Freedom In Christ

FREEDOM IN CHRIST

Romans 8:2, "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."

Galatians 5:1, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made

us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

Introduction: Much "to-do" and excitement each fourth of July as we celebrate our nation's Declaration of Independence of July 4, 1776--AND WELL IT SHOULD BE!

Theme: At Calvary, Jesus' three words "It is finished." declared the believers's great independence from Satan and Sin.

--Some of the benefits of Christian liberty are:--

I. Freedom From Sin

A. John 8:36, "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."

B. Its Penalty

C. Its Power

II. Freedom To Look Unto Our Emancipator Jesus The Christ

A. as the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2)

B. Illustration

1. Military Boot Camp

2. a time of exaggerated control

3. directed to "Look to the front."

C. In Christ we voluntarily look to Jesus

1. the Savior of our souls

2. the giver of every good and perfect gift

3. James 1:17, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down

from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

III. Freedom To Abide

A. In Him (John 15:7, "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in

you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.")

B. In His Presence

1. Psalm 16:11

2. "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence [is] ful-

ness of joy; at thy right hand [there are] pleasures for evermore."

IV. Freedom To Walk

A. The Pilgrim Pathway Where the Saints Have Trod

1. that tear stained path of Jeremiah and Elijah

2. that hallowed trail of the Israelite refugees in the wilderness

3. that Road to Emmaus

B. In the Light

1. 1 John 1:7

2. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light,

we have fellowship one with another, and the blood

of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

3. Consider this Light's luminosity in its widest appli-

cation, i. e., fire, firecracker, nuclear explosion.

V. Freedom To Run (Hebrews 12:1)

A. The Race Before us

1. a set race

2. a race with qualifications and rules

B. With Patience

1. Luke 21:19 (KJV), "In your patience possess [gain, get, seize] ye your souls."

2. Patiently endure for Christ rather than renouncing Him.

3. By of endurance we will gain our lives (Matthew 24:13)

Conclusion: Freedom! Independence Day! I will take them, cherish them, keep them.

While under the tyrant of sin we had only meager rations. Now we have a bounty

because the Lord is our portion (Psalm 119:57, KJV)!