And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Christ shared the same flesh and blood of the children and died to destroy the devil who had the power of death, so that those held all their lifetime in bondage through fear of death are set free. That bondage is slavery to Satan and to sin and misery and death itself, into which humanity fell through Adam's sin and from which it must be redeemed. To accomplish it He laid aside His glory and high command and took fallen weakened human nature, yet without taint of sin, so that as man He could die while as God He could not. By suffering death and rising He conquered death on its own ground, brightened the tomb with light and rest, opened the prison house, and sealed Satan's doom to eternal death. Those who receive Him are ransomed from eternal death unto everlasting life, justified and clothed in His righteousness, given victory over sin and made sons and daughters of God in closer union with Him than before.
Bondage Through Fear
The promise is that lifelong enslavement through dread of dying is broken because Christ shared the same flesh and blood, becoming bone of bone and flesh of flesh in human nature, and through His own death destroyed the devil who holds the power of death. After man created pure and holy was led astray toward complete corruption, Christ saw the fearful danger and out of love for the fallen race determined to save by the sacrifice of Himself. By taking humanity and dying He defeats that power and frees those held all their lives by that fear, so that when people look to Him the fear is gone.
That bondage is slavery to the enemy himself, to sin and to the misery and suffering of his rule, and those who treat divine claims with contempt are not truly free. Jesus came as substitute and surety, faced the powers of darkness and won victory on humanity's behalf to break the enemy's power and redeem from bondage, freeing from Satan's tyranny. He ransomed people from slavery to Satan into liberty as sons of God and heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ to an immortal inheritance, yet though ransomed many refuse to be free and will not become sons of God. They live as if earth and money and position and houses and lands were the purpose of creation, though in tender mercy life is prolonged to them, and it is pitiable to see men of high ability living on so low a plane. Satan sets traps everywhere to catch men of education and good natural ability who could become workers with God and companions of angels and dwellers in heaven, in order to bind them to his car as slaves, with corruption and crime and poisonous influence as the result, and at the first coming even religious control over people brought them under another form of bondage.
Humanity became subject to death and captivity through Adam and Eve's sin and fall, needing redemption from the disgrace and ruin Adam brought. Christ as King of glory placed His feet in Adam's steps and took fallen nature to meet the strong foe who triumphed over Adam, and by overcoming Satan opened the way for all who believe to be redeemed from the consequences of that failure. People made subject to Satan through Adam's sin are captives whom Christ alone can free, and He entered the conflict and gave Himself as ransom for their release. His death appeared to Satan to be victory, but that sacrifice brought salvation, for Christ entered death and overcame its power so that believers who die may be raised and brought to life again.
For one in fellowship with the Father and with His Son the fear of death is past, for looking to Jesus takes away that fear and frees from its bondage. If death as the last dread enemy still looks terrible, that terror is driven away by looking to Jesus, because He has brightened the tomb by His sacred presence, giving light and peace and rest in infinite love instead of fear. His death and descent into the grave brighten the tomb for those who die in faith and secure eternal life for all who believe, while the originator of sin is condemned to eternal death. His death and continuing power give mourners hope, for Jesus is alive forevermore, holds the keys of death, and remains a living Savior whose power has not diminished. Fear can also hold even conscientious believers in bondage when fanatical deception makes them afraid of offending God and unable to claim their liberty, until the deceptive influence is checked and they are freed from that fear to rejoice.
Christ Became Human
The Deliverer shared the same flesh and blood as the children, bone of bone and flesh of flesh, coming as a child of the seed of Abraham and as a babe in Bethlehem rather than as an angel, truly human and born without taint of sin. He saw the fearful danger after Satan led man created pure and holy astray and corrupted mind and principles toward complete corruption, and out of love determined to save by sacrifice of Himself through His own death to destroy the devil who has the power of death and free those enslaved all their lives by dread of dying. By tasting death for every man He makes that freedom effective, so that by the Holy Spirit's power and the elevating, sanctifying power of truth fallen minds can be sanctified, purified, ennobled, made dignified, and become His co-laborers drawing other minds to Him. Made like His brethren in all things He lived out perfection of character in action as a pattern for believers and their children to copy, and serves as merciful and faithful high priest to make reconciliation for sins, able to help the tempted because He Himself suffered when tempted. As nearest of kin He ransoms the forfeited inheritance, laying off royal robe and crown and clothing divinity with humanity to become substitute and surety, touching humanity to bring life and immortality to light and open the gates of the tomb and eternal life to all who receive Him as personal Saviour. He who delivers is higher than Moses and higher than the highest angel, the Son over His own house, the invisible Leader of Israel in pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night bearing the name of Jehovah, yet as Majesty of heaven exalted above angels He humbled Himself in form of man and became a servant, so that by His life in humanity men may become partakers of the divine nature and in His redemption He carries with Him all who have received Him and believed on His name.
He took fallen, deteriorated human nature in its weakness, entering the condition Satan hoped to exploit to overpower Him and hinder salvation. As King of glory He placed His feet in Adam's steps and took man's fallen nature to meet the strong foe who triumphed over Adam, and by overcoming opened the way for redemption from disgrace, ruin, and bondage through fear of death for all who would believe. Fallen man out of Eden, separated from the light and love of God, cannot overcome Satan with human strength, so by combining divine power with humanity Christ reaches man where he is and obtains for the fallen sons and daughters of Adam strength impossible for them to gain for themselves, that in His name they may overcome Satan's temptations. Standing as sinner's substitute He draws near, identifies with human sufferings and afflictions, was tempted in all points as man is tempted that He might know how to succor the tempted, and overcame on the sinner's behalf, with His taking fallen nature and suffering and His own death ransoming many and destroying the one who held death's power as part of the plan of salvation.
