As several of us sat around last night after Bible Study enjoying fellowship one with another and my friend’s six year old daughter playing among us; sneaking behind tagging one person and then going to wrestle with another, she herself got tagged and tickled by none other than my dear husband sitting next to me.  Laughter erupted among all of us as her little face started turning red from laughter and she began to yell “stop, stop”.  Mind you now, as soon as he would stop, she would run right back for more fun and games.

It wasn’t until my husband, as he was holding on to her little arm so that she wouldn’t fall and hurt herself in her struggle to break free from the ‘tickle monster’ said, “I stopped tickling you a long time ago” that something quickened in my spirit.  

“For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2

There are many in the Body of Christ who have not realized their liberty; their freedom from the power of sin, because they are struggling in the flesh in order to break free from the chains that have them bound. Vain philosophies and humanistic psychology cloaked in Scripture have them yelling “stop” when they were loosed 2000+ years ago by Jesus Christ on Calvary’s Cross.  Their faith is in their “yelling”, their works or said yet another way…their part and not the Cross of Christ to be loosed from the besetting sin. They are free but remain bound because they lack a proper understanding of the Atonement.

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under Grace.” Romans 6:14

At the Cross, Jesus paid the penalty of sin for whosoever will believe.  Those who choose to believe upon the atoning work of Jesus Christ have the blessed hope of eternal life.  No longer are we, as Believers, condemned to a devil’s hell but Jesus Christ made a way; He paid the price for us to be redeemed unto life and life everlasting.

However, the Cross of Christ has a double cure that has been deemed insufficient by religion and replaced with methods of man.  This double cure freely gives the Believer dominion over sin because we are now under Grace.  God’s Grace, afforded to the Believer through the Cross of Christ, gives us dominion over sin.  We are free yet do not understand our freedom.

Some reject this message, the preaching of the Cross of Christ, because they fear it is an excuse to sin.  Not so. The Cross of Christ gives the Saint victory over sin.  Therefore the preaching of the Cross of Christ is the power of God for those who are saved (1 Cor. 1:18).  It points us to the Source and the Means by which our victory comes, Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).  Jesus Christ is lifted up among the people and He draws all men unto Him (John 12:32).  The preaching of the Cross of Christ is not an excuse to sin.

Other’s reject the message because their sin can no longer be ignored and they must choose in whom they are going to follow.  This is the conviction of the Holy Spirit.  It is HIS ministry, the Holy Spirit’s, that the religious attempt to infringe upon by giving laws and vain philosophies to sanctify the Saint instead of pointing them to the Cross of Christ for dominion over sin.

Many claim to be “spiritual” yet they are led around by every fad which comes down the pike due to zero discernment.  They do not recognize these harbingers, blood moons and paradigms as vain philosophies but are seduced by the appeal to their intellect. The methods given for victory over sin are vanities that appeal to lusts of the flesh and lead to further destruction.  With their mouths they draw near to God but their hearts are far removed (Isaiah 29:13).

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1

Once this sweet little girl realized the “tickle monster” had stopped a long time ago yet she continued in her struggles to be free, she stopped struggling and was loosed.  She was not condemned for not understanding her circumstances but set free when she understood and realized the arm that was holding her was actually keeping her from hurting herself.

God’s Arm is not shortened. Many do not understand the liberty they have in the Cross of Christ.  Don’t condemn them for their lack of understanding but tell them they are free and they no longer have to be a slave to sin.  Tell them those who the Son has set free, shall be free indeed!

“Preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.” 2 Timothy 4:2

-Donna Clark Warren