What does it mean to truly be free in Christ? If
our identity, after He saves us, is in Him, how can we be bound and tied to
things that are in us? Col 2:13-15 "And you, who were dead in your
trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with
him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the
record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set
aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and
authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him."
Addiction and bondage is apart of who we are as
depraved souls, but after salvation and a regenerated heart that comes with
true salvation, our identity is no longer about who we are, but instead about
who He is. If who we were, is still who we are, than we are not in Him,
we are not regenerated. Rom 8:31, "If God is for us, who can be
against us?" God does not have addictions and bondages. The
Gospel shows us that we are NOT who we once were, because of what He did, NOT
because of what we did and in spite of who we were. If we are given His
identity, his righteousness as a "new creation," how can we be bound
by things that cannot bind Him?
Can we be tempted, yes! He was tempted and
Hebrews 4:15 tells us "we do not have a high priest who is unable to
sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted
as we are, yet without sin." Will we screw up, yes. We will
make mistakes, we are still living in this flesh which is temporary, and have
not reached the extent of our sanctification, only begun. The Gospel is
given to us in the very next verse in Hebrews 4:16, "Let us then with
confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find
grace to help in the time of need." If we could do this thing with
out missteps, than Christ wasted his time [Galatians 2:21]. That being
understood, we will be tempted and we will fail, but we are not bound, we are
not tied, we are not continually in a snare, we have been freed.
Galatians 5:1 says "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand
firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."
