Dear Family,
Today is Sunday, April 16, 2023. This is Day 1 of Week 2. It is Day 8 in our Count to Pentecost.
During these days between the Wavesheaf and Pentecost, we see Israel free from the bondage of Egypt, but we also see them struggling with their inner bondages to various kinds of sin. A useful synonym for bondage is slavery. In essence, the ancient Israelites were still slaves of a particular kind of bondage.
Throughout the pages of the Bible, we find many references to bondage. There are numerous ways to be in bondage and to think about bondage. For example, there is physical bondage and spiritual bondage. Humans can be in bondage to other humans, to themselves, and to sin. Some people have even put themselves into bondage to the law God provided at Mt. Sinai.
Over the centuries, there has been a great deal of confusion regarding the law of God (given to ancient Israel in a formal, codified form at Mt. Sinai) and the granting of the Holy Spirit to the Church of God after our Savior ascended into heaven. To be truly free, true disciples of our Savior must have the law of God as well as the Holy Spirit; it has not been done away. Freedom from bondage does not mean we can live any way we can dream up. It does not mean we can become immoral or lawless.
Surely, the lessons of ancient Israel in the wilderness show us that sin is absolutely-not-acceptable to God. What God has done for us through the work of our Savior does not give us freedom to sin. We are still subject to living either a right and lawful way of life or an unlawful and evil way of life. Leaving the holiness and righteousness that God GIVES to us through faith, is to make ourselves the servants to sin. And, of course, God does not intend that we should be in bondage to sin. We are not to serve sin; and, the Bible is very clear on this point.
John 8:34 Jesus answered them; Verily, verily, I say unto you; Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
When we repent and baptized and receive the Holy Spirit, we are forgiven and set free from the bondage of our fleshly minds that Paul says “cannot” be subject to the law of God. We can overcome the pulls of the flesh by God’s power.
Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
And, just as God wants us to be free from the bondage of our human nature and sin, He also wants us to be free from any bondage we might have to a code of law. We cannot earn God’s gifts. God is the ONE we serve. We want to be just like He is. His law is one way He defines His righteousness for us. It is holy, just, and good. Yet, God never intended that we should be in bondage to any code of law. God has set us free to “serve” Him.
May God bless us with insight as we deeply consider during our Count to Pentecost what it means, what it looks like, and what it takes on our part to be truly free.
Ben Faulkner, Pastor
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