Unfathomable Grace

Can you imagine being an Israelite saved from Egypt? Can you contemplate the joy of following Moses, Aaron, the elders, the Angel of God, and the supernatural cloud as it leads you and your family out of the God-forsaken land? Then, can you imagine the renewed hope and joy you have after witnessing God bringing down the Red Sea upon Pharaoh’s head? Sure, tough days remain for you and your family. Absolutely, there are still be numerous burdens to carry and foes to face. However, from this point forward, you are free from your devilish taskmasters. No longer will you be commanded to throw your male children in the river. No longer will you be forced to make bricks for another man’s house of idols. From this point forward, you are free to love God, hear God’s counsel, enjoy and glorify him forever.

Can you put yourself in the shoes of a freed American slave? Sure, the racism and injustice are still have been found in the hearts of man and in the laws of the land. However, you and your family are no longer legally viewed as another man’s property. You still have had choices to make. You still have had multiple issues to face. Life is certain to be incredibly difficult. However, finally, you have been declared a freed man. Life is yours to live differently. Your glorious freedom has given you a new opportunity to love, enjoy, and glorify God with your family.

Can you imagine yourself a prisoner of war? How heartbreaking must it be to be under the dominion of another? Now, can you imagine how gleeful you would find yourself upon meeting your rescuers and realizing your captivity, torture, loneliness, and torture to be over? You will certainly give yourself a few days or months to rest and recover. However, following your Sabbath renewal, it is doubtful you will ever waste a day. Life has been given back to you again. Never will you live as if you are in chains and in bondage. Freedom is yours, and you will live ever day to the fullest.

Well my friends, you were born in bondage to your wicked flesh. It consistently dominated you. Every day, it called you to forsake righteousness and choose sin, and every day you dutifully replied, “Yes, master.”

In addition, the world had its way with you. Peer pressure called your name and promised you “Turkish Delight,” and when you came near your “friends” used and abused you. Like the sick man in the van offering candy to children, the world pretended to be your friend before it harmed you. And still, after all that pain, when worldly pressures called your name, you habitually responded. Like the sad girl under the sway of her pimp, you proved to be unable to get away from the world’s mastery.

Then there was your bondage to the Evil One. He was your daddy, and you proved to be “like your Father the devil.” He convinced you to disbelieve and deny God. He continually convinced you to follow him, and then he energetically and happily pummeled you with deserved guilt and remorse.

But thanks be to our God. The Father determined to plunder Satan’s house. The Son came into the world and secured those who were his own, and the Spirit finished the job by rescuing you from your totally depraved and consistently rebellious free will.

• You were adored by the Lover.
• You were atoned for by the Lamb.
• You were purchased by the Redeemer.
• You were regenerated by the Internal Preacher.
• You were justified by the Judge.
• You were adopted by the Father.
• You were indwelt by the Comforter.
• You were clothed by the Priest.
• You were freed by the Great Emancipator.

Oh friends, listen to your Heavenly Father as he describes your freedom:

John 8:36     So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Acts 13:38–39     Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.

Romans 6:22     But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

2 Corinthians 3:17     Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Revelation 1:4–5     John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood.

Now listen to your Heavenly Father’s instructions:

Galatians 5:1     For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Galatians 5:13     For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Hebrews 13:5     Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

1 Peter 2:16     Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.

To this now add the teaching of your church fathers:

The liberty which Christ hath purchased for believers under the Gospel consists in [your] freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, the curse of the moral law; and in [your] being delivered from this present evil world, bondage to Satan, and dominion of sin, from the evil of afflictions, the sting of death, the victory of the grave, and everlasting damnation; as also in [your] free access to God, and [your] yielding obedience unto him, not out of slavish fear, but a childlike love, and a willing mind ….     (WCF 20.1)

Fellow recipients of the Gospel, believers in Jesus Christ, those of us emancipated from our former slave-master, let us not believe the lie of the Evil One. He would like us to think we are addicts. He would have us believe he is still our puppet-master who can make us dance at any time. Like Pavlov’s dog, he imagines he can ring his bell and we must immediate start salivating. Oh Christian, answer the calls of the world, the flesh, and the devil with the Word of God. Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. We have been bought with a price. We have a new Master, and he is glorious. Today, we are free to live, laugh, prosper, enjoy, glorify, and obey. We are the bride of the King of kings. He has paid the dowry and is coming back to get us. Brothers and sisters, we are free to engage in marital acts of worship. So let’s live wild and free for the glory of the Great Emancipator. Then, let’s sing a song to our Beloved:

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O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of His grace!

My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of Thy name.

Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
’Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’Tis life, and health, and peace.

He breaks the power of canceled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood availed for me.

He speaks, and, listening to His voice,
New life the dead receive,
The mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
The humble poor believe.

Hear Him, ye deaf; His praise, ye dumb,
Your loosened tongues employ;
Ye blind, behold your Savior come,
And leap, ye lame, for joy.