Email from Abiding Place Daily Bread – October 12, 2024 (The Seventh Day – Genesis 2:1-3) Galatians 5:1 – Stand, therefore, in the freedom for which Christ has set us free and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. Paul had previously asked the Galatians how they thought they could begin in the Spirit, and then think they could perfect themselves through human effort (Galatians 3:3). They had received the miracle of the new birth, and yet somehow they began to think their relationship with God depended upon religious practices. They just did not understand the message of salvation. It had not registered that God destroyed the curse that was on Adam and the separation that had existed between man and God, and now all they needed was Jesus (Romans 5-6; Hebrews 2:14; 2 Timothy 1:10). They failed to understand that God had brought them into the glorious freedom of the sons of God, and how now they were able to walk with Him and talk with Him and learn of all His fullness through the activity of the Holy Spirit in their lives (2 Corinthians 3:17). Jesus died at Calvary so they could go free from slavery to sin and darkness. He had brought them out of darkness into His glorious light (1 Peter 2:9; Ephesians 5:8). He had translated them from the kingdom of this world into His Kingdom (Colossians 1:13). He gave them His glory so they could be one with Him (John 17:22). Yet, they stopped short of stepping into an ever increasing personal relationship and began to retreat into religious practices. They were becoming entangled with the slavery they once had before their spiritual freedom. They were losing sight of how Christ was all they needed in order to have everything God had ordained man to have. We need to embrace the good news of salvation and the freedom to walk in all the fullness of God (John 1:16; Ephesians 3:19; Colossians 2:9, 3:16; Ephesians 3:17). We need to believe the testimony God gave to us of His Son and call all the work of salvation complete, unless we should run the risk of making the work of Christ of no benefit to us (Galatians 5:2-4). If we will just choose to believe what God has said about us and accept what He has done for us, then we will live in the glorious freedom of oneness with God. We will find the beauty of holiness and the blessing of righteousness springing up and flowing out like rivers of living water. We must refuse the thoughts and suggestions of men and of Satan who both would constantly lie against the truth and attempt to bring us back into slavery (2 Peter 2:19; 2 Corinthians 10:4; Ephesians 6:10). Blessings, Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
Daily Bread 10/12/2024
