From Bondage to Freedom
“It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance…Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…God our Savior wills ALL men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth… there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for ALL, the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth...it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of ALL mankind, especially of believers. Prescribe and TEACH THESE THINGS.” (1 Timothy 1:15, 2:3-7; 4:9-11)
When people pray the “sinner’s prayer” or "accept Christ as their personal savior", or “invite Jesus into their heart” or “repent of their sins” as a prerequisite to being saved they are attempting to do something to please God and satisfy what they feel and have been told is His just demands. But they do so because they do not “accept” the fact that Christ is the "Savior of ALL" mankind. I believe that Christ is the Savior of ALL just like the Word of God clearly says. Coming to that knowledge was the life changing event that turned by sorrow into joy and transported me from the bondage of religion to the “freedom of the glory of the children of God”.
“The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 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…” (Romans 8:16-24)
When people pray the “sinner’s prayer” or "accept Christ as their personal savior", or “invite Jesus into their heart” or “repent of their sins” as a prerequisite to being saved they are attempting to do something to please God and satisfy what they feel and have been told is His just demands. But they do so because they do not “accept” the fact that Christ is the "Savior of ALL" mankind. I believe that Christ is the Savior of ALL just like the Word of God clearly says. Coming to that knowledge was the life changing event that turned by sorrow into joy and transported me from the bondage of religion to the “freedom of the glory of the children of God”.
“The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 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…” (Romans 8:16-24)