Easter means glorious freedom from sin – Part 2

The purpose of Christ’s manifestation from glory was to “take away our sins”. He suffered, bled and died to bruise Satan, destroy the power of the tempter, pay the penalty for our sins, put an end to sinning, provide everlasting righteousness, purify and make us ready and fit for heaven. He also heals us from sicknesses and delivers us from oppression completely. 

The believer’s salvation implies he is saved, delivered, rescued, and taken away from sin and the sin taken away from him. Those who still manifest sinful tendencies are not saved. The reason for the manifestation of Christ has not been fulfilled in their lives. Saved Christians should ensure that having been redeemed, they must “sin no more” but love the truth, holiness, godliness and the word of God. Christ also sanctifies and purifies saved believers. He “gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works”. Those who are sanctified do not live in the flesh, defilement and evil. When one comes into the light, he experiences a total transformation of life.

Though people like Enoch, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Ruth, Elijah, Mordecai, Nehemiah, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were under the old covenant, they lived righteously. Christ is manifested with a better covenant to make us holier, purer, stronger, freer and lovelier than the people of the old covenant. His purpose is to produce a more glorious, blameless, sanctified, fearless Church than the Old Testament assembly.

The saints of old placed their commission, the commandment of God and their commitment to the Lord first. We must do the same and not compromise our faith because of job, money or marriage. Whatever the fire or fury, we should make up our minds to serve the Lord. Christ died on the cross to give us a better experience of salvation and for us to have more commitment, submissiveness, heavenly-mindedness and Spirit-filled, rapturable life. 

When one is born again, he does not continue in sins of the old life anymore. “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not, but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself”. However, some people misinterpret grace to mean the licence to continue in sin. They abuse, misuse and turn the grace of God into lasciviousness. “How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” 

Our old man, that is, our nature of depravity, is crucified with Christ at salvation. Hence, we no longer serve sin because its root is destroyed. Saved from sin, we must not let sin into our lives, but yield ourselves unto God “as instruments of righteousness.” When we do this, sin will not have dominion over us. The power of the Lord makes us free and His strength keeps us free from sin. “Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.”

The result of Calvary is our awakening to righteousness; that is the difference between the people who do not know the Lord and us. We should be godly and contented. Believers must not fight over anything or compete with others in the home, workplace or community. “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content”. All the material things in the world will be dissolved with fervent heat. Therefore, we should have and concentrate on “holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God.”

Further Reading (King James Version): Psalm 16:11; 1 John 3:1-10; Hebrews 8:6; 1 John 3:1-3,6,7;John 1:12; 2 Corinthians 6:17; Galatians 4:6,7; Romans 8:14; Philippians 2:15,16; Hebrews 2:9,10; 1 Peter 1:14-16,22,23; 1 John 3:4,5; Matthew 1:21; John 1:29; 5:14; 8:11; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 4:1-4; 1 John 1:5-7; 1 John 3:9,10; 5:18; Romans 6:1,2,6,7,12-14,16-18,22; Psalms 4:3-5; 119:1-3,11; 1 Corinthians 15:34; Titus 2:11,12; 1 Timothy 6:6-11; 2 Peter 1:3,4; 3:11-14; Hebrews 12:14,28.