It is for Freedom

“WHATEVER OVERCOMES A PERSON, TO THAT, HE IS ENSLAVED,

but

IT IS FOR FREEDOM, CHRIST HAS SET US FREE;

STAND FIRM THEREFORE, AND DO NOT SUBMIT AGAIN TO A YOKE OF SLAVERY”

The Greatest Book ever written, which is also The Book most often quoted, most often talked about, most often written about, most often studied and taught, throughout history, is tragically being relegated to the archives of “information”: The Bible.

It is true that the Bible is…

• A guide for living life to the full. It gives us a road map for the perilous journey of life. Or to put it another way, on our voyage through life’s ocean, the Bible is an anchor.

• A storehouse of wonderful stories for children and grownups. Remember Noah and the ark? Joseph’s coat of many colors? Daniel in the lion’s den? Jonah and the fish? The parables of Jesus? These stories emphasize the triumphs and failures of ordinary people.

• A refuge in trouble. People in pain, in suffering, in prison, and in mourning tell how turning to the Bible brought strength in their desperate hour.

• A treasury of insight as to who we are. We are not meaningless robots, but we are magnificent creatures of a God who loves us and gives us a purpose and a destiny.

• A sourcebook for everyday living. We find standards for our conduct, guidelines for knowing right from wrong, and principles to help us in a confused society where so often “anything goes.”

But, The Bible is much more.

The Bible is The Word of God and it is truly Prophetic.

The Bible is The Word and It is God’s Voice. The Word is God’s Mind. The Word is His Son, (Let that sink in.)

His Word created the worlds and all they contain and His Word holds all of creation together.

His Word created you and all of humankind and gave you His Word for life and for living.

God spoke and continues to speak to this day through His Word.

So, here is His Word.

Use it for your instruction, for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness so that you, the man or woman of God, will be fitted, complete and perfect with God’s special abilities for given uses, equipped for every good work.

False prophets have always risen among the people of our God, just as there will be false teachers among you.
They will secretly bring in destructive denials of the revealed Truth (heresies), even denying the Master, Jesus, who bought them out of the slavery of destruction and condemnation, and this will bring a swift destruction upon them, as well.

Many will follow these false prophet’s sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be maligned and slandered.

Their condemnation is from long ago and it is not idle; and their destruction is not asleep. In their greed they will exploit you with false words and doom you to condemnation. (the foregoing is paraphrased. Go here for the Scripture 1 Peter2:1)

They are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm, speaking loud boasts of folly.

They entice with sensual passions of the flesh and they lure those who have barely escaped from a lifestyle of deception, back into sin. For them, the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved.

Those who live in error and themselves are slaves of corruption, promise freedom.

Whatever overcomes a person – to that they are enslaved.

If you are again entangled in defilements, after you have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and are overcome by them, your last condition will become worse for your than was your first.

It would be better for you to never have known the way of righteousness than having known it and turned back from the holy commandments delivered to you.

The true proverb has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”
(The foregoing is paraphrased, go here for the Scriputres: 1 Peter2:17)

Now remember, it is “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” 1 Galatians5:1

…Thus says THE LORD

Please, read and take care. Pass this along to others – especially the youth. Help them understand.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young