Though equal with God and Commander of heaven, He laid aside His kingly crown, royal robe, visible glory, honor and high command, veiled His divine glory because people could not behold it, and was born of humble parentage, brought up in obscurity at Nazareth and in poverty without worldly rank. The Commander of heavenly hosts left honor and glory with the Father to live as a man among men in lowliness and poverty without honor or rank, taking the nature of the fallen race to rescue from destruction, deliver those Satan afflicted from fear and bondage, and bring redemption to all who accept the Heaven-sent blessing. He stepped down from high command to take His place at the head of a fallen race, clothing divinity with humanity and coming to a world seared and marred with the curse to become one with humanity and endure in its behalf the temptations of the wily foe. He did not come in glory heralded by heavenly host but born of humble parentage and brought up in obscurity at Nazareth, beginning His work in poverty without worldly rank, to reveal God as love, mercy, tenderness and compassion and sweep away the thick darkness with which Satan enshrouded the throne of Deity so the Father is again manifest as Light of life. An angel could not do the work because angels could not understand it, and fallen man could not do it alone, so divine power had to be added to finite human nature to make victory possible.
He became human to touch humanity, understand temptation, sympathize with poverty, suffering, disease, sorrow and weakness, serve as representative, substitute, surety, Elder Brother and merciful and faithful high priest, set a perfect pattern from infancy to manhood, and disprove Satan's claim that humanity was his everlasting possession. Clothing divinity with humanity He placed Himself on a level with men and stood at the head of the race as Surety and brother to know sufferings and temptations, overcome in their behalf, live a sinless life for them, and only by bearing penalty of disobedience and becoming sin for them destroy through His own death him that had power of death. His condescension reveals God's great love and wisdom of grace in taking human nature as part of redemption to deliver from bondage connected with fear of death. His taking human nature, humbling as man, suffering Satan's temptations, and dying brings peace and everlasting life. As great High Priest He approaches God in human as well as divine nature to understand temptation and have compassion on the ignorant and erring, so repentant sinners are accepted by the Father, redeemed by infinite offering on Calvary, delivered from bondage, clothed with robe of righteousness, offered sanctification of grace, enabled to render perfect obedience, and made obedient sons and daughters unto eternal life. He bore characteristics and features of the human family as representative, substitute and surety and lived the life of humanity to disprove Satan's assertion that humanity was his everlasting possession and that God Himself could not take man from his adversary's hands.
As God He could not die but as man He could die, yet He would not use divine power to save His own life, spare Himself pain and humiliation, prolong life when hungry, presume upon mercy from the temple pinnacle, or force acknowledgment by outward display, but maintained humanity's level in sustained fortitude without departing from His Father's will. Though suffering cruelty He was sustained by Godlike and divine fortitude and did not depart from His Father's will nor murmur. Having taken man's nature He would not work a miracle to gratify curiosity of wicked men nor spare Himself one jot of pain and humiliation man would suffer under same circumstances. When treated with contempt He faced powerful temptation to reveal heavenly character and by one flash of overmastering will change the current of all minds, force acknowledgment of superiority as Lord above kings and potentates, priests and temple, elevate Himself, and gratify Jewish expectation of Divinity revealed in outward show and ambition of His people, and His difficult task was to refuse that display and maintain humanity's level to the end.
In Him divinity was united with humanity within humanity's reach so that fallen people can lay hold on divinity, be joined to God, share the divine nature, and cooperate with God, for humanity alone has nothing saving in it. He accepted man's disposition with divinity and humanity combined so divinity could be united with humanity and humanity by faith laying hold on Christ's divinity could become sufficient, guarded from babyhood and childhood by angels not permitting Satan power over Him, growing to understand position and mission to represent divinity in humanity so humanity compassed with temptations in daily hand-work might have divinity to assist in struggle with problems and dispositions. Sin created a gulf between God and humanity, and He came to open the way to life and to close union with God, taking His place at the head of a fallen race uniting humanity and divinity so all essential for complete recovery could be done and bondage broken. The Lord accomplishes nothing in saving the race without cooperation of the human agent, yet man can accomplish nothing without God, so the frail instrument must strive for unity, become meek and lowly, take Christ's yoke and burdens, and when linked to Christ's divinity can do all things through strength He imparts. Though human nature was weak and unable to obey by its own power, He joined it with divinity, faced human temptations, and made grace available so people could share divine nature, cease transgressing, live in obedience to law, and as His representative join human nature to divine power to save and help and meet law's demands against Satan's objections.
Defeating Death's Power
Through His own death He destroys him that had the power of death, that is the devil, breaking the enemy's power and freeing those held in lifelong slavery by dread of dying. After man, created pure and holy, was led astray and corrupted toward complete corruption, Christ out of love for the fallen race determined to save him by sacrifice of Himself, becoming bone of bone and flesh of flesh in shared flesh and blood. By taking human nature and dying He defeats the devil's power over death and delivers people from lifelong bondage caused by fear of death. His death and continuing power give mourners hope, for Jesus is alive forevermore, holds the keys of death, and remains a living Saviour whose power has not diminished.
