The Gospel

Dear YOU,

You ask “what is freedom.” I want to answer you, truly I do. But perhaps the more reasonable thing to do is take this back to Genesis, where we encounter the identity of bondage. This remains a black and white issue for me (though it has not always been that way). In the garden we find two people living in freedom. Their bodies are not cursed and they walk with God in a perfect relationship. We could study this for awhile, but I’d rather get to the point. Satan introduces something new to Eve, the idea of truth outside of God. He lies to her and deceives her. By getting her to believe Him, Satan used God’s beautiful creation to deny His glory- the task Satan has had since His own fall- and thus exalt himself. Bondage came when Even believed this lie and declared glory for God’s enemy. She became a captive to what she obeyed. Adam was also deceived and thus fell also. His bondage was twofold, first, he became captivated by Satan through being a tool, second, he became captivated by Eve, enslaving himself to her as well. The fall was twofold also, for humanity exists in two realms, the physical and the spiritual. Because God is perfect in every way, justice must be served. The first wrath of God brought curses on His own creation. The physical realm is cursed to die, and the spiritual realm was cursed to be separate from God (death and hades). Humanity was enslaved through deceit. It’s very simple. All born since that time carry the curses due us. You and I were born into sin, just as our parents were and our children will be also.

Now, God’s love is too great to let it all go that easily. He revealed Himself to obedient people, giving them intimate knowledge of Himself just as He desired for all people at creation. Sacrifices were instituted to bring a hope of redemption and salvation, yet God’s plan was greater. The Son chose to become human Himself, stripped of glory and separate from the Father, bearing both curses. He redeemed woman through His birth, and kept a perfect life. His mission was redemption and restoration for the entire world. His place of purpose was the cross. Jesus entire life was bent on getting to the cross, though along the way He revealed truth to people and set them free from deceit. He spoke truth concerning the spiritual realm, truth only God could know, and displayed power and miracles to display His glory and power over the curses. There was no result of the fall He could not reverse, including death, His power over which was displayed many times. Jesus message was one of belief in Him as the Son of the only God, for the curse had been brought about by believing Satan, to be reversed it must be done by they who fell- US. In turning people from the lies of Satan, Jesus was declaring the glory of God through humanity- restoring to us our purpose as creation and giving us the ability to live free from sin. But His eyes were still towards the cross. The moment of justice came, and Jesus declared victory. He was killed for us, bled and died in our own place. This moment of justice and grace is the salvation of the world. The pure and simple Gospel. Once dead, Jesus was free to work in the spirit realm unhindered, He stole the keys to Hell and thus took total authority over both curses. In rising from the dead- Jesus Christ brought redemption to His creation. All know His name, and one day all will bow before Him, seeing Him in glory and recognizing He is Lord of all. All things rest in His hands alone now and Satan’s time is marked.

To those who believed and loved Him by obeying His commands, Jesus poured His Spirit onto, that they would continue to walk in Truth, not being deceived, and live with authority and power over those things which once enslaved them- whatever they may be. He commissioned them to go and make disciples just as they were to Him, promising them (just as He had to Israel in their dangerous journey) that He would be with them forever. The Holy Spirit continues to guide and speak Truth into their lives daily. The presence of Christ is always near. This is the real freedom of those who are in the Son, that though the flesh is cursed to die, it will be resurrected in glory- Christ being the firstborn of all. The redemption of our bodies is the final moment of restoration and declaration of the glory of God. We live in the physical and spiritual still, but the spiritual is now in our power to live with freedom through Jesus. Sin is spiritual, so I do declare that through Jesus Christ it is possible to live blamelessly and with holiness, just as He said. I take my Lord at His Word, knowing that through the power of the Holy Spirit, demons are renounced and cast out, that lies and deceit are overcome- I have seen these things and know it is real and true. The mission of Christ was not to bring half freedom, that we would still remain in bondage to sin. We live in the physical, that means the flesh will continue to have a say, but it is not the true authority- deny it!

I do not claim to have no sin, that would be a lie. What I claim is that through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the King of kings and Lord of lords, I have authority to deny sin and the devil, to live in holiness and blamelessly. I haven’t noticed it before- this makes me ache for you to see. The thing that gives you any impression of malice in my voice as you read right now is wrong- there could be no more love in my words. You claim that you become more and more free everyday, my friend, that tells me that yesterday you were in bondage to something. If you expect to be free tomorrow, you are in bondage today. Can you deny that? The love of Christ compels us to live for Him, He traded His life for ours. We die to ourselves to live through Christ, flooded with power and gifts of the Spirit to continue to declare the glory of God to powers and authorities in the spiritual places. Jesus will always take us as we are, but He wants us to live as He is. That means transformation, that requires freedom from everything that holds us back. Any and everything that isn’t of Him. I struggled with incredibly low self esteem- that had to go, for I am new in Christ. I struggled with thoughts of lust, the captivity of women- that had to go, I am new in Christ and claim authority over that temptation. Whatever your struggle is- He wants it to go, so you can be new in Christ and live in complete freedom, with His authority ruling you. That is true freedom, the freedom of Truth, and that is the purest Gospel I know. I love you enough to share this and pray the Holy Spirit would stir in you as never before.

In Him,

Greg