ELIZABETH BANKOLE
When Adam and Eve fell, the whole creation fell also. Not all plants are safe to eat again. Some are poisonous. Not all animals are friendly; some have become so wild and dangerous. As mankind, we all became enemies of God, running away from God. Our nature becomes hostile to God. But God did not leave us in this fallen state. God looked for us. Right from the Garden of Eden, God put a plan in place to restore us. God promised our first parents that the Seed of the woman would come at the fullness of time to crush the head of satan. Therefore, the first good news was preached in the Garden of Eden, promising humanity through Eve that the head crusher of satan —the LORD Jesus —will one day free man from the enmity between man and God. The Bible says, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15.
The birth, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus on the Cross crushed the head of the devil, bringing us back to God. When we know the truth of the miracle of the gospel, we are set free from the bondage of sin and death. Jesus said,
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” So, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:32,36.
We experience freedom when our veiled minds receive the miracle of the gospel, which God started from the Garden of Eden. The Bible says,
“But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:16-17.
What is the benefit of freedom?
The freedom we received through the truth of the gospel transformed us from being enemies of God to children of God. The freedom Jesus offers is a spiritual freedom from the bondage of sin—that is, release from the lifestyle of habitual lawlessness. True freedom is not primarily a freedom from the law of dos and don’ts or freedom to start to do our own will in the world, but a freedom “for” something greater than ourselves. We are called to be the disciples of Christ.
We are set free from the bondage of sin and eternal doom to be disciples of Christ, that is, the imitators of Christ. This miraculous freedom from the clutches of the devil and principalities of darkness assured us of forgiveness. We have inner peace and hope. We are relieved of guilt and shame. We are undergoing an internal transformation, which has given us a new desire in life.
This freedom keeps us from the power of sin that once ruled us. We have the assurance that one day we are going to see the LORD. The life-long growth, like Christ, is the expectation that we will see the LORD one day. The Bible says,
“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.” 1 John 3:2-3.
So beloved in Christ, our freedom is not a cover-up to do evil or whatever we like. The Bible says, “Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.” 1 Peter 2:16. The Bible says,
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Gal. 5:1.
The freedom from the bondage of the devil costs Jesus His life; let us accept the gift of the freedom to imitate Christ. So, how are you handling the freedom of your higher calling? Are you aspiring to be like Christ, or are you ignoring the importance of the calling? I pray we will all use our lives to please the LORD.