Not Just Barely Free! Abundantly Free!!

 

Here is a great example from history illustrating the dynamics going on in humanity’s connection with God in Christ!

 

In 1862 Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Signing this document meant that slavery was illegal in the United States and all slaves in the U.S. were to be set free, immediately. Everything was fine for most of the freed slaves, and many of them celebrated and started enjoying their freedom, even though that freedom in and of itself was a very difficult adjustment. There was one exception to the freed slaves though.

 

In Galveston, Texas, slaves did not get the word about their freedom until two and a half years after Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation!! That is when the United States Calvary finally arrived there to tell them that they were officially set free two and one half years before!!!

 

 

The celebration of Juneteenth (June 19th) in the African-American community commemorates the release of these slaves in Galveston in 1865. This historical event and celebration is similar to what has happened with humanity in the Light of God’s Good News.

 

2000 years ago, the Son of God became flesh for 40+ years (John 8:57) as God had originally planned. During that time, He lived in, and fixed up, our broken, lying humanity! Col 2:10-15! Because our sin ACTUALLY corrupted our flesh, Jesus had to undo our corruption and put corrupt flesh to death – in the flesh!! Literally with blood, sweat and tears! Luke 2:52, 22:39-44, 23:46, Heb 5:7-8!

 

This tells us that the Father doesn’t just sweep our REAL problems under the rug and pour blood on them and act like things are fixed when they really aren’t! He actually fixes them and undoes the REAL mess! Pouring spaghetti sauce on a bowlful of spaghetti does not unscramble the spaghetti! It still takes a fork to actually unscramble the spaghetti!!

 

If Jesus had not actually gotten inside of our corrupt flesh, He would not REALLY have fixed anything at all! Jesus couldn’t walk in our nature and skin without actually walking IN OUR NATURE AND SKIN. Heb 2:17-18! By becoming REAL flesh and blood, Jesus literally fulfilled God’s original intention of Adopting Man into Triune God, undoing our sin, and placing us into His Renewed Humanity.

 

This is not just theology, theory or a good idea! Triune God REALLY did get us into Himself, by getting Himself into us. Col 3:3-4!! Jesus undid our human darkness and wrong thinking, and defeated the Devil’s purposes by believing the Truth about God’s goodness while living, literally, in our sinful flesh. Rom 5:15-21!

 

Jesus’ mother, Mary, was REALLY a sinful human being, Luke 1:46-47, and Jesus REALLY was born into our sinful humanity through her! Luke 2:1-14! However, Jesus did not sin while living in it!! Heb 4:15-16!

 

Regarding our freedom in Christ, this is often very difficult to adjust to. Have you ever seen a dog that was tied up all of the time finally be set free? I have seen two reactions. They will literally go “hog wild” and run all around the neighborhood and get into everything. They do this because they were meant to run free and NOT be tied up and it takes them a little while to adjust to their freedom and calm down!

 

On the other hand, some dogs have been so bound up by a leash for so long, that when you set them free they just sit there as if they are still bound. They can’t perceive their freedom. They are “bound” to the same “leash” IN THEIR FREEDOM, even though there is no “leash!!”

 

In a way Jesus was like Abraham Lincoln. When Jesus set the sinful flesh free from our lies and misperceptions, we were all set free at the same time! Remember the analogy a couple of posts back about Jesus being the “cup” and all of creation being like “water” inside the “cup”?

 

 

Whatever happens to the Son happens to the Creation that exists ONLY inside of Him. Heb 1:1-3! As a result, there are many who now believe this Truth and live in the freedom of it. Col 1:1-6! These people are called the Church, Christians, or Believers, and even a few other names (not all good!)

 

Unfortunately, most of us still seem to be like the slaves in Galveston, Texas. We either haven’t heard the word about our freedom in Jesus, yet, or, we don’t really embrace it, therefore, we have no other choice but to continue experiencing bondage (even though we are all totally free to believe and embrace the Truth in Jesus! John 8:36!

 

Our Freedom in Jesus Christ is the ONLY thing the Son is sharing with us! If we believe something else, it is coming from another source opposite of God and is evil – Gal 5:6-8 – because the Father and the Spirit are in total agreement and unity with the Son!!

 

Here are some good questions about this true story in American history:

 

When were the slaves in Galveston, Texas freed? Were they freed when Abraham signed the Emancipation Proclamation, or were they free only after they got the word and believed it? The answer is not really “either/or!” In short, the answer is, “Yes!”

 

All the slaves in the U.S. were TRULY, objectively freed when Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, AND, they were freed, in their experience, when they got the word of their freedom and believed it to be the truth!!

 

 

This is exactly how you should understand the subjects of “faith” and “salvation” in the Bible! Rom 4! Everyone in the Whole World is already Saved and Adopted into the Life of God because of our connection with Jesus Christ! 1Tim 4:9-10, Titus 2:11, Rom 11:28-32!  But we can only experience this Adoption and Salvation as truth when we embrace it as truth!!

 

 

If we don’t believe we are saved, even though we really are saved, then we can’t and won’t experience it the way Jesus does! We are like the dog that is “bound” without a leash! We can only live in the pain, lies and misperceptions that bring on the condition called hell! Eph 4:17-24!

 

Believing the Truth of our Adoption is GOOD! Not Believing the Truth of our Adoption is BAD!

 

 

Ephesians 1:7 (The Message):

 

“7 Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people – free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free!”