“…you will know the truth, and THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE…Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, BUT A SON BELONGS TO IT FOREVER. So, if the Son sets you free, you WILL BE FREE INDEED.” (John 8:32, 34-36)
[In 1520 Martin Luther wrote a book titled, “The Freedom of a Christian”. He wrote this after he posted the “Ninety-Five Theses” on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg in 1517, explaining that our salvation was A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE between us and Christ. So please bear with me as I remind myself of what my Lord and Savior has done for me!]
“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man [Adam], and death through sin, and SO DEATH SPREAD TO ALL MEN because ALL SINNED” (Rom. 5:12)
[Who does this include? EVERYONE! What is the result of this “Sin”?]
“For the wages of sin is death [eternal punishment and separation from God!], but the gift of God is ETERNAL LIFE in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23)
[Thank God, we are free! So, what do we do to obtain this freedom?]
“REPENT, then, AND TURN TO GOD, so that your sins MAY BE WIPED OUT, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord…for you–EVEN JESUS.” (Acts 3:19-20)
[The word repent comes from the word, metanoeō; which means to change one’s mind or purpose, to turn away and forsake sin!]
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that WE SHOULD BE CALLED CHILDREN OF GOD! And THAT IS WHAT WE ARE…” (1 John 3:1)
[We are the sons and daughters of the Lord God almighty, no matter if this is your first moment or it has been years – REJOICE!]
“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2)
[Not just His children…] “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that WE ARE GOD’S CHILDREN. Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and CO–HEIRS WITH CHRIST…” (Rom. 8:16-17)
[We are brothers and sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ!!!]
WHEN CHRIST APPEARS, WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM, FOR WE SHALL SEE HIM AS HE IS!
-Bill Stockham