Released

“For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.” (Romans 7:5–6 ESV)

Go ahead and read that again. In Christ you are released from the law. The standard has been met for you by another. His perfection becomes yours and when you were united with Jesus by believing in him, you died to what once held you captive and only produced death. Now you live in a new way of the Spirit. A way of freedom, obedience and awe before this amazing Savior.

Without realizing it you probably woke up today subconsciously thinking of earning your approval of God and others. What law must be kept to secure my place? Does God really love me and call me his own? Is my value really in Christ or do I need to earn it from the people around me? And it is all hogwash! In Christ you are loved, approved and more secure than you can fathom. You are no longer captive to sin and the law no longer arouses sinful passions in you.

Everything changes when you experienced the grace of Christ and now life is uniquely and creatively free. You serve, not to earn but in response to the grace you have been given.

We won’t get it perfect every time, we may actually never get it right (as Romans 7 continues to express) but we are rescued from our wretchedness by Jesus. For his glory and our abundant good.

Take stock today. You are released to live free by the Spirit. Captivity is over, run free.