Freedom that really matters – Part 1

Many people, young and old, seek freedom to live as they please. Nations yearn for freedom to govern themselves and manage their affairs without interference from other nations. Believers have been set free to live without bondage to sinful practices and indulgence. They are, therefore, required to proclaim the gospel of salvation to every creature because God wants everyone to be saved.

After King David sinned, he sought the joy and assurance of salvation. Furthermore, he desired fellowship with God again and requested the Lord to uphold him in righteousness. Only then could he have the boldness and authority to “teach transgressors (the ways of the Lord) and sinners shall be converted to (Him).” Conversion brings genuine freedom to live and to please God.

Before anyone can qualify to preach the gospel, he/she must first experience salvation or restoration and have constant victory over sin. Thereafter, the believer can then “give knowledge of salvation unto his people.” When Christians declare the word clearly and with understanding, it brings salvation with accompanying peace, pardon, righteousness and redemption. As sinners know and understand the gospel, they will accept it and be saved, and made free from sin.

Repentance comes first before salvation. Before someone can be saved, he/she must repent of sins.

However, they must hear from a preacher that sin destroys and damns the soul, and brings eternal judgment. The preacher must tell them that the right thing to do is for them to repent of their sins. The uniform testimony of the scriptures is that without repentance, there cannot be salvation.

Jesus Christ preached ,“saying… repent ye, and believe the gospel.” Sinners must turn away from darkness to light and receive Christ as their personal Saviour before salvation can be theirs. Unless we preach repentance, people will remain ignorant of the danger of continuing in sin and mistakenly assume that they are saved while they serve the Lord. Therefore, we must emphasise that all who want to experience the salvation of the Lord “should come to repentance.”

It is after repentance that sinners are converted and adopted into the family of God. Thereafter, they experience “the times of refreshing… from the presence of the Lord.” It is false assurance to promise a person salvation without emphasising repentance.

This is why many people who claim to be converts are unable to obey the word of God or stand on the truth. They do not have love, joy and delight in God’s word. They also lack the victory that salvation brings because the so-called salvation they possess is not real. Nonetheless, God is willing to overlook the past ignorance that led to foolish and evil acts, and forgive the penitent sinner; “but now (He) commandeth all men every where to repent.” If we do not tell sinners about repentance, we will be guilty of keeping back something profitable, and denying them of having a genuine salvation experience.

•Further Reading (King James Version): Psalm 51:12,13; Luke 1:76-79; Mark 16:15,16. Mark 1:14,15; Luke 3:6-8; 24:47; 2 Peter 3:9; Acts 3:19,26; 5:30,31; 17:30,31; 20:20,21; 26:19,20; 2Corinthians 7:10; 2 Timothy 2:24-26; Revelation 3:15,16,19-22.