Hoekstra's Day by Day by Grace (August 16th)

More on the Promise of Freedom in Christ

"Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed…How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation. (John 8:36 and Hebrews 2:3)

By the promise of God, true spiritual liberation is available in Jesus Christ. "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." If this saving work of the Lord is neglected there is no rescue from the devastating consequences of sin and self. "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation." As we previously noted, this delivering grace of God is so great that it not only provides a rescue "from," but it also supplies a rescue "unto."

This great salvation, which is experienced by coming to Jesus in humble faith, includes a setting free from innate sin unto imputed righteousness. "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). This great salvation in Christ includes deliverance from the kingdom of darkness unto the kingdom of light. "Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love" (Colossians 1:12-13). This great salvation also includes liberation from enmity toward God unto friendship with God: "For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God [turned from enemies into friends] through the death of His Son" (Romans 5:10). This great salvation also includes deliverance from alienation regarding God unto union with Him. "And you, who once were alienated…have been united together in the likeness of His death…. [and] in the likeness of His resurrection" (Colossians 1:21 and Romans 6:5). This great salvation also includes liberation from our own weakness unto God's mighty power. "And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). Lastly, this great salvation includes a rescuing from a self-produced life unto Christ living in us. "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20).