Slave to Free, Week 1: Salvation

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 (NIV) “…I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.” Exodus 6:6-7 (NIV) “I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.”  Exodus 6:6-7 (NIV) “I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God…”  Exodus 6:6-7 (NIV) The Cup of Sanctification = “I will bring you out” The Cup of Deliverance = “I will free you” The Cup of Redemption = “I will redeem you” The Cup of Praise = “I will take you as my own people” “I will bring you out” = Salvation “I will free you” = Freedom “I will redeem you” = Redemption “I will take you as my own people” = Fulfillment The first step in going from Slave to Free is… Salvation. “I am the Lord, and I will bring you out…” Exodus 6:6 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.  Luke 19:10 (NLT) We keep JESUS the main thing. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 (NIV) Our salvation is the first promise and the first priority of our God. Our SIN For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Romans 3:23 (NLT) But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance.  You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness… Romans 6:17-23 (NIV) What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!  But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. Romans 6:17-23 (NIV) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:17-23 (NIV) Submission to sin leads to DEATH.  Submission to Jesus brings FREEDOM. The solution to our sin problem is not TRY HARDER, but LET JESUS. Our PAST I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. Exodus 34:7 (NLT) But I do not excuse the guilty. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren… the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations.” Exodus 34:7 (NLT) This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17(NLT) Our story so far… does not determine our story to come, if we let JESUS write the rest.   The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again… Romans 8:15 (NIV) …rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15 (NIV) OURSELVES Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.  You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. Ephesians 2:1-10 (NLT) All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature... Ephesians 2:1-10 (NLT) But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead… Ephesians 2:1-10 (NLT) God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.  Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. Ephesians 2:1-10 (NLT) For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:1-10 (NLT) Change in your life will happen after you have been set free, but not change in order to become free. Surrender From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. Acts 17:26-27 (NIV) God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.  Acts 17:26-27 (NIV)