The Truth About Freedom
“You will know the truth and the truth will set you free....According to the purpose of the One Who is operating ALL in accord with the counsel of His will” (John 8:32; Ephesians 1:11).
God is in control of the universe and all of His creatures are in His care. He is guiding His creation across time from age to age - from the beginning when God was all there was, to the final destination where God is "All in All” of His creation.
"For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn...then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death...so that God may be all in all." (1 Corinthians 15:26-29)
Along the way to this grand destiny, God has subjected all of creation to "futility". None of us understand why He did so, but built somewhere deep inside is the hope for our eventual glorious "freedom". Only when God becomes "all in all" will we be truly free, and that "truth will set us free". Then, all creation will have been set free from this present "futility".
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free...For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.” (Galatians 5:1; Romans 8:20-25)
God is in control of the universe and all of His creatures are in His care. He is guiding His creation across time from age to age - from the beginning when God was all there was, to the final destination where God is "All in All” of His creation.
"For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn...then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death...so that God may be all in all." (1 Corinthians 15:26-29)
Along the way to this grand destiny, God has subjected all of creation to "futility". None of us understand why He did so, but built somewhere deep inside is the hope for our eventual glorious "freedom". Only when God becomes "all in all" will we be truly free, and that "truth will set us free". Then, all creation will have been set free from this present "futility".
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free...For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.” (Galatians 5:1; Romans 8:20-25)
We see the journey only as "a dim reflection". But don't give up hope, for it is the blessed assurance of our God, and along with faith and love, it is all that we need along the way to that final destination.
"Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love." (1 Corinthians 13:12-13)