God's Judicial Estimation
It is good to simplify
God's testimony so as to not complicate
it. His testimony has to do with the blood,
the word of righteousness and the
spirit of life.
"For God sent Jesus
to take the punishment for our sins and
to satisfy God's anger against us. We are
made righteous [right with God] when
we believe that Jesus shed His blood,
sacrificing His life for us. God
was being entirely fair and just when He
did not punish those who sinned in former
times. And He is entirely fair and just
in this present time when He declares sinners
to be right in His sight because they believe
in Jesus." 4
"Therefore, since
we have been made right in God's sight by
faith, we have peace with God because of
what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for
us. The sin of one man, Adam, caused death
to rule over us, but all who receive God's
wonderful, gracious gift of righteousness
will live in triumph over sin and death
through this one man, Jesus Christ. Yes,
Adam's one sin brought condemnation upon
everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness
makes all people right in God's sight and
gives them life." 5
"Since Christ lives
within you, even though your body will die
because of sin, your spirit is life
because you have been made right with God.
The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from
the dead, lives in you. And just as He raised
Christ from the dead, He will give life
to your mortal body by this same Spirit
living in you." 6
Your Judicial Estimation
It is important to understand
that God's judicial estimation of an unbeliever
is that he is dead in his trespasses and
sin, doomed forever. He lives full of sin,
obeying satan , the mighty prince of the
power of the air. He is the spirit at work
in the hearts of those who refuse to obey
God. All of us used to live that way, following
the passions and desires of our evil nature.
We were born with an evil nature, and we
were under God's anger just like everyone
else." 7
The word "confess"
means to say the same thing, or in this
case, to agree with God's judicial estimation
of yourselves whether you are a believer
or not. As an unbeliever, if you confess
you have a sin nature, God is faithful and
just to have already forgiven you, and to
have cleansed you from all unrighteousness
2000 years ago at the cross. 8
"If you confess with your mouth that
Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart
that God raised Him from the dead, you will
be saved. For it is by believing in your
heart that you are made right with God,
and it is by confessing with your mouth
that you are saved. As the Scripture tells
us, “ Anyone who believes in Him will not
be disappointed.” 9
As a believer, you are
to confess the same things God says about
you: " I am a new creation." 10
"I am God's child."
11 “ I have been
made righteous in Christ." 12
" I have been bought with a price.
I belong to God." 13
"I am a saint." 14
"I have been forgiven of my sins."
15 "I am free
forever from condemnation." 16
"I cannot be separated from the love
of God." 17 "I
have not been given the spirit of fear,
but of power , love and a sound mind."
18 "I am the
salt and light of the earth. 19
" I am God's temple.” 20
"I can do all things through Christ
who strengthens me.'" 21
God's True Testimony
None of us desires to call
God a liar, but we do this by our unbelief.
The Holy Spirit brings forth the testimony
of Jesus Christ to convince us of unbelief,
righteousness and judgment. 22
I pray that you stand convinced today: "Though
everyone else in the world is a liar, God
is true. As the Scripture says, 'h e will
be proved right in what He says, and He
will win His case in court.” 23
It is time for your freedom
from sin, self and Satan. The gods of this
world have been able to blind your mind
from believing for too long. 24
"Jesus said to the people who believed
in Him, 'You are truly my disciples if you
keep obeying my teachings. And you will
know the truth, and the truth will
set you free. so if the Son sets you free,
you will indeed be free.'" 25
It was 32 years ago in
May of 1975, when I took hold of my
freedom. He had a specific time for me to
come to Him. The Lord says to you, "At
just the right time, I heard you, on the
day of salvation, I helped you. " 26
Indeed, God is ready to help you right now,
Today is the day of salvation. Won't you
receive Him now?
A Prayer For You...
Father, I need You . Thank
Y ou for the sacrifice of your Son, whose
blood brings forgiveness of my sins and
for offering me Your righteousness and resurrected
life. I now accept by faith Your gift of
salvation. Through Your Holy Spirit, teach
me about Your love and grace and about the
new life that You have given me. Begin the
work of making me into the person You want
me to be. Amen!
Scripture References:
1 John 8:31, 32, 36
2 1 John 5:11, 12
3 John 5:24
4 Rom. 3: 25, 26
5 Rom. 5:1,17
6 Rom. 8: 10,11
7 Eph. 2: 1-3
8 1 John 1:9
9 Rom. 10:9-11 Isa . 28:16
10 2 Cor . 5:17
11 John 1:12
12 2 Cor . 5:21
13 1 Cor . 6:19, 20
14 Eph.1:1
15 Col . 1:14
16 Rom . 8:1
17 Rom . 8:35-39
18 2 Tim. 1:7
19 Matt. 5:13,14
20 1 Cor . 3:16
21 Phil. 4:13
22 John 16:7-11
23 Rom. 3:4
24 2 Cor . 4:4
25 1 John 5:9,10
26 2 Cor . 6:2,3
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