He delivers only by bearing the penalty of disobedience, becoming sin and a curse for sinners, shedding innocent blood, giving His whole life as ransom and expiation to pay the debt sin created and open free salvation. Clothing His divinity with humanity He placed Himself on a level with men and stood at the head of the race as their Surety and brother to know their sufferings and temptations, to overcome in their behalf and to live a sinless life for them. As nearest of kin He ransoms the forfeited inheritance, laying off royal robe and crown to become substitute and surety, accepting the claims against the race; as God He could not die, but as man He could die, and by dying He overcame death, bruised the serpent's head and deprived him of all power to sting men with death. By this exchange the guilty stand before the Father as innocent because the Innocent One has borne their guilt, the undeserving are made deserving while in their behalf the deserving became undeserving, and they are placed on vantage ground where through His power they can obtain victory over sin and live pure, sinless lives. His becoming one with humanity and descending into its depths was part of the plan to make expiation for the sins of the perishing world and secure salvation for those who believe in Him as personal Saviour, bringing life to believers while disobedience ends in death.
He passed over the ground where Adam fell, faced Satan's temptations and the powers of darkness as a man relying on God's word and strength from above, met misuse of Scripture with Scripture, and lived without sin to show Adam's descendants can resist and to impute His righteousness. Taking human nature He faced testing as human beings do and faced temptation as a man, so people can overcome temptation as He did by relying on God's word. By overcoming the prince of darkness on humanity's behalf He broke that enemy's power over the race, enabling people through His merits to overcome and winning victory for us as our substitute and surety. As second Adam He redeemed Adam's failure, facing the temptations and trials humans face yet living without sin, showing that through God's power human beings can keep His law and live sinless lives.
His death on Calvary looked like defeat while Satan with evil angels and evil men sought to claim victory, but in grasping his prey Satan demolished his own throne. Satan with evil angels and evil men united to kill Christ as a victim of jealousy and hate and false religious zeal and thought to claim the victory, yet in cruel suffering and crucifixion and dying agony the Son of God accomplished the work ordained for Him from before the foundation of the world and was victor over the powers of earth and hell. By giving His life Christ took from Satan his last weapon for gaining the kingdoms of the world, wrested from Satan's hand the last weapon by which he could gain them, and opened salvation freely to humanity, taking upon Himself the stigma of the curse. In His death He broke the spell that had held millions in slavery under perfect subjection to Satan's rule and jurisdiction, and by His own perfect obedience to the law He reinstated man in the position from which Satan had hurled him and placed him on vantage ground. Through suffering and death at Calvary He met Satan's power to counteract his influence over humanity, enduring the enemy's assaults with power from God without turning aside, giving people help to rise above the enemy's power and a chance to regain God's moral image, while His death on the cross revealed God's unselfish love and showed the destructive rule Satan would have exercised had God not intervened.
By suffering death and rising He conquered death on its own ground, spoiled death's domain, opened the prison house, brightened the tomb, came forth with a company of sleeping dead as trophies, and gives assurance the righteous dead will be raised at His second coming. By suffering death and rising from the grave He defeated the devil on his own ground and removed death's despair, with the raising of a company of the sleeping dead as trophy of His victory and assurance that the righteous dead will be raised at His coming. Having finished the work covenanted from the foundation of the world, He ascended to heaven as conqueror in human nature, thus making humanity partaker in His triumph and giving full assurance, opening the prison house and setting the captives free. His death and descent into the grave brighten the tomb for those who die in faith and secure eternal life for all who believe in Him. By paying the full ransom He frees humans from lifelong bondage to Satan and enables each person to overcome Satan for himself in the name of Christ the Conqueror, as shown when He allowed Lazarus to pass under Satan's dominion over death, real but not final, so that He could drive Satan back as a conquered foe and reveal His victory as the Life-giver.
By that death He sealed Satan's doom, overturned Satan's triumph, condemned the originator of sin to eternal death, proving Satan must eventually die and his kingdom end. By shedding His innocent blood for the guilty and giving His life, Christ ransomed man from eternal death and delivered him from bondage, and by that death sealed the doom of Satan who had the power of death, winning the battle and getting Himself the victory when His work was finished. His resurrection displays His divine power and His future power, proves Satan's triumph is ended, and proves Satan must eventually die and his kingdom will come to an end. As humanity's representative He took human nature in its weakness, relied on God and endured Satan's temptations succeeding where Adam failed, making it possible for people to overcome the degradation caused by the fall and be linked to God, whereby Satan's power and eventual destruction are assured.
Gifts of Deliverance
He ransoms from eternal death and brings life and immortality to light, delivering from lifelong bondage through fear of death by clothing divinity with humanity and standing at the head of the race as Surety and brother on a level with those He came to save. As nearest of kin He redeems the forfeited inheritance, laying off royal robe and crown to become substitute and surety, and as God He could not die but as man He could die, and by dying He overcame death, destroyed him that had the power of death, bruised the serpent's head and deprived him of all power to sting with death. He opened the gates of the tomb and the gates of eternal life to all who receive Him as personal Saviour and believe on Him, giving everlasting life to all who so receive Him, while His death brings life to believers and disobedience ends in death. All believers who pass through natural death have eternal life in them, which is the life of Jesus received by eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God, so that His death has made it impossible for those who believe on Him to die eternally. Through that complete ransom fallen people are reconciled to God and may share the kingdom lost through sin, and His coming and death both make immortal life possible and show how people should live to receive it.
