A Climb Free Post. Free climbing, which is to climb unaided by artificial supports and human contrivances, whether on lead or following, is the purest and most satisfying expression of the climbing spirit. Free climbing illustrates for us the passion and purity we should have for living each day unaided as much as possible by dependence on artificial supports and our human contrivances.  We are creatures of an almighty God, created expressly to live in His presence and power.  To do so is the highest expression of our living.  It is our “free climbing,” if you will.  The posts labeled “Climb Free” will focus on the thinking and practices that allow us to live in the presence and power of our God, with as few encumbrances as possible. Image via Pixabay.

In the previous post, the question was asked, “If one chooses to become a disciple of our Lord Jesus, what is the transaction that must occur in the person to make it so?” 

Indeed, the Gospel of the Kingdom that was delivered by Jesus – the good news of God’s Kingdom and how we can join into it – is substantially different than the “gospel message” so often preached in this day. When considering the transaction that brings us into the Kingdom of our God, it is important to bear in mind the purposes of our God in saving us. Likewise, it is critical that we respond to those appropriately.  If we do not understand and submit to His purposes, we will at best be off balance in our relationship with Him and hobbled in our spiritual development.

What are those purposes?  Not all of His purposes can be known by us, but that which He has revealed can be known.  While the purposes and scriptures list below is not exhaustive, it gives us a quick look at some of the purposes of our God.

1. Reclamation of a universal order focused upon Him as the Lord God. Revelation 21:2-8 “And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,  and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”  Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give water to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life, without cost. The one who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.” See also Isaiah 35:5-8

2. Restoration of the original relationship and spiritual conditions within His children. John 14:18-20 “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. After a little while, the world no longer is going to see Me, but you are going to see Me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I in you.”

Ephesians 2:4-7 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the boundless riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” See also Colossians 1:13-27; 2:8-15 Romans 8:1-17

3. This restoration includes freeing His children from the effects of sin and the practice of sins. 1 John 3:4-10 “And everyone who has this hope set on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. No one who remains in Him sins continually; no one who sins continually has seen Him or knows Him. Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.  No one who has been born of God practices sin, because His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin continually, because he has been born of God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother and sister.” See also Romans 5, 6, 7, 8

4. Freeing His children from spiritual and eternal death, replacing mere human life and death with His own life in us. Romans 8:1-17 “However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

The next “Climb Free” post will explore the pathway into a New Covenant relationship with our God, one that meets the purposes of our God in us.