Freedom, Forgiveness, Grace
Ephesians 1:6-8
6 to the praise of his glorious grace which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
Slavery was once practised in the United States. The forced labour of humans was protected by the government until several godly men were willing to fight in England and United States to abolish the practice of enslaving men, made in God's image. In United States, Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery after fighting a difficult war within his own country.
There still a spiritual slavery destroying the lives of many in this country. Satan has found ways in which to exploit that which God has created for our pleasure to keep us from God. In our passage from the bible we see that God gives his people freedom but that freedom from our past has a price. We are not to continue in our sins but to be freed from them and to live a joyful new life. God can wipe the past away.
Sins are forgiven but the penalties which they have brought upon us may remain. If someone's marriage breaks up because of sin and selfishness and through the difficulties a person turns to God in repentance for the wrong they have done, God will forgive them but if the spouse has divorced and remarried you cannot have the marriage restored. God can heal the relationship but not the marriage. It may still be possible for God to heal the marriage where people are still not remarried. If an alcoholic is forgiven his past sins are forgiven but if he has destroyed his liver, God will probably not heal. God does not reverse the natural laws which he as put into effect so that people will reap the consequences of their sin.
We are only redeemed through Jesus Christ. There is forgiveness in no one else. We must go to the Father through Jesus Christ. That is why Christianity is the only way to heaven. Forgiveness brings freedom from our sin and past. It is wonderful to be free from guilt before God and to be sure of our future in heaven.
The word redeemed is tells us that we are taken out of slavery and purchased for a price. The scriptures say that we were bought with the blood of Jesus. He gave himself on the cross and his blood flowed freely from his side as he died so that he could take on himself our sins and become our sacrifice.
In Sudan today there is a persecution and destruction of the northern tribe and the southern tribe. The northern tribe is Muslim and the southern tribe is Christian. The Muslims are destroying villages, killing the adults and taking the children as slaves. Many of these women and children are being forced into sexual slavery and being mistreated in many other ways. In April of 1999, Christian Solidarity International announced that it already freed 1, 783 slaves by purchasing them at the equivalent of $50 (USD) each. This organization is redeeming these people from a live of slavery and returning them back to their home and families. There are many stories of the horrible beatings and abuse on the web at www.csi-int.ch/report.html. The UN and other organizations are trying to stop this enslavement.
There is another kind of enslavement which is happening right in our own country, our community, and in our homes This is an enslavement of our children and families. Satan is attacking and trying to enslave people by drugs, sexual pleasure, music, alcohol and entertainment. Are we willing to fight and apply the message of hope and reconciliation to those who have been trapped and are being destroyed? Jesus is the only one who can redeem us from the camp of the evil one. We will not be able to save our children from hell and destruction by any personal efforts. Only God can save them. Each person must cry out to God for forgiveness and then he/she can be saved from addictions here on earth and in the end, eternal destruction.
What was the cost? In Genesis, the first book of the Bible we read that God put Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He gave them a choice to obey or disobey by putting a tree in the garden - the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve chose to disobey God and the penalty was death. They did not die immediately but an animal was killed to clothe them. God revealed to man that instead of man dying for his own sin, a perfect animal could be sacrificed instead. A lamb became the sacrifice. When Jesus came, he became the Lamb of God. He was sacrificed on a cross for the sins of the whole world. He was sinless and was able to accept our sin on the cross and become our substitude. We do not have to die for our sins but ask God to forgive us because of what Jesus did on the cross to take on our sins. We are then freed to live forever with God.
(Forgiveness of sins. - freedom Lk3:3, Jn 5:15; Rom 3:25 sins - paraptomaton - better "trespasses" Mt 6:14)
Why is it free? This is the gift God wants to give to his whole creation. No amount of money can pay for our freedom from the bondage of sin. God wants to give this gift of grace and forgiveness to everyone in the world. It is wonderful and hard to comprehend. That is why Paul says that we are to praise God for this wonderful gift and thank Him for the love He has shown us by sending Jesus as our substitute. (The apostle is thrilled with a sense of the plenitude and splendor of the mystery of redemption." Vincent vol3 p 365)
God's glory is revealed in His grace, this wonderful gift which He wants everyone to receive. This is amazing and Paul expresses his joy and wonder at such a marvellous gift from God. Our response to this wonderful gift should be one of praise. Of course we cannot really understand the magnitude of the gift until we begin to experience it. As we think about what God wants to do for us our excitement grows.
Not only does God give us his complete forgiveness through Jesus Christ but we he gives us wisdom and understanding to be able to mentally grasp what God has done for us. Our responsibility is to reflect and think about God's goodness to us before we can expect God to lavish - pour out - his wisdom and understanding upon us.
Wisdom has to do with understanding the principles of God and understanding has to do with applying these principle to our everyday life. How can we obtain the wisdom and understanding from God? The scriptures tell us how we can do that. In James 1:5,6a we read," If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt." The beginning of obtaining God's wisdom is by asking. God has given us his wisdom is the written word of God.
God promises that we can become wise when we meditate on his word. David expresses this in Psalm 119:97 -100. "How I love your law! I meditate on it all day long, Your commands make me wiser than my ememies, for they are ever with me. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts." This is the wisdom which can be ours. Do you have this wisdom? How much have you meditated on the word of God? Understanding is tied to obedience as well. If we lack wisdom and understanding could it not be because we have not meditiated and obeyed God's word completely? Some of you may think you are not very intelligent but I can guarantee you that if you Memorize the word of God, think about it and apply it all you your life, you will become very wise and people will come to you for counsel and ask your opinion on how do live.
We are a redeemed people - God has been gracious to us. Praise him for his love and kindness and for the wisdom and understanding which he gives us so freely.