Knowing God - Romans 8:20-21

(from pastor)

... creation waits with eager longing

for the revealing of the children of God;

for creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay

and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God

Romans 8:20-21

 

"I don't like that word," a friend said. What word? "Bondage!"

 

Like most of us, this friend has escaped from a few corners of grief, pain, and bondage in her life and is actively trying to encourage others to escape their bondage too! Therefore, she says, "I don't like it that our Sunday morning confession often says, 'We confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves.'" She passionately and accurately says, "Because of Christ, aren't we free already?! Couldn't we say instead that 'We confess that we WERE in bondage to sin.'"

 

"The past tense works," I said. "BUT as much as you dislike the word 'bondage,' the present tense works too. We are BOTH free from sin ... AND in continual bondage to sin. We are BOTH hopeless on our own AND simultaneously victorious through Christ who is continually conquering our sin. Yes, Jesus -- past tense -- broke the chains on the cross BUT he must also -- present tense -- continue to break the chains in my life. Therefore, I must not complacently rely on a past tense victory, BUT continually claim and make real in the present tense this gift. My sin is defeated, BUT I must continue to defeat it.

 

Read our verse for today one more time, because it points in even one more direction: Past means it has been accomplished -- yeah God! Present means it is continually being accomplished -- thank you, Jesus! And future means that "creation waits with eager longing for the [eventual] revealing of the children of God; for [one day,] creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the [final] freedom of the glory of the children of God."

 

In Christ's Love,

a free slave