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FREEDOM IN CHRIST
The freedom in God is contingent upon love and faith. The freedom we possess is restraint in proportion to how much we are willing to yield to the Spirit. The freedom we have in Christ is not entirely absolute and neither should it be! One is in the most horrific bondage when they are totally free in and of themselves. The flesh is inundated with carnality and carnality is the epitome of rebellion. However; once we repent and submit to Christ the love of the Lord constrains us.
(14) For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
(15) And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
(16) Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
(17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:14-17
Constraineth us. συνεχει. sunechō this word means, to hold together, to press together, to shut up; then to press on, urge, impel, or excite. Here it defines the exciting motive and movement in the labors of our love and self-restraint. And we, being urged by that same love, are prompted to do acts of zealous works and self-denial to save the world from ruin. The Greek also implies to compress forcibly all our energies into one channeled purpose.
Brethren we that are saved through the blood of Christ have the firm conviction which leads to a complete conclusion that Christ died for all who are dead in their trespasses and sins. We are born anew from and henceforth are no longer just a creature of carnality but new creations of the Spirit. Old things are passed and we now know and understand things through the Spirit.
Love is foremost, uppermost, and uttermost in its ability to constrain us to the degree we yield to its transforming power. Christ is preeminent in all things which pertain to us:
(15) Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
(16) For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
(17) And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
(18) And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. Colossians 1:15-18
By him all things consist or are (sunistanō) held together. We are held together by faith that works through infused love.
(23) If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; Colossians 1:23
We see positivity in the phrase “continue in the faith grounded and settled”.
We see negativity in the phrase “be not moved away from the hope of the gospel”.
The word which provokes these two opposing dynamics is “if.” Let us consider no matter how great the powers of the Christ are; no matter how deep our desire; no matter how fixed we are on the purpose of God. There is no fulfilment that is possible except on the condition of our habitual exercise of faith. The gospel does not prevail for men through disbelief or inactivity; but by our yielding or being restrained and trained through the exercise thereof.
Faith must be permanent. “Grounded and settled.” Truth is the foundation of permanence therefore truth must be:
Comprehended confidently
Embraced conformingly
Maintained courageously
(58) Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58
Katechō from (kata) and (echo); to hold down (fast), in various applications (literal or figurative) :- have, hold (fast), keep (in memory), let, × make toward, possess, retain, seize on, stay, take, withhold. This word is also sometimes translated as “restrain”.
It is the restraining power of God that is holding things together. The Comforter is also the enforcer of our faith when we have learned to fully yield ourselves to him. We then are enabled by this agent of constraint to live in the love of Christ; live by the power of Christ, and demonstrate the freedom in Christ to the good pleasure of him who has called us out of the darkness into his marvelous light.
(12) So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
(13) For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13
O my brethren the depths and riches of the grace of God are correctly phrased amazing. It is astonishing how we must by all means be constrained, restrained, and retrained to have a freedom which is so pure and sweet. How blissful it is to bow at the Saviors feet, he who shed his sinless blood. How rewarding is the time we spend in praise filled prayer. O the rejoicing deep within to know that we’ve been freed from sin. Death no longer has its woeful blow and no fear of hell below. O brethren the depths and riches we possess when we gave our lives to him; he who manages from above now rests in us a heavenly dove. O the sound of that name so sweet, the name that made my life complete. Let us truly rest in him being constrained by his love. Selah
Shalom, Agape, & Amen!
D.R. Ritchie (Emissary)
The freedom in God is contingent upon love and faith. The freedom we possess is restraint in proportion to how much we are willing to yield to the Spirit. The freedom we have in Christ is not entirely absolute and neither should it be! One is in the most horrific bondage when they are totally free in and of themselves. The flesh is inundated with carnality and carnality is the epitome of rebellion. However; once we repent and submit to Christ the love of the Lord constrains us.
(14) For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
(15) And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
(16) Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
(17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:14-17
Constraineth us. συνεχει. sunechō this word means, to hold together, to press together, to shut up; then to press on, urge, impel, or excite. Here it defines the exciting motive and movement in the labors of our love and self-restraint. And we, being urged by that same love, are prompted to do acts of zealous works and self-denial to save the world from ruin. The Greek also implies to compress forcibly all our energies into one channeled purpose.
Brethren we that are saved through the blood of Christ have the firm conviction which leads to a complete conclusion that Christ died for all who are dead in their trespasses and sins. We are born anew from and henceforth are no longer just a creature of carnality but new creations of the Spirit. Old things are passed and we now know and understand things through the Spirit.
Love is foremost, uppermost, and uttermost in its ability to constrain us to the degree we yield to its transforming power. Christ is preeminent in all things which pertain to us:
(15) Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
(16) For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
(17) And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
(18) And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. Colossians 1:15-18
By him all things consist or are (sunistanō) held together. We are held together by faith that works through infused love.
(23) If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; Colossians 1:23
We see positivity in the phrase “continue in the faith grounded and settled”.
We see negativity in the phrase “be not moved away from the hope of the gospel”.
The word which provokes these two opposing dynamics is “if.” Let us consider no matter how great the powers of the Christ are; no matter how deep our desire; no matter how fixed we are on the purpose of God. There is no fulfilment that is possible except on the condition of our habitual exercise of faith. The gospel does not prevail for men through disbelief or inactivity; but by our yielding or being restrained and trained through the exercise thereof.
Faith must be permanent. “Grounded and settled.” Truth is the foundation of permanence therefore truth must be:
Comprehended confidently
Embraced conformingly
Maintained courageously
(58) Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58
Katechō from
It is the restraining power of God that is holding things together. The Comforter is also the enforcer of our faith when we have learned to fully yield ourselves to him. We then are enabled by this agent of constraint to live in the love of Christ; live by the power of Christ, and demonstrate the freedom in Christ to the good pleasure of him who has called us out of the darkness into his marvelous light.
(12) So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
(13) For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13
O my brethren the depths and riches of the grace of God are correctly phrased amazing. It is astonishing how we must by all means be constrained, restrained, and retrained to have a freedom which is so pure and sweet. How blissful it is to bow at the Saviors feet, he who shed his sinless blood. How rewarding is the time we spend in praise filled prayer. O the rejoicing deep within to know that we’ve been freed from sin. Death no longer has its woeful blow and no fear of hell below. O brethren the depths and riches we possess when we gave our lives to him; he who manages from above now rests in us a heavenly dove. O the sound of that name so sweet, the name that made my life complete. Let us truly rest in him being constrained by his love. Selah
Shalom, Agape, & Amen!
D.R. Ritchie (Emissary)