Jesus, the Christ, said, “Therefore, whom the Son sets free shall be free indeed.
After years of being involved in recovery ministry programs, seeing so many, as I have myself, struggle with sin over and over without real freedom from the sinful actions that control our lives, I believe God has shown me a better way.
Many years ago I was involved in a program in Lagrange County that was called, “The Most Excellent Way. Borrowing from Scripture in 1st Corinthians 12:31 that says, “And yet I show you a more excellent way,” I have seen the influence of an industrial approach that appears to leave men and women in the perpetual struggle with being a “recovering addict,” and still dealing with the sin that so easily entangles in an identity that doesn’t allow for the fact that one is a new creation in Christ and all is new and the old is passing away. It is a trap, I believe, of the enemy, that many fall into, well intentioned, but I believe errantly in a place of unbelief.
Heb 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The answer is Love. Love is the more excellent Way. He is the “Most Excellent Way.” Our heavenly Father, in His great love for us, sent Love in the flesh to redeem us from the sin we inherited from our fore-parent in the flesh, Adam. John writes, in 1st John 4:8, “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
The Bible has a lot to say about Love and how the Love of God changes lives, fully and completely in victorious freedom by faith that leads us to grace. Free Indeed! is an outreach of First Love with the very same message, that we cannot do this on our own. No amount of programs or Bible Verse memorization, or religious study or works of any kind will bring freedom. We have no power over sin at our core, in our flesh. But in the Spirit who indwells the believer, we have authority over our flesh and its lusts, as we humble ourselves in submission to the Sovereign Spirit who is God. Only in Christ, who is Love can you and I be Free Indeed!
For a more complete, Scriptural understanding, please visit this page to read more.