29 lines
4.4 KiB
HTML
29 lines
4.4 KiB
HTML
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<title>Blue Letter Bible: Day By Day By Grace — Bob Hoekstra</title>
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Day By Day By Grace</div>
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<div class="subhead">Bob Hoekstra</div>
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<div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020">May 12</div>
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<h2>Liberty by the Holy Spirit</h2>
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<div class="block"><i>Now the <b>Lord</b> is the <b>Spirit</b>; and where the <b>Spirit</b> of the Lord is, there is <b>liberty</b>.</i> (<a onClick="return mV('2Cr',3,17);">2 Corinthians 3:17</a>)</div>
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<p>As we have seen, the old covenant of <b>law</b> produces spiritual <b>bondage</b> in those who attempt to live under it. The remedy for that bondage is the new covenant of <b>grace</b>, because it produces spiritual <b>liberty</b>. This liberty is a work of the <b>Holy Spirit</b>. <i>"Now the <b>Lord</b> is the <b>Spirit</b>."</i> The life-giving <b>Lord</b> of grace is the <b>Spirit</b> of God: <i>"the new covenant, not of the letter but of the <b>Spirit</b>; for the letter kills, but the <b>Spirit gives life</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('2Cr',3,6);">2 Corinthians 3:6</a>).</p>
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<p>Living by rules and regulations (<i>"of the letter"</i>) has a deadening, binding spiritual effect on people. This is how the Pharisees "ministered." <i>"For they <b>bind</b> heavy <b>burdens</b>, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Mat',23,4);">Matthew 23:4</a>). Jesus came to liberate people, to set them free. This is why Jesus ministered by the Holy Spirit. <i>"The <b>Spirit</b> of the Lord is <b>upon Me</b>, because <b>He</b> has <b>anointed Me</b> to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach <b>deliverance to the captives</b> and recovery of sight to the blind, to <b>set at liberty</b> those who are <b>oppressed</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Luk',4,18);">Luke 4:18</a>). As Jesus, the Son of God, humbly served the Father, the Holy Spirit empowered Him to rescue captives, to release the oppressed.</p>
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<p>Rescuing people from sin and unrighteousness is the fundamental, liberating work of Jesus. <i>"And having been <b>set free from sin</b>, you became slaves of righteousness"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Rom',6,18);">Romans 6:18</a>). Now, we are free to grow in a life of righteousness. Our new-found freedom is not for personal indulgence. It is for service of the Lord. <i>"As <b>free</b>, yet <b>not</b> using your <b>liberty</b> as a <b>cloak</b> for vice, but as <b>servants of God</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('1Pe',2,16);">1 Peter 2:16</a>). Now that we are free, we can use our freedom to lovingly minister to others. <i>"For you, brethren, have been called to <b>liberty</b>; only do <b>not</b> use <b>liberty</b> as an opportunity for the <b>flesh</b>, but through <b>love</b> serve one another"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Gal',5,13);">Galatians 5:13</a>).</p>
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<p>Another wonder of Christ's rescuing, liberating work is that He wants to save us from self-dependent striving to develop a life of godliness and loving service. He accomplishes this by the work of the Holy Spirit. <i>"For the law of the <b>Spirit</b> of <b>life in Christ Jesus</b> has made me <b>free</b> from the law of <b>sin and death</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Rom',8,2);">Romans 8:2</a>). As we walk in humble dependence, the Holy Spirit imparts to us the life that is in Christ Jesus. This liberates us from the tendency to rely upon fleshly human resources, which are inadequate (due to sin and spiritual deadness).</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">Dear God of all spiritual liberation, I praise You for setting me free from sin and the service of self. Now I ask You to work in and through me by Your Holy Spirit, setting me free from self-striving in my service of You, in Jesus' name, Amen.</div>
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