Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses. 

                                                                                                                     Acts 13:38-39 

Not only do we need to have correct knowledge of the good news of Jesus in our own lives, we need to accurately proclaim that message to the world. When we look at scripture, we see a very simple message of salvation. Remember when the jailer asked Paul what he must do to be saved? Paul’s response was “Believe in the name of the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:31). Paul wrote to the church in Rome saying that, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). Jesus teaches us that everyone who believes is not condemned or judged (John 3:18) and that whoever confesses Jesus before mankind, He will confess before the Father who is in heaven (Matthew 10:32). John instructs us that whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God that God abides in Him and that person abides in God (1 John 4:15). Do you see a pattern here? When did the gospel get so complicated? Well it’s not. When we proclaim the name of Jesus, we proclaim two indispensible parts of the Christian life that accompany salvation: forgiveness and spiritual freedom. 

(1) Let it be known that in Jesus there is forgiveness of sins.

We took a little time addressing the issue of forgiveness in “Virtue (Pt 2), but it is a topic that cannot be overstated. When we are saved, Jesus removes the guilt, shame, despair, and judgment that comes from sin and makes us into a new creation in Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17). Living in the knowledge that you are not and never will be condemned for your moral failures is essential to living in the power of the Holy Spirit. When we cling to our wrongs, we distort what has already been accomplished on the cross on our behalf, stifling our ability to share the good news with others, being caught up in a state of self-pity and discouragement. Receiving forgiveness frees us to live the life that we were created to live in Christ. Our enemy would like nothing more than to see us silenced by the guilt of our own iniquities, while, in reality, having the very forgiveness of God already applied to our lives. Let it be known that, in Jesus, there is forgiveness for all of our sin.

(2) Let it be known that in Jesus, whoever believes is freed from all things.

Not everyone who claims the name of Jesus lives in absolute, spiritual freedom, but that is exactly what Paul is proclaiming. In Jesus, those who believe are freed from all things. Jesus instructs us that if we continue in His word, we will know the truth and that the truth will make us free (John 8:32). Likewise, Paul tells us “It was for freedom that Christ set us free” (Galatians 5:1). Along with this declaration is the warning to “stand firm” and to “not be subjected again to a yoke of slavery.” The yoke he is referring to is not sin rather religious constructs that inhibit Christian liberty. Jesus knew that His word was the means by which we are enlightened and gain knowledge while Paul knew that mankind would create religious systems of their own making. A lack of biblical knowledge, coupled with inaccurate, religious instruction, and you have a recipe for destroying any spiritual freedom that might be taking root in the life of a believer. Knowing Jesus means knowing spiritual freedom. Therefore, let it be known that, in Jesus, there is spiritual freedom for everyone who believes.

(3) Let it be known that spiritual freedom is not obtained through the Law of Moses.

Finally, we should be declaring that this spiritual freedom is not found through the Law of Moses. In Galatians 4, Paul uses an allegorical approach in examining the two covenants: the old and the new. The juxtaposition of those who are in bondage and those who are free is presented. Those placing themselves under the Law are represented by Hagar (see Genesis 16), Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments, and Judaism. Sarah, Isaac, and the promises of God, represent those whom are no longer under the curse of the Law, but are free through faith in Jesus Christ. The point to Paul’s approach is to demonstrate that acceptance from God is now by faith in Jesus Christ and not through human performance of the Law. He even prefaces this section with the question, “Tell me, you who want to be under the Law, do you not listen to the Law?” (Galatians 4:21) The Law is rigid and demanding. The most moral individual on the planet cannot keep all of its demands. Conversely, the love, grace, and mercy of God are pleasant and inviting and the vilest of sinners is not beyond His reach. Let it be known that spiritual freedom is found in Jesus and not through the Law of Moses.

As we receive the knowledge of salvation from the Lord, let’s go out and proclaim it to the world!