Freedom from bondage

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It is a great privilege once again to live to see the light, the light of God. Many people lived without hearing this gospel that we hear proclaimed to us day in day out. The prophets longed to perceive what it would do in the lives of people. And here we are, in a generation where the bible is made accessible to everyone. And not just that, but the spirit of God has been poured out on all flesh so that no one will teach the other to know God. For all will know Him from the youth to the old. And they will know Him through the salvation of Jesus Christ. They are going to be translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. It's only in this Light that we get illumination in the word of God. It's only in this light that the chains of bondage is broken. And today, we are going to consider something in Paul's epistle to the Romans 8 and he says:

1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4, NASB)

It is therefore from this passage that we will consider

• The stance of the Christian in Christ
• The strength of the law and spirit contracted.

1. The stance of the Christian in Christ. This point is taken from the first two verses
'1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.' But what do I mean by 'the stance of the Christian in Christ'?. This is what I mean by that: the bible calls all men sinners and for that we deserve the due punishment for our sin. What sin? someone may ask. Both the inherent sin and the sins we committed attracts the punishment of God on us. For David said 'Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. (Psalm 51:5, NASB)'. We can therefore infer from this that we were sinners even when we were in our mothers' womb. That's a biblical truth. And it's because of this inherent sin that we sin. What do I mean by this?We have the ability to commit sin because there's sin already in us. The sin we received from Adam through birth. And it's because of this that Jesus came to die, to give us a new birth in Himself, hence In Christ Jesus. We are born into a new family. And in this family, we have no condemnation for our sin ( both inherent and committed ones). Let's look at what John said in chapter 5 and verses 24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.' With the stance of the Christian in Christ dealt with, let's move on to our second point which is

2. The contrast between the strength of the law and the Spirit.
It's sadly true that most people in Christendom still believe that they are going to be justified by the law. It's equally sad to know that some also believe that after Christ has saved them by grace in His spirit, He hands it over to them to
sail their own ships. This is not true. Salvation is of the Lord, from the Lord and unto the Lord. It's for His glory and because of that He won't hand it over to imperfect men. He is perfect and He alone can hold us in Him till He comes. Paul said, 'For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6, NASB)'
His confidence is in the Lord not in himself. So then, what's the strength of the law? The law is perfect. But it couldn't make man righteous. No. It can't. For that's not its purpose. The purpose it to increase sin,to let the self righteous know that he's no righteous, to let the Pharisee know that his 'Pharisesm' won't save him. Only the Salvation wrought by Christ and applied unto us by the spirit can. Here comes the humble words of someone saved by grace through the spirit;
'5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6 who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:5-6, NASB)' . The letter, the law came to condemn and kill, but the spirit gives life. This law was a bondage, but Christ Jesus came, gave us a new life in the Spirit and by so doing, broke the chains of the law. 'For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.'. Hallelujah! This is what God has done for us. A life free from condemnation. But this life in the Spirit does not come unless it's preceded by the law, to first condemn our self righteousness, to put a godly sorrow in us, to let us know that we are sinners and finally produces repentance. After which the Spirit comes, applies the balm on the wound inflicted by the law, heals him so 'that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. (Ephesians 5:27, NASB)'. Are you under condemnation, then come to the Savior of your soul. The one who desires that no one perish. Come to Him and He won't cast you away.

God bless you for following today's message