“Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.” – Acts 13:38-39
This is the good news of Jesus Christ! Through faith in Jesus, the Christ who died on the cross and rose from the dead, all our sins are graciously forgiven by God. We are set free from all that enslaved us.
We are freed from the power of sin over our lives. Not only are we forgiven, but we finally have the ability through Christ to reject sin and live lives of holiness. Thankfully we are also assured that when we do slip up and sin, that too will be forgiven when we ask in repentance.
We are freed from the power and inevitability of death. Though we will die (unless Christ returns first), all who are in Christ will share in His resurrection, rising from the dead and entering the presence of God. Death is simply a doorway into our glorious eternal future!
We are freed from the crushing weight and futility of trying to save ourselves from our sins by rule-following and perfect behavior. Because God is perfect and holy, He cannot permit sin into His presence. Because we aren’t perfect, we can’t help but separate ourselves from Him by our sin. No amount of good works or rule following will ever be enough to bridge that separation. We will exhaust ourselves and sink into despair from trying. However, Christ sacrificed Himself to bridge that gap!
In Christ, we are free from all these things! By God’s grace, we are free to become who we were made to be in relationship to the God whose image we bear. Thank you Lord Jesus for freeing us from all that would enslave us!