Scripture is a powerful thing when we internalize it. Psalm 1 says:
“How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the LORD’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night.” (Psalm 1:1-2 CSBBible)
God’s Word brings delight, joy, happiness to our lives. As we bury ourselves in His Word and as we allow it to capture our mind, we will realize this wonderful freedom we have which is found in Christ and in Christ alone.
We all should have verses from the Word of God we spend time mediating on, thinking through, and grasping the deeper meaning of the verse or verses. One such verse for me is Paul’s words to the Church at Ephesus:
“For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift — not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8-10 CSB)
Written by the Apostle Paul, the book of Ephesians has several meaningful things for us to learn when we are discussing the freedom we have in Christ:
- We can understand our spiritual position.
- We can know how to eradicate fear and doubt.
- We can realize how much God loves us.
- We can know who God says we are as a believer.
By focusing on Chapter 2, we can see some powerful things related to the believer’s life. Christians are made alive in Christ. He writes:
“You He made ALIVE, you were DEAD in trespasses and sins…” (verse 1)
I like the word, “quickened,” which denotes resurrection. Reminding me of the act of God when He raised Christ from the dead. If not for the resurrection, the death of Christ would have been incomplete.
Resurrection! That is God’s ultimate power: Power over death. Death brought to us through our “trespasses and sins,” separated from God and dead and bound in decay. We were wasting away in death, but God has brought life.
In the Bible there are different pictures of the unsaved man:
- Blind (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)
- Slave to sin (Romans 6:17)
- Lover of darkness (John 3:19-20)
- Sick (Mark 2:17)
- Lost (Luke 15)
- An alien, stranger, foreigner (Ephesians 2:12, 19)
- Child of wrath (Ephesians 2:3)
Take time and look at each of those verse, relating them to the focus verse from Ephesians 2:8-9. It will bring you to a better understanding of this wonderful freedom we have in Christ.
As an unsaved, unregenerate person, death reigns in your mortal body. You are breathing, functioning, and living in the physical realm, but in the spiritual you are dead. You are a zombie; you are part of the Walking Dead. Living, but dead. Operating, yet within and without there is a continually wasting away of the physical and spiritual life.
BUT GRACE!
By God’s Grace you have been saved (can be saved). It is by God’s riches at Christ expense we are made alive.
By Grace, which is a gift we receive by Faith. The writer of Hebrews says it best:
“Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. For by this our ancestors were approved. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.” (Hebrews 11:1-3 CSB)
By Grace, abundantly bestowed brings Regeneration, Renewal, Restoration.
This is true freedom!
Jesus responded,
“Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in the household forever, but a son does remain forever. So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free. I know you are descendants of Abraham, but you are trying to kill me because my word has no place among you. I speak what I have seen in the presence of the Father; so then, you do what you have heard from your father.” (John 8:34-38CSB)
Celebrate! You, He has made alive! You, He will make alive! This choice is for you to make. What is your decision?
Until next time…
(Dr. Jeff Fuller is pastor of Rockford Baptist Church. You may contact him through the church office at 256-377-4900 or by email at rbccoosa@gmail.com.)