By bearing the penalty of disobedience and becoming sin for sinners He effects the exchange by which the guilty stand before the Father as innocent because the Innocent One has borne their guilt. The undeserving are made deserving while in their behalf the deserving became undeserving, the innocent bearing guilt so the guilty stand innocent, and repentant sinners stand before God justified and accepted and brought into favor. Through Him repentant sinners are accepted and received by the Father, for as great High Priest He approaches God in His human nature as well as His divine nature, having taken bone of bone and flesh of flesh to understand temptation and have compassion on the ignorant and erring. By His offering of infinite value on Calvary He redeemed the race and bore the penalty of sin to deliver from bondage, so that all who come through Him are clothed with the robe of righteousness, offered the sanctification of grace, enabled to render perfect obedience, and made obedient sons and daughters unto eternal life. His suffering paid the debt created by sin, not as license to keep breaking the law but calling to repentance and obedience, and He imputes His righteousness so efforts to keep the law may be acceptable, becoming a propitiation through whom pardon is received and the Sin-bearer takes away sins.
Through His power the delivered obtain victory over evil and overcome as He overcame, for He took human nature and faced temptation as a man relying on God's word so people can overcome in the same way. By overcoming the prince of darkness on humanity's behalf He broke that enemy's power over the race, humbling Himself to become substitute and surety and overcoming the powers of darkness for us, giving those who take hold of Him by faith power to overcome through His merits. His death for humanity makes it possible for people to become partakers of the divine nature, placed on vantage ground where through His power they can cease transgressing, keep the law, and live pure, sinless lives with His image reproduced in them. Deliverance from sin's ruin was possible only through self-sacrifice and condescension, for He alone could fight the great adversary, and having lived a sinless life for them and overcome in their behalf He enables the repentant to obtain victory over sin.
The reconciled are placed on vantage ground with God for return to loyalty and obedience, with the will in harmony with the divine will, washed and cleansed and overcoming by the blood of the Lamb. Sin had created a gulf between God and humanity, and by becoming Son of man and Son of Adam and brother to every person in the fallen family He joined humanity to lift people into the heavenly family and to open the way to life and to close union with God. In that redemption He carries with Him all who have received Him and believed on His name, that by His life in humanity they may become partakers of the divine nature, be perfected only through the merits of His sinless purity, be elevated by receiving His righteousness, and be changed by beholding His image from character to character. Thus united to Him in closer union than angels, they are made sons and daughters of God equal to the angels, complete in Him, welcomed by cherub and seraph as brethren, with Paradise opened and heaven joined to earth and linking finite people to God.
Second Adam's Victory
As second Adam He refused to become the enemy's bondslave where the first Adam believed Satan's sophistry and lie instead of reaching above his humanity for divine power. The first Adam stood in perfect manhood with full vigor of mind and body, with none of the effects of sin upon him, surrounded by the glories of Eden and in daily communion with heavenly beings. Christ took upon Him the infirmities of degenerate humanity after four thousand years of decreasing physical strength, mental power, and moral worth, meeting Satan in weakened condition with strength reduced by fasting forty days and forty nights. When Adam was tested temptation was removed as far as possible from him, but nothing was done to remove temptation from Christ, who as Prince of heaven stepped from His royal throne and clothed Himself with garments of humanity to stand where Adam stood and endure the temptations Adam failed to endure, being tempted on every point on which man would be tried. Only thus, by holding His allegiance to God without swerving a hair's breadth under Satan's full power in that weakened condition, could He rescue man from the lowest depths of degradation and keep the world from passing under Satan's control.
Satan rejoiced with his angels at man's fall because it pulled the Son from His exalted position to take fallen man's nature, and he planned that when Jesus took that nature he could overpower Him in it and hinder the accomplishment of the plan of salvation. From Christ's birth onward he tried to turn Him from giving His life for human sin, but Christ endured the assault and completed His sacrifice. He entered the condition Satan hoped to exploit to defeat Him and prevent redemption, taking fallen human nature to redeem fallen people. The one holding the power of death is that fallen Satan, once a happy, exalted covering cherub next in power to Christ, who lifted himself against God, drew angels into rebellion, was cast out after war in heaven, and determined to set up a kingdom on earth by winning man to his side. He still bears a kingly form with noble features because he is a fallen angel, but long evil has debased every good quality and developed every evil trait, his countenance full of anxiety, care, unhappiness, malice, hate, mischief, deceit and every evil, his brow receded, his eyes cunning and sly with great penetration, his large frame loose in flesh, wearing in deep thought a smile full of evil and satanic slyness that makes the beholder tremble, the smile he wears just before making sure of his victim, growing horrible as he fastens the victim in his snare.
Looking with infinite pity on the fallen pair in their wretched, helpless condition under the power and control of the prince of darkness, He left His honor, kingly authority, glory, crown, royal robe and high command with the Father to humble Himself to humanity. Clothing His divinity with humanity He placed Himself on a level with them and took His place at the head of a fallen race as their Surety, substitute and brother, encircling the human race with His human arm while grasping the throne of the Infinite with His divine arm, to know their sufferings and temptations, to overcome in their behalf and to live a sinless life for them. He came to a world seared and marred with the curse, not in glory heralded by the heavenly host but born of humble parentage and brought up in obscurity at Nazareth, a small town of Galilee, beginning His work in poverty and without worldly rank, to reveal God as love, mercy, tenderness and compassion and sweep away the thick darkness with which Satan had enshrouded the throne of the Deity so the Father was again manifest as the Light of life. Only by bearing the penalty of disobedience, becoming sin and a curse for them, shedding His blood and offering His life as ransom and expiation could He destroy through His own death him that had the power of death, that is the devil, giving another trial and placing them again on probation with hope of an immortal inheritance so believers are not tempted above what they can bear. By this He shows men they may stand on vantage-ground with God, keeping all the laws of His kingdom in love, kindness and loyalty, obtaining victory over evil and standing justified and accepted, the undeserving made deserving, living pure sinless lives, while His self-sacrificing missionary toil becomes the model for all missionary endeavor.
