Freedom In Christ
Colossians 1:12-14 (KJV) 12 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:
(13 Jordan) It was the Father who sprung us from the jailhouse of darkness, and turned us loose in the New World of his beloved Son, through whom we got our pardon, the forgiveness of our crimes.
Galatians 3:23 (ERV) Before this faith came, the law held us as prisoners. We had no freedom until God showed us the way of faith that was coming.
(TPT) The law was a jailer, holding us as prisoners under lock and key until the “faith,” which was destined to be revealed, would set us free.
Romans 1:16-17 (KJV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
There are people behind steel bars and then there are people behind “real” bars.
The Gospel is the answer to the faith problem.
Legalism:
1. To stress obedience to rules apart from faith in Christ and the help of the Holy Spirit.
2. Basing one’s relationship with God on rule keeping rather than on fellowship.
3. Dependence on moral law rather than on one’s personal faith in Jesus and His blood alone.
Isaiah 64:6,8 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; …
Psalms 39:5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity.
Ezekiel 33:13 (KJV) When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.
Isaiah 2:22 (AMP) Cease to trust in [weak, frail, and dying] man, whose breath is in his nostrils [for so short a time]; in what sense can he be counted as having intrinsic worth?
In bringing the fruit of the ground, there was no acknowledgment of guilt or need for the atonement. (Heb. 9:22; 11:4). (Dake Study Bible Notes)
Arthur W. Pink: In bringing the offering that Cain did he denied he was a sinful creature under the sentence of divine condemnation …He insisted on approaching God on the grounds of personal worthiness …He presented the product of his own toil, …the work of his own hands …and God refused to receive it.
Romans 4:3-5 (KJV) For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Hebrews 11:4 (KJV) By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: …
Abel was the first man who was counted righteous in the bible. Why? Because he offered his offering in faith and obedience to God.
1. In obedience because that’s what God said to do.
2. In faith because he had to trust that doing what God said ws enough. He knew he didn’t need to add anything to it.
Genesis 3:19 (TLB) I have placed a curse upon the soil. All your life you will struggle to extract (obtain) a living from it.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
He insisted on approaching God on the grounds of his own holiness.
Cain’s offering to God was not drawing attention to God’s goodness, it was drawing attention to Cain’s goodness.
In the prison of religious bondage, your good behavior will not credit you with an early release.
This is what religion is based on: We do the work. God accepts it. We get the credit.
Christianity is based on this: God did all the work. We accept it. And God gets the credit.
If Cain's offering were accepted, then something less than Jesus' sacrifice could have been accepted for our sin.
Philippians 3:3-9 (KJV) For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. 4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the
Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Isaiah 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
(Dake) The idea is: We are no more capable of molding ourselves than the clay; we depend upon God as our potter to make us what we ought to be.
(Courson's) God is the Master Potter. He can make us whatever He wishes. How can we trust He’ll do what’s best? By looking at His hands as He shapes us and at His feet as He turns the wheel—for therein we see the scars of the nails that pierced them when He died for us.
Galatians 5:1, 4,5 (AMPC)
1 IN [this] freedom Christ has made us free [and completely liberated us]; stand fast then, and do not be hampered and held ensnared and submit again to a yoke of slavery [which you have once put off].
4 If you seek to be justified and declared righteous and to be given a right standing with God through the Law, you are brought to nothing and so separated (severed) from Christ. You have fallen away from grace (from God’s gracious favor and unmerited blessing).
5 For we, [not relying on the Law but] through the [Holy] Spirit’s [help], by faith anticipate and wait for the blessing and good for which our righteousness and right standing with God [causes us] to hope.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
John 3:17 (KJV) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.