Set The Captives Free
"Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them...The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord...There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men." (Psalm 68:18; Romans 6:26; Ephesians 4:4-8)
All mankind are captives of sin because of Adam, and all mankind are freely justified and set free from the penalty of sin by the second Adam, Christ Jesus.
“Thus it is written, the first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit...through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.” (1 Corinthians 15:45; Romans 5:18-19)
We are not to OFFER salvation and WIN the lost to Christ, but to tell lost people the wonderful good news that they have been WON through the death, burial and resurrection of Christ Jesus, and instruct them how to live a life that shows God that they appreciate it.
“For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf…you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another and aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own business, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.”
It is the this message that sets the captives free from religious condemnation into the "glorious liberty of the children of God".
"Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God." (Romans 8:21)
All mankind are captives of sin because of Adam, and all mankind are freely justified and set free from the penalty of sin by the second Adam, Christ Jesus.
“Thus it is written, the first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit...through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.” (1 Corinthians 15:45; Romans 5:18-19)
We are not to OFFER salvation and WIN the lost to Christ, but to tell lost people the wonderful good news that they have been WON through the death, burial and resurrection of Christ Jesus, and instruct them how to live a life that shows God that they appreciate it.
“For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf…you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another and aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own business, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.”
(2 Corinthians 5:14-15; 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12)
"Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God." (Romans 8:21)