He came to meet the enemy throughout every stage of human life on his own battlefield, declaring He would deliver those in lifelong bondage by Himself bearing the penalty of human sin and conquering Satan there. People made subject to Satan through Adam's sin are captives whom Christ alone can free, and He entered the conflict and gave Himself as a ransom for their release. He laid aside His visible glory and took human nature to stand at the head of the humanity Satan had deceived through lying power, meeting Satan under lowly circumstances to fight humanity's battles in their behalf against Satan's effort to draw Him away from allegiance to God and undermine His principles. Assailed on every point yet without mistake, He endured the enemy's assaults with power from God and did not turn aside, though Satan appeared as an angel of light and worked through fallen angels and human agencies, and He met the conflict with many nights of prayer with strong crying and tears. His death at Calvary appeared to Satan to be victory as he sought to claim his prey, but Christ's sacrifice counteracted Satan's influence, brought salvation to humanity, gives people help to rise above the enemy's power and regain God's moral image, and because He understands the tempter's plans He can teach people to recognize and escape the corruption Satan brings.
Living in Freedom
Freedom in Christ includes victory over appetite and temptation in His name, for His wilderness victory over appetite was borne on humanity's behalf where people could not overcome in their own strength. That victory shows the way of rescue from sin's degrading power is holding fast to God through Jesus, and those He lifts are raised to share heavenly places in Christ.
The verse lays a solemn burden to hold steadfastly to every principle of truth that has been given, to confirm faith in the position taken and keep it as safe instruction to follow in the closing days. Those indifferent to light and instruction will not escape the snares, but will stumble and fall and be snared and taken. The same burden calls the church to take up neglected duties in families and practice home religion, stirring the congregation and calling backsliders and sinners, especially young men and young women, to come forward for fervent prayer. There they are to confess pride, backsliding, and partaking of the spirit of the world, and determine to live a different life.
His self-sacrificing missionary toil in this world is the model for all missionary endeavor, for He came from heaven to take His place at the head of a fallen race, uniting humanity and divinity so that all essential for the complete recovery of sinners could be done and they could be delivered from bondage. That model calls every believer to unreserved surrender and consecration of time and talents and to return to God all entrusted goods with the increase gained by trading on them to advance the work He came to do, with the reproach of indolence removed only by laboring as He labored. He left the courts of glory and came to partake of temptations and hardships in order to lift people up and make them sons and daughters of God, delivering them from bondage while they were still unbelievers. Those delivered are therefore to take up their appointed work, to watch for souls, to become acquainted with the spiritual needs of friends and neighbors who do not believe, and to work for them in meekness and lowliness to bring a strong counterinfluence against Satan's effort to take possession of the world. His taking human nature to reach and save the lost calls Christians to approach people who are perishing in sin rather than stand aloof from them. The Prince of heaven clothed His divinity with humanity and identified His interests with humanity, so that humanity could reach humanity, and this supports the use of human agents to instruct God's people. Because His sacrifice redeems people from Satan's oppressive power, believers are to pity and help those who are fallen and sinful rather than hurting or dominating them.
Remembering His dear sufferings in communion should melt the heart and overflow with gratitude and love to Him, for by His sufferings for sins He paid a dear price to ransom sinners from the power of Satan and hopeless misery. Understanding why He gave His life gives the missionary spirit, for He laid off His royal robe and kingly crown and came as a little child to be brought up in poverty, and His humanity laid hold upon divinity. Those He came to deliver must take hold of that same divinity and bring it into their lives. The Lord holds out forgiveness and deliverance to every soul that repents of backsliding, turns to the Lord, and cuts away wrong habits and practices, perverted appetites and passions, selfishness, and hardness of heart, for the longer selfishness is practiced the harder it is to break. Those who do this become a savor of life unto life and stand where they can receive a commission from God, and the immense sacrifice made in their behalf calls them to humble their souls before God to comprehend and respond to it.
The chain is broken only by God's power, by breaking with Satan and fleeing to Christ to be saved, for the slaves in lifelong bondage are fastened to his chariot wheels and held in his chains and fetters. The deliverance must be chosen before it is everlastingly too late, because a few more steps on Satan's path divorces the soul from God until light and truth have no power over it. Those who are delivered become victors and overcomers and receive life that measures with the life of God, and heaven itself is worth everything to gain it.
Freedom means becoming His co-laborers drawing other minds to Him, for by becoming man, bone of bone and flesh of flesh, partaking of the same flesh and blood as the children, tasting death for every man and dying Himself, He destroys the devil who had the power of death and frees humanity after Satan corrupted the mind and perverted human principles. By the Holy Spirit's power and the elevating, sanctifying power of the truth, fallen minds can be sanctified, purified, ennobled and made dignified for that work. He took human nature to set a complete and perfect pattern and to make people like Himself in purpose, feeling, thought, heart, soul, and life, with the result a purified, ennobled, consecrated life shaped by obedience to the truth and Christian integrity opposed to deception and pretense. The Lord accomplishes nothing in saving the human race without the cooperation of the human agent, yet man can accomplish nothing without God, for humanity alone has nothing saving or restoring in it. The frail human instrument must strive for unity with God, become meek and lowly in heart, take Christ's yoke and carry Christ's burdens, and when linked up with the divinity of Christ can do all things through the strength which Christ imparts. He gave up His riches and glory to seek sinful people, make them pure and upright, and lead them to heaven through obedience, freeing them from sin's defilement and making them like Him. By His life of untiring labor He taught people how to resist Satan's plans and work with God in building His kingdom. He hates sin yet loves the sinner, meeting evil with stern rebuke while laying aside His riches and glory to seek sinful, erring, unhappy people that He might lead them to heaven, humbling Himself and taking human nature to make people like Himself, pure and upright and free from defilement. He suffered more than any will be called to suffer and gave His all for each person, which calls for giving to Him in return.
