sis Reis, et al;
I am extremely blessed in reading mr Hawker's comments on the
liberty of the sons of GOD. There can be no greater comfort to that man
who is convinced that he is a sinner worthy of destruction, than to hear
the glorious gospel of the glory of the blessed GOD which informs him
that there is therefore no condemnation to those who are in CHRIST.
None of any kind. We have been made the LORD's free-men, whereas we
were all our lifetime subject unto bondage, and strove against HIM who
has now granted our freedom. Yet now by HIS grace which has set us
free, we desire that HE might bore through our ears with an awl that we
might be the willing bondslaves of HIM who purchased our freedom. We
have been given this understanding that there is LIBERTY in CHRIST and
we do not desire any other.
Blessings, mike
*"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." **2 Corinthians 3:17*
**
*What liberty, my soul! art thou brought into by thine adoption into the
family of God in Christ? Not from the assaults of sin; for thou still
carriest about with thee a body of sin, under which thou groanest. Not
from the temptations of Satan; for he is still levelling at thee many a
fiery dart. Not from outward troubles; for the world thou art still in,
thou findest it a wilderness state. Not from inward fears; for thine
unbelief begets many. Not from the chastisement of thy wise and kind
Father: for then many a sweet visit of his love, under the rod, would be
unknown. Not from death; for the stroke of it thou must one day
feel—though, blessed be Jesus, he hath taken out the sting in his blood
and righteousness. What liberty then is it, my soul, thou enjoyest? What
hath the Spirit of the Lord, as a spirit of revelation, discovering to
thee the glory of Jesus, and thy interest in him, brought thee into? Oh,
who shall write down the vast, the extensive account of thy freedom?
Say, my soul, hath not the sight of God's glory in Christ freed thee
from the curse of the law, —from the guilt of the law, —from the
dominion of sin, —from the power of Satan, —from the evil of unbelief in
thine own heart, —from the terrors of justice, — from the alarms of
conscience, from the second death? Say, my soul, doth not the sight of
Jesus dying for thee, rising for thee, pleading for thee, enlarge thine
heart, and lose thy bonds, and shake off all thy fetters and all thy
fears? Doth not Jesus in the throne give thee liberty to come to him, to
call upon him, to unbosom thyself unto him, to tell him all thy wants,
all thy necessities, and to lean upon his kind arm in every hour of
need? Shout, my soul! and echo to the apostle's words, — Where the
Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty:" liberty to approach, liberty to
plead, liberty to pray, liberty to praise and to adore the whole persons
of the Godhead, for having opened the prison-doors, and given thee
freedom in Christ Jesus!*
**
*Robert Hawker (1753-1827)*
