Free For Who? Free For You!
by Bro. Craig Amenell
05/02/2023
John 8:36 - “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
Is there anyone that doesn’t enjoy getting things for free? What, this is the 10th visit? Your coffee will be free! Download this app and get a free appetizer on your first visit. Who hasn’t driven past a truck with a sign that says "free puppies"? How many of us have purchased something we didn’t need because the sign beside it said: “buy one get one free”? How could you pass up such a deal? Even churches know the success of free and will offer a free barbecue meal to anyone who attends the service to get the gospel to them. Why? Because we know humans have a hard time passing up the word free. Our longing for free, however, is often fleshly and carnal.
Often in this life, free things are not worth having. They are cheap. If the free item is not something of little value, it usually isn’t free. After all, the first rule of economics is there is no such thing as a free lunch. In other words, everything costs someone something. When someone gives you something for free, there are often strings attached. However, when God says something is free, it is free with no strings attached. Though what He has for us is free, it is not cheap. It is of infinite value and eternal worth.
What does free mean? Here are some of its definitions. “Not under the control or power of someone or something, able to act or be done as one desires, no longer confined or imprisoned, without cost or payment.” The best God had to offer was free, is free, and will always be free. Christ was free of sin, gave Himself for all, and will set you free if you believe on Him. The cost to you? Nothing, it is free as He already paid the cost.
“And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.” (1 John 3:5). We have not been an eyewitness to such an individual in our life. Even the best of men are still men at best. Not the Lord Jesus, He is the only one to ever live who was never under the control of sin, and therefore the only one who could die for sin. “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself…” (John 10:17-18). No man had the power to put Christ on the cross. He freely placed himself on the cross for us as He desired. “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18). You see, in Christ alone, we are no longer confined or imprisoned to sin. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” (Eph. 2:8). God's salvation was without cost or payment from us.
God is not trying to trick anyone. What Christ has to offer is free. It cost you nothing because it cost Him everything. Salvation is free for who? Free for you! It has infinite value because it is sufficient for all who will call on Him. It has eternal worth because it never ends. He saves us from the punishment of sin, can save us from the power of sin in our life, and will save us from the presence of sin when eternity begins!
We already know that people are receptive to free things. We are free to share the free gift that Christ has to offer. This is the only thing we can share with everyone and not worry about running out. It is not our responsibility to make anyone receive it, but it is most certainly our duty to freely share Christ with all.
05/02/2023
John 8:36 - “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
Is there anyone that doesn’t enjoy getting things for free? What, this is the 10th visit? Your coffee will be free! Download this app and get a free appetizer on your first visit. Who hasn’t driven past a truck with a sign that says "free puppies"? How many of us have purchased something we didn’t need because the sign beside it said: “buy one get one free”? How could you pass up such a deal? Even churches know the success of free and will offer a free barbecue meal to anyone who attends the service to get the gospel to them. Why? Because we know humans have a hard time passing up the word free. Our longing for free, however, is often fleshly and carnal.
Often in this life, free things are not worth having. They are cheap. If the free item is not something of little value, it usually isn’t free. After all, the first rule of economics is there is no such thing as a free lunch. In other words, everything costs someone something. When someone gives you something for free, there are often strings attached. However, when God says something is free, it is free with no strings attached. Though what He has for us is free, it is not cheap. It is of infinite value and eternal worth.
What does free mean? Here are some of its definitions. “Not under the control or power of someone or something, able to act or be done as one desires, no longer confined or imprisoned, without cost or payment.” The best God had to offer was free, is free, and will always be free. Christ was free of sin, gave Himself for all, and will set you free if you believe on Him. The cost to you? Nothing, it is free as He already paid the cost.
“And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.” (1 John 3:5). We have not been an eyewitness to such an individual in our life. Even the best of men are still men at best. Not the Lord Jesus, He is the only one to ever live who was never under the control of sin, and therefore the only one who could die for sin. “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself…” (John 10:17-18). No man had the power to put Christ on the cross. He freely placed himself on the cross for us as He desired. “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18). You see, in Christ alone, we are no longer confined or imprisoned to sin. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” (Eph. 2:8). God's salvation was without cost or payment from us.
God is not trying to trick anyone. What Christ has to offer is free. It cost you nothing because it cost Him everything. Salvation is free for who? Free for you! It has infinite value because it is sufficient for all who will call on Him. It has eternal worth because it never ends. He saves us from the punishment of sin, can save us from the power of sin in our life, and will save us from the presence of sin when eternity begins!
We already know that people are receptive to free things. We are free to share the free gift that Christ has to offer. This is the only thing we can share with everyone and not worry about running out. It is not our responsibility to make anyone receive it, but it is most certainly our duty to freely share Christ with all.
Posted in Living for God, The Great Commission
Posted in John 8, Free, Gift, Gospel, Salvation, share, Witness
Posted in John 8, Free, Gift, Gospel, Salvation, share, Witness
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