Christ shared the same flesh and blood of the children and died to destroy the devil who had the power of death, so that those held all their lifetime in bondage through fear of death are set free. That bondage is slavery to Satan and to sin and misery and death itself, into which humanity fell through Adam's sin and from which it must be redeemed. To accomplish it He laid aside His glory and high command and took fallen weakened human nature, yet without taint of sin, so that as man He could die while as God He could not. By suffering death and rising He conquered death on its own ground, brightened the tomb with light and rest, opened the prison house, and sealed Satan's doom to eternal death. Those who receive Him are ransomed from eternal death unto everlasting life, justified and clothed in His righteousness, given victory over sin and made sons and daughters of God in closer union with Him than before.
Bondage Through Fear
The promise is that lifelong enslavement through dread of dying is broken because Christ shared the same flesh and blood, becoming bone of bone and flesh of flesh in human nature, and through His own death destroyed the devil who holds the power of death. After man created pure and holy was led astray toward complete corruption, Christ saw the fearful danger and out of love for the fallen race determined to save by the sacrifice of Himself. By taking humanity and dying He defeats that power and frees those held all their lives by that fear, so that when people look to Him the fear is gone.
That bondage is slavery to the enemy himself, to sin and to the misery and suffering of his rule, and those who treat divine claims with contempt are not truly free. Jesus came as substitute and surety, faced the powers of darkness and won victory on humanity's behalf to break the enemy's power and redeem from bondage, freeing from Satan's tyranny. He ransomed people from slavery to Satan into liberty as sons of God and heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ to an immortal inheritance, yet though ransomed many refuse to be free and will not become sons of God. They live as if earth and money and position and houses and lands were the purpose of creation, though in tender mercy life is prolonged to them, and it is pitiable to see men of high ability living on so low a plane. Satan sets traps everywhere to catch men of education and good natural ability who could become workers with God and companions of angels and dwellers in heaven, in order to bind them to his car as slaves, with corruption and crime and poisonous influence as the result, and at the first coming even religious control over people brought them under another form of bondage.
Humanity became subject to death and captivity through Adam and Eve's sin and fall, needing redemption from the disgrace and ruin Adam brought. Christ as King of glory placed His feet in Adam's steps and took fallen nature to meet the strong foe who triumphed over Adam, and by overcoming Satan opened the way for all who believe to be redeemed from the consequences of that failure. People made subject to Satan through Adam's sin are captives whom Christ alone can free, and He entered the conflict and gave Himself as ransom for their release. His death appeared to Satan to be victory, but that sacrifice brought salvation, for Christ entered death and overcame its power so that believers who die may be raised and brought to life again.
For one in fellowship with the Father and with His Son the fear of death is past, for looking to Jesus takes away that fear and frees from its bondage. If death as the last dread enemy still looks terrible, that terror is driven away by looking to Jesus, because He has brightened the tomb by His sacred presence, giving light and peace and rest in infinite love instead of fear. His death and descent into the grave brighten the tomb for those who die in faith and secure eternal life for all who believe, while the originator of sin is condemned to eternal death. His death and continuing power give mourners hope, for Jesus is alive forevermore, holds the keys of death, and remains a living Savior whose power has not diminished. Fear can also hold even conscientious believers in bondage when fanatical deception makes them afraid of offending God and unable to claim their liberty, until the deceptive influence is checked and they are freed from that fear to rejoice.
Christ Became Human
The Deliverer shared the same flesh and blood as the children, bone of bone and flesh of flesh, coming as a child of the seed of Abraham and as a babe in Bethlehem rather than as an angel, truly human and born without taint of sin. He saw the fearful danger after Satan led man created pure and holy astray and corrupted mind and principles toward complete corruption, and out of love determined to save by sacrifice of Himself through His own death to destroy the devil who has the power of death and free those enslaved all their lives by dread of dying. By tasting death for every man He makes that freedom effective, so that by the Holy Spirit's power and the elevating, sanctifying power of truth fallen minds can be sanctified, purified, ennobled, made dignified, and become His co-laborers drawing other minds to Him. Made like His brethren in all things He lived out perfection of character in action as a pattern for believers and their children to copy, and serves as merciful and faithful high priest to make reconciliation for sins, able to help the tempted because He Himself suffered when tempted. As nearest of kin He ransoms the forfeited inheritance, laying off royal robe and crown and clothing divinity with humanity to become substitute and surety, touching humanity to bring life and immortality to light and open the gates of the tomb and eternal life to all who receive Him as personal Saviour. He who delivers is higher than Moses and higher than the highest angel, the Son over His own house, the invisible Leader of Israel in pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night bearing the name of Jehovah, yet as Majesty of heaven exalted above angels He humbled Himself in form of man and became a servant, so that by His life in humanity men may become partakers of the divine nature and in His redemption He carries with Him all who have received Him and believed on His name.
