Tag Archives: Freedom

Remove the Veil

Posted in Bible Study by

 

“Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” II Corinthians 3:17 NKJV

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II Corinthians 3 speaks of two Covenants:

A. The covenant of the law, the Old Testament, though glorious, was a covenant of condemnation and death. When Moses came down to the people after receiving the commandments his face shone with the Glory of God. He put a veil over his face so the children of Israel could not behold the Glory of God, lest they die.

B. The covenant of the Spirit, the New Covenant, is a covenant of life and liberty, freedom in Christ. Jesus takes away the veil! As we behold the glory of the Lord through Jesus we are being transformed into the image of the Lord.

Both of these covenants are revealed by the glory of God, yet one brings life and one brings death. When we become believers we choose life.

The GLORY of God demonstrated in the ministry of righteousness (the new covenant- based on what Jesus did for us) is more glorious than the ministry of condemnation (the covenant of the law/death-based on what we do).

The covenant of the law was necessary to expose sin. (Romans 4:15 tells us … “for where there is no law there is no transgression.”) But, the law was unable to do what grace can do, which is to transform us!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord, that I no longer have to approach You through a veil of shame! Thank You that the new covenant has the power to transform me into the image of Your son, Jesus. Thank You for setting me FREE from the power of sin and liberating me by Your spirit.

Freedom in Christ

Posted in Spiritual Growth by

IMG_1371“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.”  ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:13‬ ‭NLT

Paul wrote this passage to refute a false teaching that required Gentiles to be circumcised and obey the law of Moses. He reminds them that salvation is through Grace alone.

Jesus, the lamb of God, became the perfect sacrifice. He knew man could never obtain righteousness through performance. Our righteousness is in Christ. Jesus freed us from the curse of the law. 

In Galatians 5:19-21 Paul goes on to explain the results of giving in to the desires of the flesh. He erases any doubt that freedom in Christ is a license to sin. He gives a vivid metaphor of us hammering the passions and desires of our sin nature to the cross and crucifying them with Christ. 

We have a new law, the law of the Spirit. My freedom in Christ does not give me the right to sin against others. It gives me the freedom to serve them rather than myself. As the fruit of the Spirit matures within me, my desires should change from a focus on self to a focus on others, reflecting the nature of Christ. I should always consider how my actions will impact those around me. 

PRAY:
Lord, thank You for calling me to live in freedom. Thank you for replacing the “letter of the law”, which I could never uphold, with the law of the Spirit, which produces the fruit of the Spirit within me. 

Help me to always be mindful of how my attitudes and actions impact others. Let me be a reflection of Your love.

Your Word says all of the law can be summed up in the first and second commandments … Love God, love others.