Thursday, July 14, 2016

Freedom from SinChris Tomlin wrote the extra verses to Amazing Grace in 2007 referred to as “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone).”  The first three lines are,

“My Chains are Gone,
I’ve been set free,
My God, my Savior has ransomed me.”

The apostle Paul wrote, “Christ has truly made us free: then keep your free condition and let no man put a yoke on you again.”  (Galatians 5:1 BBE).  

Paul was a sinner, he admitted it to the church (Romans 7:14-24).  He reaffirmed it to the young evangelist (1 Timothy 1:15).  However, Jesus made a difference in Paul’s life as he does in ours.  Paul wrote,

“Oh, what a terrible predicament I’m in!  Who will free me from my slavery to this deadly lower nature?   Thank God! It has been done by Jesus Christ our Lord.  He has set me free.  So there is now no condemnation awaiting those who belong to Christ Jesus.”  (Romans 7:24-25; 8:1).

However, Satan continues to deceive and some are!  When one dies to sin and is buried by immersion into Jesus death and raised into the new life he provides, doing what we hate isn’t washed away (Romans 6:3-4; 7:15 NLT).  The devil uses that weakness to deceive us and make us believe we are not yet free and our “now” remains an insecure future!

Some refuse to understand that Jesus’ blood is complete in cleansing and constant in action (1 John 1:7).  Because we have died to sin, we are no longer subject to its payment (Romans 6:23).  Although we fall short due to our imperfections, Jesus’ blood makes us new, forgiven, and free (2 Corinthians 5:17)!  That being so, we sing with conviction,

“My Chains are Gone,
I’ve been set free,
My God, my Savior has ransomed me.”