He took fallen, deteriorated human nature in its weakness, entering the condition Satan hoped to exploit to overpower Him and hinder salvation. As King of glory He placed His feet in Adam's steps and took man's fallen nature to meet the strong foe who triumphed over Adam, and by overcoming opened the way for redemption from disgrace, ruin, and bondage through fear of death for all who would believe. Fallen man out of Eden, separated from the light and love of God, cannot overcome Satan with human strength, so by combining divine power with humanity Christ reaches man where he is and obtains for the fallen sons and daughters of Adam strength impossible for them to gain for themselves, that in His name they may overcome Satan's temptations. Standing as sinner's substitute He draws near, identifies with human sufferings and afflictions, was tempted in all points as man is tempted that He might know how to succor the tempted, and overcame on the sinner's behalf, with His taking fallen nature and suffering and His own death ransoming many and destroying the one who held death's power as part of the plan of salvation.
Though equal with God and Commander of heaven, He laid aside His kingly crown, royal robe, visible glory, honor and high command, veiled His divine glory because people could not behold it, and was born of humble parentage, brought up in obscurity at Nazareth and in poverty without worldly rank. The Commander of heavenly hosts left honor and glory with the Father to live as a man among men in lowliness and poverty without honor or rank, taking the nature of the fallen race to rescue from destruction, deliver those Satan afflicted from fear and bondage, and bring redemption to all who accept the Heaven-sent blessing. He stepped down from high command to take His place at the head of a fallen race, clothing divinity with humanity and coming to a world seared and marred with the curse to become one with humanity and endure in its behalf the temptations of the wily foe. He did not come in glory heralded by heavenly host but born of humble parentage and brought up in obscurity at Nazareth, beginning His work in poverty without worldly rank, to reveal God as love, mercy, tenderness and compassion and sweep away the thick darkness with which Satan enshrouded the throne of Deity so the Father is again manifest as Light of life. An angel could not do the work because angels could not understand it, and fallen man could not do it alone, so divine power had to be added to finite human nature to make victory possible.
He became human to touch humanity, understand temptation, sympathize with poverty, suffering, disease, sorrow and weakness, serve as representative, substitute, surety, Elder Brother and merciful and faithful high priest, set a perfect pattern from infancy to manhood, and disprove Satan's claim that humanity was his everlasting possession. Clothing divinity with humanity He placed Himself on a level with men and stood at the head of the race as Surety and brother to know sufferings and temptations, overcome in their behalf, live a sinless life for them, and only by bearing penalty of disobedience and becoming sin for them destroy through His own death him that had power of death. His condescension reveals God's great love and wisdom of grace in taking human nature as part of redemption to deliver from bondage connected with fear of death. His taking human nature, humbling as man, suffering Satan's temptations, and dying brings peace and everlasting life. As great High Priest He approaches God in human as well as divine nature to understand temptation and have compassion on the ignorant and erring, so repentant sinners are accepted by the Father, redeemed by infinite offering on Calvary, delivered from bondage, clothed with robe of righteousness, offered sanctification of grace, enabled to render perfect obedience, and made obedient sons and daughters unto eternal life. He bore characteristics and features of the human family as representative, substitute and surety and lived the life of humanity to disprove Satan's assertion that humanity was his everlasting possession and that God Himself could not take man from his adversary's hands.
As God He could not die but as man He could die, yet He would not use divine power to save His own life, spare Himself pain and humiliation, prolong life when hungry, presume upon mercy from the temple pinnacle, or force acknowledgment by outward display, but maintained humanity's level in sustained fortitude without departing from His Father's will. Though suffering cruelty He was sustained by Godlike and divine fortitude and did not depart from His Father's will nor murmur. Having taken man's nature He would not work a miracle to gratify curiosity of wicked men nor spare Himself one jot of pain and humiliation man would suffer under same circumstances. When treated with contempt He faced powerful temptation to reveal heavenly character and by one flash of overmastering will change the current of all minds, force acknowledgment of superiority as Lord above kings and potentates, priests and temple, elevate Himself, and gratify Jewish expectation of Divinity revealed in outward show and ambition of His people, and His difficult task was to refuse that display and maintain humanity's level to the end.
In Him divinity was united with humanity within humanity's reach so that fallen people can lay hold on divinity, be joined to God, share the divine nature, and cooperate with God, for humanity alone has nothing saving in it. He accepted man's disposition with divinity and humanity combined so divinity could be united with humanity and humanity by faith laying hold on Christ's divinity could become sufficient, guarded from babyhood and childhood by angels not permitting Satan power over Him, growing to understand position and mission to represent divinity in humanity so humanity compassed with temptations in daily hand-work might have divinity to assist in struggle with problems and dispositions. Sin created a gulf between God and humanity, and He came to open the way to life and to close union with God, taking His place at the head of a fallen race uniting humanity and divinity so all essential for complete recovery could be done and bondage broken. The Lord accomplishes nothing in saving the race without cooperation of the human agent, yet man can accomplish nothing without God, so the frail instrument must strive for unity, become meek and lowly, take Christ's yoke and burdens, and when linked to Christ's divinity can do all things through strength He imparts. Though human nature was weak and unable to obey by its own power, He joined it with divinity, faced human temptations, and made grace available so people could share divine nature, cease transgressing, live in obedience to law, and as His representative join human nature to divine power to save and help and meet law's demands against Satan's objections.
