My best friend Arick lives approximately 7,919 miles away from me right now, so we have to talk via Facebook messenger. I have never met someone who loves the “real talk” more than him, and he is always spitting fire truth. I always joke around with him that I am going to print out all of our conversations we have and post them on the walls of my room to read over and over again.
One night, I was asking him his thoughts about being free from sin; particularly pornography in this day and age.
He said, “I believe once you're in Christ you are complete and 100% free, but it’s by faith (John 8:36, Eph 2:8). You will definitely be tempted, especially initially, and you may even stumble into it again (1 Cor 10:13). But, it’s important to know the truth because the truth is what sets you free (John 8:32).”
He went on to say, “If it's a process TO GET TO freedom, it is only man's strength not Gospel truth, because Jesus died on the cross for your freedom so that you didn't have to earn it. You may fall back into an old pattern like pornography in times of weakness and because your mind hasn't been renewed by the truth, but BY NO MEANS does that define you as a slave to sin again (Rom 6:6, Gal 5:1). It doesn't nullify the righteousness attributed to you by faith (Rom 3:22, 5:1)."
Jesus died SO THAT we would be COMPLETELY FREE FROM SIN, but we must believe and know that this freedom is possible (not just a good idea, and not just for Jesus) (Rom 6:14,18, Matt 26:28).
He said, "If I am proclaiming a "testimony" about how I got free after so long by trying this and trying that and then FINALLY being set free, it isn’t a testimony of Jesus at all; it’s actually a boast in a process and not the already completed work of the risen savior."
This freedom was won at Calvary and we received it when we believed. We don't have to DO anything to BE FREE, but we must take hold of what has been given to us by faith (Eph 2:8).
WOW. WHAT THE HECK.
What Arick is saying is the moment you became a Christian and the Holy Spirit dwelt within you, you were already as free as you ever will be in Christ. You have been set free. Period. You cannot receive more freedom than that of what Christ paid for on the cross (Gal 5:1). This amazing freedom needs to be REALIZED in order to live our lives as Jesus did (1 Peter 1:16, 2 Peter 1:3, Matt 5:48, Rom 8:9-13).
The process is BELIEVING that who the Son sets free is FREE INDEED. And this is a process of renewing our minds to the truth; a process that Holy Spirit guides us through and gives understanding to (John 16:13, Rom 12:2). Either the Word of God is true or it’s not.
Ask yourself: Do I really believe in the promised freedom from sin (2 Peter 1:4)?
Colossians 1:22-23 says, “Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don't drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God's servant to proclaim it.”
I am learning that the gospel is EXTREMELY ABRASIVE to our flesh, but our spirit drinks it in like a cool glass of water. Jesus bought freedom FROM SIN when He died on the cross. The truth is that there is FREEDOM TODAY for you and me (1 John 2:1, Mark 9:23, 1 John 5:4-5, James 4:7, Deut 30:19, 1 Peter 5: 8-10). I beg the question: If we are in Christ, why are we still living in sin? (1 John 3:5-9) Either we are free from sin or we aren’t (Rom 6:16, Heb 9:14). Let’s open our hands and let go of what we are choosing instead of absolute freedom. Let's be empowered by the grace of Jesus Christ and experience the incredible freedom from sin and live our lives in the Promised Land He has for us.
Matthew 11:6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.
One night, I was asking him his thoughts about being free from sin; particularly pornography in this day and age.
He said, “I believe once you're in Christ you are complete and 100% free, but it’s by faith (John 8:36, Eph 2:8). You will definitely be tempted, especially initially, and you may even stumble into it again (1 Cor 10:13). But, it’s important to know the truth because the truth is what sets you free (John 8:32).”
He went on to say, “If it's a process TO GET TO freedom, it is only man's strength not Gospel truth, because Jesus died on the cross for your freedom so that you didn't have to earn it. You may fall back into an old pattern like pornography in times of weakness and because your mind hasn't been renewed by the truth, but BY NO MEANS does that define you as a slave to sin again (Rom 6:6, Gal 5:1). It doesn't nullify the righteousness attributed to you by faith (Rom 3:22, 5:1)."
Jesus died SO THAT we would be COMPLETELY FREE FROM SIN, but we must believe and know that this freedom is possible (not just a good idea, and not just for Jesus) (Rom 6:14,18, Matt 26:28).
He said, "If I am proclaiming a "testimony" about how I got free after so long by trying this and trying that and then FINALLY being set free, it isn’t a testimony of Jesus at all; it’s actually a boast in a process and not the already completed work of the risen savior."
This freedom was won at Calvary and we received it when we believed. We don't have to DO anything to BE FREE, but we must take hold of what has been given to us by faith (Eph 2:8).
WOW. WHAT THE HECK.
What Arick is saying is the moment you became a Christian and the Holy Spirit dwelt within you, you were already as free as you ever will be in Christ. You have been set free. Period. You cannot receive more freedom than that of what Christ paid for on the cross (Gal 5:1). This amazing freedom needs to be REALIZED in order to live our lives as Jesus did (1 Peter 1:16, 2 Peter 1:3, Matt 5:48, Rom 8:9-13).
The process is BELIEVING that who the Son sets free is FREE INDEED. And this is a process of renewing our minds to the truth; a process that Holy Spirit guides us through and gives understanding to (John 16:13, Rom 12:2). Either the Word of God is true or it’s not.
Ask yourself: Do I really believe in the promised freedom from sin (2 Peter 1:4)?
Colossians 1:22-23 says, “Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don't drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God's servant to proclaim it.”
I am learning that the gospel is EXTREMELY ABRASIVE to our flesh, but our spirit drinks it in like a cool glass of water. Jesus bought freedom FROM SIN when He died on the cross. The truth is that there is FREEDOM TODAY for you and me (1 John 2:1, Mark 9:23, 1 John 5:4-5, James 4:7, Deut 30:19, 1 Peter 5: 8-10). I beg the question: If we are in Christ, why are we still living in sin? (1 John 3:5-9) Either we are free from sin or we aren’t (Rom 6:16, Heb 9:14). Let’s open our hands and let go of what we are choosing instead of absolute freedom. Let's be empowered by the grace of Jesus Christ and experience the incredible freedom from sin and live our lives in the Promised Land He has for us.
Matthew 11:6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.