Martin Luther was a Catholic priest during the 1500’s who questioned the practices of the Catholic Church because they were selling indulgences. An indulgence was purchased for sin … or you did penance by abasing yourself (like crawling up a flight of steps and praying the Lord’s Prayer at each step) or by doing a good work to remove sin.  The indulgences were sold to decrease your time in purgatory.  Martin Luther's question of the practice was the beginning of the Protestant Reformation!

Because of Martin Luther, the Protestant church accepts salvation by grace through faith instead of receiving forgiveness through works or by paying a certain amount of money. However ….. Christians often allow themselves to get into spiritual bondage because they don’t feel they measure up to God’s expectations.

The Apostle Paul had also been set free from the bondage of doing works to please God and purchase a place for himself in heaven.  The Jewish religion taught obedience to rituals and laws as a means of obtaining righteousness and when Christ came the fulfillment of the Law was revealed in grace through faith.   After Paul placed his faith in Christ, he found the freedom of God's grace, and declared:

Gal 5:1

It was for freedom that Christ set us free;

In the books of Galatians the Apostle Paul addresses the temptation to return to good works as our righteousness!  Going to heaven because you have kept the Commandments, or because you are a good person, or because you attend church, is not the Gospel.  Paul responded to that teaching by saying:

Gal 1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you …

Gal 2:4 ... so that they might bring us into slavery—

Gal 3:1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?

          Again, in the books of Colossians, the Apostle Paul addresses the same issue!  Someone was adding to the Gospel and causing the loss of their freedom! Paul is strong in his words!

Col 2:4 Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.

Col 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive …

Col 2:18-19 Let no one disqualify you …

What is that Satan wants to steal from us? Our freedom in Christ! Our freedom to approach the throne of grace freely. Our freedom to worship. Our freedom to love one another. Our freedom to obey the Lord joyfully!

So what is Paul’s antidote for Satan’s attack? Truth!

Col 1:16-20

16 For by (Jesus Christ) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

ESV

The first truth to be known is that Jesus Christ is the Creator, the everlasting God, who holds all things together! He is holding our lives together! He is the head of the church and His ministry is in the reconciliation of all things to himself … i.e. … making peace by the blood of his cross.

May I ask what you perceive Christ doing in your life on a daily basis?

Is He absent?     Is He withdrawn?

Is He a task master?     Is He judgmental?      Is He condemning you?

Or is He reconciling you to Himself … making peace?

Satan will lie to you about Him! Don’t be deceived! Don’t be cheated! Don’t be taken captive to legalistic religion that moves you away from God! Satan will tell you to work harder, be a better person, go to Communion, to good for someone, and God will love you. That is not Truth! Christ freely forgives and is reconciling you to Himself moment by moment.

The second Truth I want us to look at gives us specifics to our spiritual freedom. This is personal!

Col 2:12-15

12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.

13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

ESV

If you are born again ... When you came to Christ and receive Him as your Lord and Savior ... you died to the old self.  That is what the physical act of baptism is about, it is a spiritual reality … you are spiritually buried with Christ. The amazing part is that you are raised from the dead and are now alive to God in Christ Jesus. Alive to His forgiveness. Alive to His love. Alive to His power. Alive to His mercy.

He has canceled the record of your sin. There is no record of transgressions from your past which are held against you! You have new life! This is a daily walk. A daily cleansing. A daily grace. A daily renewal!

This isn’t an opportunity to sin … it is an opportunity to live in righteousness! The old man is dead! You have a new life! That is what Paul was telling the churches of Galatia and Colossae!

Jesus disarmed the rulers and authorities who placed you in bondage. You are free to live in righteousness. Satan has no further authority over you. Jesus is in you triumphant over darkness!

The third truth strikes at the heart of the question of freedom. Christ is our Creator … creating peace between Himself and us … nailing to the cross the accusations held against us.

Col 2:16-23

16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.

17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism (plainness) and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,

19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations—

21 "Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch"

22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings?

23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

ESV

Trying harder doesn’t overcome sin. Beating yourself up doesn’t draw you closer to God. Only faith in what Christ has already done combats sin! It is a completed work … we can rest in that.

Paul was adamant about grace enabling us to overcome sin! It was the first revolution in the Church … and it was the second revolution in Martin Luther’s day. We need a third revolution of the power of grace to transform our lives as we trust and place our faith in Jesus.

Please God with your faith … He loves you!