We can only seek the power to love, by looking to the Gospel of Christ. The Law will not free us from rage, or vanity, or self righteousness, or pride. Trying to adhere to the Law only brings about more sin. More overt sin! In fact that is the whole point of the Law!
20Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
21That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:20,21
That the offence might abound! So, the Law really is made to cause our flesh to fail, to show just how rebellious we are inside, by creating a rule for behavior which we rebell against outside. It causes what is sin within to become visible without! But why does God want us to abound in offence? because He recieves more glory and delivers more grace where sin is greatest. “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound..” Just like I have mentioned before, those who sin the most, love the Lord the most, because they realize just how much He paid for, because He set them free from more! (there is a scripture for that one too, anyone know it?)
We all know that the Law doesn’t save us. We are saved by faith alone. Even Abraham was saved by faith. That before the Law, but also well before Christ! His faith was counted unto him as righteousness. (No idea where that verse is, anyone??).
So if not by following the Law, after salvation… How does one come to be freed of our cancelled sin? For indeed our sin IS cancelled. It is no longer counted against us, we are saved by faith in Christ, all our sin is made white as snow! But in life, we are still bound by that cancelled sin. And how is it that we become free? NOT BY FOLLOWING THE RULES.
We become free by WALKING BY THE SPIRIT. The Law only condemns us. When we attempt to set ourselves free by following the rules, our flesh rebells all the more. But when we rely upon the power of the Holy Spirit to set us free, we are free indeed.
You may have read the previous post entitled “Those Whom He Sets Free Are Free Indeed” where I list the major things the Lord has set me free from. The freedom I recieved was by no works of my own!! There is no way that I can turn my heart to the Lord, I am rebellious, and only the part of me that is surrended to Christ desires to know Him more. Only the Holy Spirit dwelling within me is able to change my heart, by changing my heart, my behavior ends up being righteous too! But I cannot go the other way, I cannot maintain righteous behavior, to create a holy heart.
Did you get that? I CANNOT MAINTAIN RIGHTEOUS BEHAVIOR TO CREATE A HOLY HEART. Good righteous behavior, loving behavior becomes evident AFTER the Spirit changes my heart.
I must cling to the vine, and keep watching God. By clinging to the Vine and not looking to the left or the right, I am able to draw on the power of the Holy Spirit, He both sets me free, and others around me free because my cup will runneth over! (The righteousness of my heart will pour out, because what is in our hearts is what comes out of our mouths and out in our actions.) His power is not to be denied, nor should we say that the power of God is past! No, the power of God is ever present, we simply must plug in, and remain plugged in. When we walk by the Spirit, we will walk in power and grace. But all the glory will go to Christ. And it will become obvious that it is Christ who changed us, because the change will be so dramatic, so powerful, so permanent, that it will be undeniable that it was a power other than yourself! Undeniable to others, and to yourself!
Currently I am praying that the Lord will set me free from the bondage of pride. He has been faithful to free me from so many other things, that I have no doubt He will free me from this. But I can boast only in HIS power, because myself, I am unable to change, unable to create a humble heart within me.
How will the Lord set me free? By the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within me. As I choose to look unto Him, to cling to the Vine, to keep my eyes on GOD, first and foremost, and I can only do that by the power of the Holy Spirit too!
Praise God that He can and WILL change me. He sets the prisoner free! I am a prisoner, of pride… but I am also a prisoner of Christ, and He will set me free from all other bondages, that I might serve HIM wholly, completely, without reserve, without anything held back, but to be open faced before the Lord.
I pray that this post will touch your spirit, and inspire you to lean on the Lord, to rely on His power to set you free from whatever you are bound to. Yeild to Him, and you will find yourself a new person in ways you never imagined!
Peace,
Meg
