Jesus gave His life to free us, and it is something we can forever be thankful for. A friend involved in prison ministry met a man in jail for life who came to faith in Jesus while incarcerated and was so thankful to be set free from sin. Although he would never be released from prison, he indicated he never experienced such freedom, peace, and purpose in life.
Our sinfulness can build a prison of hopelessness and despair, but Jesus came into this world to set the captives free. John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.[1]
You may not be in prison, but you may be going through trials that seem to have imprisoned you. As people, we can make poor choices, and the consequences can make us believe that God will not forgive us. The truth is the Lord does forgive our sins and brings conviction to turn us from sin toward Him. The thief on the cross with Jesus may have thought He was beyond God’s forgiveness until Jesus spoke to him. Luke 23:43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”[2]
Jesus Cleanses Us
There is something about washing dishes that reminds me of the work of the Lord in our lives. Like dishes after a meal that can’t clean themselves, we are similar in a spiritual sense. Sticky sin clings to us and is only cleansed by Jesus’s blood. Paul wrote to Titus to remind him of the work of Jesus in our life. Titus 2:14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. [3]
When Jesus cleanses us, it removes the weight of our sin that weights us down. If you are struggling with sin, turn to Jesus to confess your sins to Him and ask for forgiveness. To be forgiven is to be set free and cleansed.
God’s Sheep Do Good Things
Only faith in Jesus can save us, but James says faith and good works are connected. James 2:26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works. [4] To do good works in the Kingdom of God is a gift the Lord gives to every believer. The memories I treasured the most are opportunities the Lord gave me to serve and help others. The Lord wants us to produce fruit in our lives.
John 15:5 “Yes, I (Jesus) am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit.[5] Just as the vineyard’s purpose is to produce fruit, good works should follow our conversion. Good works do not produce salvation but are the fruit of a believer’s life. To learn how Jesus gave His life to free us, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/lead-with-integrity
[1-5] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.