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REDEEMED!

By Bobbie Jean Merck

   Before and throughout our lives as believers, we have built “blessing releasers” or “blessing blockers.”  In Anchorage, Alaska, the Lord caused me to understand that the “blessing blockers” in our lives have been built as a beaver builds a dam ~ one stick at a time.  But thanks be unto God!  When one stick is removed, it opens the way for the entire dam to collapse as we faithfully follow Jesus in being disciples.

   When the blessing blockers go, the blessing releasers work to bring God’s blessings to us!  By faith we are rescued from the Law that curses unto the Laws of Life and Blessings.  One of the greatest and most dangerous blessing blockers is the fleshly temptation to reduce oneself from the liberty we have in Christ Jesus, attempting to make ourselves right in God’s sight by the “works” we do.

   As God began to lead, unfold, and reveal to me these revelations, I received insight and answers long sought after.

               For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse:   for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which

are written in the book of the law to do them. 

               But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident:  for, The just shall live by faith.  And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

               Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus

Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

                                                                                            Galatians 3:10-14

   Christ has redeemed us from the curse…that the blessings might come!  Redeem simply means “ransomed from slavery.”

   The Galatians were seduced from their first faith in the Lord Jesus Christ by teachers (and others) who insisted they must keep the old Jewish (Mosaic) law by observing rituals, days, legalistic restraints, and ceremonies.  In other words, this means you would be depending on what you do to receive God’s blessings, rather than believing God, with pure and simple faith in Jesus Christ and in what He has done for you.  The Galatians had begun in the Spirit, but were presently trying to be made perfect by the flesh.

   Paul said it another way when addressing the Corinthians, “…the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life” (2 Corinthians 3:5).

   The freedom  and the beauty of it all is that the Lord Himself was made a curse for us, thus liberating us from every curse: sin, sickness, poverty, and fear.  He is our reconciliation with God, and not the old law.  “For he hath made him to be sin for us…” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

   Depending on the law (and your doing the works of the law) for salvation leaves no room for Jesus Christ and His grace.  First, we need to understand what “saved” or “salvation” means.  It is the Greek word “sozo” (to save) is further defined as:  Salvation in regards to: 1.  Material and temporal deliverance form danger, suffering, sickness, and so forth.  Preservation.  2.  The spiritual and eternal salvation granted immediately by God to those who believe on Christ.  3.  The present experience of God’s power to deliver from the bondage of sin.  4.  The future deliverance of believers at the Second Coming of Christ.  5.  All the blessings inclusively bestowed by God on men in Christ.

   Though we clearly understand the reference to the first experience of salvation taking place when we are “born again,” the following testimony reveals the necessity of faith in Christ Jesus and the grace of God alone for the continuous daily blessings of salvation.

   Everyone knew my daddy as a “good man.”  As a matter of fact, people knew that if they had a need, Mr. Payne would supply that need.  He indeed was a giver and a “good man.” 

   He continuously said, “I will become a Christian when I can live the life of a Christian.”  Oh, yes, he lived the true Christian lifestyle of good works and deeds of charity.  But, he was not a Christian!

   One Saturday afternoon in August 1969, he answered a knock at the door, and welcomed a young man who had previously lived in my daddy’s apartment.  As they had refreshments and talked, the young man said, “Mr. Payne, I have never known a better man than you.  When our families disowned me and my wife because of my drinking, you took us in.  You gave us food.  Many times and most of the time we could not pay our rent.  We had no car, but you let us drive yours.  You gave us money when we had no money.  You and Mama Sarah loved us when no one else loved or cared for us.  Mr. Payne, it would be a shame for you to die and go to hell just because you won’t ask Jesus to be Lord of your life.  Will you, Mr. Payne?”

   My daddy was strong and he was a decisive and determined man.  He opened his mouth and said, “Yes.”  The young man then prayed with him, and he was born again.  Now he was a Christian because he put true, living faith in Christ Jesus.  He was a “new man,” all because of redemption in Christ Jesus, The REDEEMER!!!  The Deliverer from all slavery, bondage, and curses.

