The Glorious Liberty of the Children of God

The Glorious Liberty of the Children of God

“For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.”

After God had created all things, He saw that it was very good. Everything was blessed. However, the curse took effect when Adam sinned. He had been appointed to rule over everything, but when he sinned, the creation of which he had been appointed the ruler could no longer remain in a blessed state. God said to him, “Cursed is the ground for your sake . . . .” The creation was subjected to futility—not willingly, but also not without hope. Just as God gave our first parents hope, so He also gave hope to the creation. But its hope is dependent on God’s children.

“Because the desire of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Vs. 7-8. The source of all the corruption that is in the world is sin in the flesh. People are plagued by this terrible curse and corruption, reckoning death to be liberation from this wretchedness. A great number of people cannot wait for this liberation and so they take their own lives. They do not consider that their reward will be according to their works. They live in sin, and everything they look after turns out to be a curse for them.

God gave Israel the law. It was a great help to them. When they were obedient, the entire land was blessed, and they lived in prosperity. When they were disobedient, the curse became so great that the fruitful land they had received was turned into a desert. The law was weak because of the flesh with its passions and desires. However, what the law could not do, God did, sending His Son who, according to the flesh, was born of the seed of David. Ch. 1:3; Heb. 2:14-18. “He condemned sin in the flesh . . . .” Ch. 8:3. Thus futility and death were conquered. Jesus was the firstfruit when He arose from the dead. 1 Cor. 15:23. He offered Himself as the Son of Man in the power of the eternal Spirit. Heb. 9:14. On the day of Pentecost He sent this Spirit, by which He Himself had overcome, into the world. Now everything was prepared, so that God’s children could also to be redeemed from the bondage of corruption. Paul says, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Gal. 5:16. “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” V. 24. Then we also belong to the “firstfruits” and are made alive at Jesus’ return.

“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.” Rom. 8:9. Then we are also set free from the corruption that is in the world that comes from the passions and desires in the flesh. 2 Pet. 1:4. In Galatians 5:19-21 we read something of the corruption that comes from the flesh. Think of the liberty into which God’s children enter by being set free from these things, so that they can live in verse 22. There they experience fellowship and glory.

People live in terrible bondage when they live in envy, jealousy, bitterness, anger, fornication, adultery, greed, etc. Everything they touch becomes a curse, piercing them with many sorrows. 1 Tim. 6:9-10. God’s children live in the Spirit, and they have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. They come out from under this curse, they are being set free from the bondage of their passions and sin, and “the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” Then we are also “heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,” while the entire creation is waiting for the redemption that will occur when God’s children gain authority. Then the creation will also be set free from the curse. The lamb will not need to fear the wolf any longer, and the cow and the bear will graze together. Isa. 11:1-10.

Here we see the kind of work God did in and through Jesus in the days of His flesh. By His obedience (Heb. 5:7-8) Jesus restored what had been lost through disobedience, which entered the world through the Fall, and we who obey Him partake of the same salvation. V. 9. The entire creation will be redeemed from the bondage of corruption through us. This is a part of the glory that will be revealed in us. Rom. 8:18.

Oh, the glorious work in which we can have a part by crucifying the flesh with its passions and desires and by bringing our sinful nature into the death of Christ, so we can live in obedience, and our bodies can become instruments of righteousness for God! 2 Cor. 4:10-11; Rom. 6:13. Thus we ourselves come to this glorious liberty of the children of God, and we shall, together with Christ, fulfill the hope for which the entire creation is sighing.