Being set free

Today, I am asking you to get your Bible and turn to Romans 7:1-4. We must remember that this passage builds off of the previous chapters. You may want to read Romans 5 and 6 before you continue to read. The Apostle Paul make the principle that is being taught clear—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives. “Romans 7:1” The use of the illustration of marriage helps us understand how this principle works even in today’s society. After giving the illustration the Apostle come to application which is where we need to camp out today and apply to our lives so that others around us can see that the gospel message is true and that Jesus is who He say’s he is. The believer’s in Rome happen to be both Jewish and Gentile, both died to the Law. The Jews died to the Mosaic Law and the Gentiles died to the law that God put on their heart that either accused or excused them. Today, when a person comes to believe in Jesus, that is they exercise faith in him and are born again they have died to the Law. The Apostle’s in Acts 15 had to help the early Church understand that they who were Jewish couldn’t keep the Law and the only person who could fulfilled and was raised again from the dead. Now in Acts 15 they gave clear directions for what the new believers were to do. Here is a quick question that I want you to ask yourself- Am I trying to keep the Law? If I try to keep the Law as prescribe in the Mosaic Law or even if I try to bear fruit to God on my own strength, then I will become a bitter person. I will become a Pharisee, trying to be righteous in my own strength. The way a believer bears fruit to God is to die to self every day and live for Jesus. It is the ministry and work of the Holy Spirit living in the life of the believer to bear fruit. It is our abiding in Christ, our relationship with him that is so vital. I want to you to take this passage of Scripture and turn it into a prayer to the Lord asking him to help you to be released from the law, to be set free from that which held you captive. So that you can serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. I want to encourage you to read and meditate on John 15:1-17. As you do the fruit of the Spirit that Paul mentions in Galatians 5:22-23 will become a reality in your life. I want to invite you to First Baptist Church this Sunday. If not with us there are plenty of great churches here in Lake City that love the Lord.