   You see, that young man was delivered from alcohol addiction, he was born again, and he went to seminary and then became a Southern Baptist pastor.  God placed him in a nearby church and he returned to the man who had impacted his life by love, charity, good works, and by believing in him – even as an alcoholic.  What my daddy sowed into this precious man’s life came back to him in unspeakable return.  This is a blessing releaser ~ the law of sowing and reaping!

   Inheritance and blessings depend not on the law of works that curse, but on “The Promise ~ The Seed ~ The Lord Jesus Christ ~ our Redeemer and Friend!”  “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:14).

   Almighty God “…hath reconciled us to himself by Christ Jesus, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18).  Christ is our reconciliation with God from the beginning of our Christian life and throughout all eternity.  We will never be more “born again,” “saved,” or “reconciled” than we were and are from the moment we received the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour and Master!  We are complete in Him!!!

   Reconciliation means to change.  Reconciliation is a change from a state of enmity to one of friendship!  Selah.  We are to be friends with God, and our approach to Him must be as “friend to Friend.”  Jesus Christ is our all, and our all in all!!!  Is it any wonder that Paul boldly declares, “For I determined not to know any thing among, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2)?

   Saints, it is time to refresh our minds in the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus, as the prophet Isaiah spoke for God, “Look unto me, and be ye saved…” (Isaiah 45:22).  Saved covers the alpha to the omega of our Christian life in this earth.  In the Hebrew language, “look” means to turn; to face, appear, look and see, prepare, regard, (have) respect.  Look upon Him!  Be intimate with and trust Him!

   One of Paul’s greatest apostolic concerns was that his followers would turn to another Jesus, another spirit, another gospel, and another way.  Even in our walk of faith, we must guard against having “faith in our faith,” in what and how much we do, rather than pure and simple faith in Christ Jesus.

   In Him we are friends with God.  However, if we act like unfaithful wives, being the world’s lover and friend, we are making ourselves the enemy of God (see James 4:4-8).  Redemption means the ceasing of God’s wrath.  In Christ, we are redeemed.  But, if we do not follow the liberty of redemption, we put ourselves in a position against God.  Our wrath is stirred up against God.  Then we start blaming Him for lack of blessings, and then we change our theology to fit our experiences. 

A man’s own folly ruins his affairs –

then he gets angry with the Eternal.

                                                  Proverbs 19:13 Moffatt

   Paul is addressing Christians when he writes to the Corinthians saying, “I am praying for you.”  (That is what true headship does!)  Then he tells them what he is praying about: “…be ye reconciled to God”   (2 Corinthians 5:20).  What has happened to these Christians that motivated Paul’s intercession and instruction to them?  (Notice Paul interceded for them BEFORE he instructed them!)  Although they were reconciled to God in Christ Jesus, they had resorted to a lifestyle of carnality.  Their number one need now was to “be reconciled to God.”  They had left Him.  He had not left them.

   These words, “be ye reconciled to God” are powerful!  They literally mean, “return to your relationship of peace with God.”  Hallelujah!!!  Return to your life of blessings!  Get back inside the circle of His love.  You have stepped outside into the flesh and into the world.  God is not your enemy, therefore, be at peace with God and put an end to that inner turmoil.

   In every epistle, the golden thread of redemption runs through Paul’s writings to his followers.  We are redeemed to be blessed.  In Christ, we are redeemed to be anointed and empowered for blessings through faith in Him.  “Trouble chases sinners, while blessings chase the righteous” (Proverbs 13:21 The New Living Translation).  We are “the righteous” by our faith in Him.  “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

   We are born again for blessing; to receive blessings, and to be made a blessing that we might be a blessing to others.  Do you remember the song entitled Make Me a Blessing?  I played the organ and sang this song many times in the Methodist church.  To be a blessing, we must first be blessed, and made a blessing!  This comes by being a disciple of Christ.  Free to be blessed. “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).

   The greatest strength and power of the Christian and the Christian life is total yielded dependence in faith upon God for His help, strength, and grace. “Plant you feet firmly therefore within the freedom that Christ has won for us, and do not let yourselves be caught again in the shackles of slavery” (Galatians 5:1 Philips).