Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed (John 8:36 NKJV).
Picture yourself on death row waiting for your execution. Suddenly, your cell door opens, and you’re told someone volunteered to die in your place has already been executed. How could this be? Who would do such a thing?
As you pick up your meager belongings at the front desk, the clerk hands you an envelope engraved with your name . Slowly, you open it and begin to read. It is a letter from your rescuer. He writes as royalty, a King with vast riches. He’s paid off your massive financial debt. You owe nothing.
The letter is signed with your rescuer’s name. In the postscript, which follows, he tells you that by using his name you’ll be able to draw what you need from any bank throughout the world.
Rescued from Eternal Separation from God.
As a man on death row, we were once separate from Christ, excluded from heavenly citizenship, strangers to God’s promises and without hope in the world. But by trusting in the blood of Christ for the salvation of our souls, we have been reconciled, brought near, made fellow citizens with the saints, members of God’s own household.[1]
He’s lavished His grace upon us, completely forgiving us of every sin.[2]
We’re freed from the debt of sin and have His righteousness transmitted to our account.
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we may become the righteousness of God in Him (II Corinthian 5:21 NASB).
But there’s more.
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved]by His life. (Romans 5:9-10 NASB)
Saved by His Life
In the above verse, it appears as if Paul is saying that as amazing as it is to be rescued from God’s wrath and declared completely righteous, being saved (healed, preserved, made whole) by Christ’s life is even better.
I wonder how this could be.
But, consider the following verse:
For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:19-20 NASB)
We died with Christ and we’re now to live in dependence upon Christ’s Holy Spirit who lives within us.
As Jesus promised in His last supper discourse, His death meant the Comforter would be sent to be with us forever.[3] Living in total dependence upon His Holy Spirit within us is not just a good idea, it’s how the Christian life is to be lived; the normal Christian Life. Jesus tells us if we try and live otherwise, we’ll accomplish nothing;[4] a spitting in the wind.
It’s beautiful how this truth played out in Jesus’ day to day life. Consider how free He was from having to be concerned at all about what He wanted or what He was to do. He experienced the joy of emptying Himself[5] and relying totally upon Father God, seeking only what He wanted. Jesus told His disciples, “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”[6]
And
“Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.”[7]
Jesus was free to be consumed with His Father. Being saved by His life means we’re freed from having to be concerned with us.
Our life is now hidden in Christ.[8] No longer are we to worry about maintaining our happiness. No longer do we need to strive in our own strength to be holy like Jesus. Our lives are to be marked by the fruit of the Holy Spirit, not our strained efforts.
We get to enjoy His life and what He wants for us. We get to depend on Him to love the people He brings across our paths.
Prayer
Lord, the ramifications of Your salvation are mind blowing. Not only did You rescue me, but You’ve given me Your life. I’m beginning to experience the joyous freedom of being freed from me. I accept your invitation to trust You with all my cares and to live my life completely for You. Please show me when my concern for me overshadows what You want. I yield to Your life in me. Please show me how to walk with You and depend upon You as we go. I love You. Amen.
“He must increase, but I must decrease.” John the Baptist (John 3:30 NASB)
[1] Ephesians 2:12,13,16,19
[2] Ephesians 1:7-8
[3] John 14:16-23
[4] John 15:4-5
[5] Philippians 2:5-8
[6] John 5:30
[7] John 5:19
[8] Colossians 3:3
Previous posts in the series – Our Highest Joy:
Dealing with sadness and disappointment
.Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.
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