The world spins on – It’s Your Move! Every day you have so many scenarios where it really is your move! Many life trials will not be properly addressed on this earth. We need to accept that up front. Perhaps some will. But some issues are so tangled, too complicated to unravel. God helps people apply strategies in thinking using His wisdom to work through difficult problems. God always helps when it’s your move.
It’s Your Move Because Freedom Is For You
Freedom is for you at least from God’s point of view. Freedom is for His people.
There is one circumstance of judging and accusation, however, that is already dealt with – guaranteed. It involves your freedom. The burden is no longer yours to bear . . . even if you are guilty. And we are all guilty. This freedom is what God intended us to live with on this earth. It’s not brought to completion yet, but it will be completed when Jesus returns.
Jesus took care of very tangled problem, and He fought to the death to ensure your freedom. Jesus set you free from sin, death, and the law. Those are the biggies. True, we have many additional tangled issues we must deal with in our lives. But these three are the super tangled issues. Jesus took care of them for us. The law referenced here is God’s law that He gave to His people in Old Testament times. The law made everyone guilty! And that reality was not good enough for God. So, He came up with another plan.
Do you know why the law is no longer in judgment over you? Do you fully “get” why its power no longer rules over your daily life? If the law was still over you, your life would look completely different.
The Scriptures are packed with hope. They reveal a power you can live inside every day. The message is refreshing. It’s one of emancipation. You have been set free from the Law. So now, it’s your move. What’s your response back to God?
Freedom From Death’s Power
So you have freedom from the Law as a Christian. But what about death? Death is a powerful force. Its reality motivates, dictates, and flavors many choices. It is the constant awareness of death that propels people forward to accomplish, conquer, establish, and experience. Even so, physical death’s power is limited. It ends when your life succumbs to it. This example of how death’s power is limited can help us understand the obsolete power of the Law. Let’s unpack this.
God wants you to be free from the condemnation of His Law over your life. His Law is not evil in any way. It is right and fair and just. But under His Law, every sinner is in terrible trouble. You and me both are rightfully condemned to the punishment of death because the Law exposes the sin in our hearts.
But what if someone were to take all your sin away from you, absorb it into themselves, and take responsibility for it? And what if that person were to die your death and fulfill the deserved punishment? What if that person just happened to be a perfect person who never sinned, and they made arrangements for their perfect record of conduct to be given to you, if you were willing to accept it? In other words, they arranged a great exchange on your behalf. That person would end the condemnation of the Law over you, and you would be free to live your life with their perfect conduct as your own. A swap. Sound unthinkable?
The Transfer Process
Jesus Christ did this very thing. He arranged an amazing trade. A transfer process. His clever, strategic plan tricked your enemy, who held death over you because of your sin. But Jesus took all your sin away from you and onto Himself and died your death. In essence, your sinful self died with Him on the cross. It’s a mystery. Yet, that is what happened. Then, He made an incredible swap. He put His holiness onto you, if you accept it. The new you is free to go, free to be holy, free to live forever, free to be the real you. What an amazing gift! DO take it if you haven’t already. By faith, accept your new life. You are under a new law – the Law of the Spirit of God. The written code of God’s Law is rendered powerless. Why? Because Jesus never once broke the Law, yet He fulfilled its purpose of identifying, condemning, and punishing sin. “He became sin who knew no sin. . . “ (2 Cor. 5:21) Jesus accomplished this for you because God loves you very much.
Great Exchange When It’s Your Move
If you trust Jesus for this incredible exchange, you are no longer under the Law. Instead, you are under His Grace.His grace triumphs over everything. When Jesus died once for all, He made the Law obsolete. (Heb. 8:13) Since your old life died with Christ on the cross, the Law is powerless over your new life now. And you are free.
Since it’s your move, what will you do today to live more freely in the Spirit? What doubts are standing in your way? What obstacles are keeping you from living inside God’s grace? Can you identify them? Ask God to give you a Scripture to claim in your doubt or your obstacle. Then replace your doubts with Scripture. In this place you will also have wisdom to respond when you are falsely accused.
Please accept the power to live free forever. And apply this power to every day tangled issues. “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!” (Jn. 8:36) So –What’s your move? Freedom or bondage?
* Portions of this article are taken from my book, It’s Your Move: Strategies in Thinking, Less. 25.
It’s Your Move — a great book for your quiet time with God
From the back cover:
Life is like a game of chess. Interesting pieces are placed in a certain order on an equally interesting board of contrasting squares. Then it starts: the strategies, choices, and patterns. It only takes a few minutes to realize you can’t play chess without being very engaged and thoughtful.
That’s how life is. You strategize to live intentionally as you move across life’s board.
The book of Romans provides excellent strategies for life. It is a tutorial for a well-structured, well-lived life. This New Testament book teaches about God’s grace in a clever, logical, strategic, and surprising manner. It helps you process critical ideas even as it gives you options and examples. As you engage these ideas from Romans, you find yourself adopting a long view perspective that stretches your comfort zone. And then one day, you realize that you are resolved. You, indeed, know that – “with God, all things are possible.” (Mt. 19:26) This gives you the edge you need on the game board of life.
Rather than debate theology, It’s Your Move helps you study and apply Scriptural concepts in practical ways. When you get up in the morning for another day, you need information and resources to help you make good decisions. You need strategies in thinking, because – ready or not –
– It’s your move.
