Becoming Free

Are you bound by a sin? Do you seek to be released from it? Do you expect God to justify you casting away your bondage? No matter the nature of sin if a man is bound by it, he cannot live in peace and exercise freedom. Some are easily entangled by sin and find it absolutely difficult to escape. Some are hunted down by it and feel absolutely broken. Others enjoy being in it while playing out righteousness which does not stand, but it is what they do. It is wickedness. Nevertheless, God is specifically concerned for those who truly desire to escape the sin that troubles them. If you belong to Christ by His saving grace or desire to come under it, but are bound by sin, you can overcome it.

Sin is hazardous and has intense power to exert over a person so that he either feels it impossible or redundant to overcome. It certainly demonstrates itself by the things it gives and false comfort, albeit in convincing ways, and turns a person either weak and disheartened or egoistic and stubborn with denial. Its end is always loss, extreme loss and if unchecked, death. To be released from it is glorious signified by a weight off from the mind and heart. God’s word provides solution to sin’s extremism. It gives the way to becoming free and feeling glorious. “None of his sins that he has committed will be remembered against him. He has practiced justice and righteousness; he shall surely live” (Ezek. 33:16).

Listening to God’s word, reading it and practicing it lead a person out of sin and into life. God does not want a sinner to perish. As a person comes out of sin and puts on righteousness God promises to forget all his or her sin; not only forget, but also scrap the penalty that should fall on them. A huge problem with many is that they are adamant to turn away from their sin. It may be because of the small nature of their sin or its significant nature. Or maybe, they feel they can substitute it with works. As long as they do not turn away consequences are bound to appear, whether small or great. They even witness them firsthand and yet, live in denial. These consequences are the fruit of sin and they carry a substance that constantly speaks against them. If one quickly turns from sin to justice and righteousness, God restores him. Again, if a person has born the fruit of his sin and then turns away from sin, God will still restore him, though the substance remains. Yet, He will not let the effect of the substance remain on him, but will use the weight of the substance for His purpose. It is for these reasons He said “he shall surely live,” i.e. have life.

Sin not only identifies itself with immoralities and unlawful deeds, but also bad attitudes such as stubbornness, pride, disagreement, procrastination, fear, etc. These attitudes may appear insignificant in comparison to others, but it is these that make a person reject the gospel for salvation and even God’s will. There’s no better place for finding justice and righteousness than God’s word; for when it can give life it removes death and the things that appear from the fear of it. God makes us live fully (both the inner and the outer man) and eternally. This is the idea of having life. We neither fail, nor lose or die. Bear in mind, admitting sin does not inevitably mean turning away from it, and turning away from sin must follow its admission. One may admit his sin and still continue in it citing weakness or sin-nature as cause. This is neither complete repentance nor fear of God. On the other hand, turning away from sin secures life.

God intends to keep His promise of life. He does it by preparing a way to walk for those who turned to righteousness and justice. Without it, it is impossible to have life. “As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: ‘BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY’” (Mark 1:2). Just as the Father prepared a way for His Son to be with Him forever even so He provides a way to those who turned to Him. He empowers them to rebut sin at all instances. He fills His way with all the necessary things that the journey is unhindered. He does not keep them idle, which calls for Satan’s activity.

Keeping in mind the provision of God Jesus spoke the following. “If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him” (John 12:26). To wish to serve Jesus requires freedom from sin. The initial step to it is practicing justice and righteousness. It is being sinless and is a striving He seeks from believers. Then they can actually serve Him from God’s perspective, which carries His will. Carefully deducting from the above the following can be understood. To serve Christ one must follow Christ as He followed the Father. Christ did it by tasking Himself with the Father’s way. So, if one is serving Him, he must do it by the way God prepares for him. This makes for an exciting journey for the honor that is promised and be where Christ is. Unless a man’s way to serve Him excludes all forms of human intervention, he cannot follow Him.

With the excitement of becoming free and having the Father’s way there is a certainty of some things taking place.

  1. Fixation. The apostles had a remarkable attitude to stick with God. It does not happen without a fascination for His way. “But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘we must obey God rather than men’” (Acts 5:29). The practice of God’s righteousness and justice supplies freedom from sin. This reflects obedience. It liberates from all uncertainties and the things that imprison. It is a given that every time obedience is met new found strength is felt.
  2. No regret. It is a sign of pleasure and liking to walk the way God prepared. The old things have gone. Overcoming sin is a victory carried along by the Father’s good pleasure in providing His choice way. Then life actually feels real with every step taken. “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death” (2 Cor. 7:10). The steps taken stand as proof to it. It is the lack of such real feeling that many continue in sin.
  3. Faithfulness. The way of the Father actually imposes faithfulness. It calls for the following. “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way” (2 Thess. 2:7). Restraining lawlessness is a powerful endeavor. The substance of God’s way constantly reminds it. It is not a simple doing, but an obedience that wars against the wicked forces of darkness; obedience that may bring intense suffering, obedience that does not wish to answer to provoking and an obedience that deeply seeks God’s presence.
  4. Genuine hope. With faithfulness one can actually hope in God to do all He spoke. “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day” (2 Pet. 3:8). He controls time and reaches the righteous appropriately. The things He did serve as proof for them to the things He promised to do. Genuine hope helps persevere and so, sustains proximity with God.
Posted in 2016, Archives, RECENT ARTICLES.