Defeating Death's Power
Through His own death He destroys him that had the power of death, that is the devil, breaking the enemy's power and freeing those held in lifelong slavery by dread of dying. After man, created pure and holy, was led astray and corrupted toward complete corruption, Christ out of love for the fallen race determined to save him by sacrifice of Himself, becoming bone of bone and flesh of flesh in shared flesh and blood. By taking human nature and dying He defeats the devil's power over death and delivers people from lifelong bondage caused by fear of death. His death and continuing power give mourners hope, for Jesus is alive forevermore, holds the keys of death, and remains a living Saviour whose power has not diminished.
He delivers only by bearing the penalty of disobedience, becoming sin and a curse for sinners, shedding innocent blood, giving His whole life as ransom and expiation to pay the debt sin created and open free salvation. Clothing His divinity with humanity He placed Himself on a level with men and stood at the head of the race as their Surety and brother to know their sufferings and temptations, to overcome in their behalf and to live a sinless life for them. As nearest of kin He ransoms the forfeited inheritance, laying off royal robe and crown to become substitute and surety, accepting the claims against the race; as God He could not die, but as man He could die, and by dying He overcame death, bruised the serpent's head and deprived him of all power to sting men with death. By this exchange the guilty stand before the Father as innocent because the Innocent One has borne their guilt, the undeserving are made deserving while in their behalf the deserving became undeserving, and they are placed on vantage ground where through His power they can obtain victory over sin and live pure, sinless lives. His becoming one with humanity and descending into its depths was part of the plan to make expiation for the sins of the perishing world and secure salvation for those who believe in Him as personal Saviour, bringing life to believers while disobedience ends in death.
He passed over the ground where Adam fell, faced Satan's temptations and the powers of darkness as a man relying on God's word and strength from above, met misuse of Scripture with Scripture, and lived without sin to show Adam's descendants can resist and to impute His righteousness. Taking human nature He faced testing as human beings do and faced temptation as a man, so people can overcome temptation as He did by relying on God's word. By overcoming the prince of darkness on humanity's behalf He broke that enemy's power over the race, enabling people through His merits to overcome and winning victory for us as our substitute and surety. As second Adam He redeemed Adam's failure, facing the temptations and trials humans face yet living without sin, showing that through God's power human beings can keep His law and live sinless lives.
His death on Calvary looked like defeat while Satan with evil angels and evil men sought to claim victory, but in grasping his prey Satan demolished his own throne. Satan with evil angels and evil men united to kill Christ as a victim of jealousy and hate and false religious zeal and thought to claim the victory, yet in cruel suffering and crucifixion and dying agony the Son of God accomplished the work ordained for Him from before the foundation of the world and was victor over the powers of earth and hell. By giving His life Christ took from Satan his last weapon for gaining the kingdoms of the world, wrested from Satan's hand the last weapon by which he could gain them, and opened salvation freely to humanity, taking upon Himself the stigma of the curse. In His death He broke the spell that had held millions in slavery under perfect subjection to Satan's rule and jurisdiction, and by His own perfect obedience to the law He reinstated man in the position from which Satan had hurled him and placed him on vantage ground. Through suffering and death at Calvary He met Satan's power to counteract his influence over humanity, enduring the enemy's assaults with power from God without turning aside, giving people help to rise above the enemy's power and a chance to regain God's moral image, while His death on the cross revealed God's unselfish love and showed the destructive rule Satan would have exercised had God not intervened.
By suffering death and rising He conquered death on its own ground, spoiled death's domain, opened the prison house, brightened the tomb, came forth with a company of sleeping dead as trophies, and gives assurance the righteous dead will be raised at His second coming. By suffering death and rising from the grave He defeated the devil on his own ground and removed death's despair, with the raising of a company of the sleeping dead as trophy of His victory and assurance that the righteous dead will be raised at His coming. Having finished the work covenanted from the foundation of the world, He ascended to heaven as conqueror in human nature, thus making humanity partaker in His triumph and giving full assurance, opening the prison house and setting the captives free. His death and descent into the grave brighten the tomb for those who die in faith and secure eternal life for all who believe in Him. By paying the full ransom He frees humans from lifelong bondage to Satan and enables each person to overcome Satan for himself in the name of Christ the Conqueror, as shown when He allowed Lazarus to pass under Satan's dominion over death, real but not final, so that He could drive Satan back as a conquered foe and reveal His victory as the Life-giver.
By that death He sealed Satan's doom, overturned Satan's triumph, condemned the originator of sin to eternal death, proving Satan must eventually die and his kingdom end. By shedding His innocent blood for the guilty and giving His life, Christ ransomed man from eternal death and delivered him from bondage, and by that death sealed the doom of Satan who had the power of death, winning the battle and getting Himself the victory when His work was finished. His resurrection displays His divine power and His future power, proves Satan's triumph is ended, and proves Satan must eventually die and his kingdom will come to an end. As humanity's representative He took human nature in its weakness, relied on God and endured Satan's temptations succeeding where Adam failed, making it possible for people to overcome the degradation caused by the fall and be linked to God, whereby Satan's power and eventual destruction are assured.
Gifts of Deliverance
He ransoms from eternal death and brings life and immortality to light, delivering from lifelong bondage through fear of death by clothing divinity with humanity and standing at the head of the race as Surety and brother on a level with those He came to save. As nearest of kin He redeems the forfeited inheritance, laying off royal robe and crown to become substitute and surety, and as God He could not die but as man He could die, and by dying He overcame death, destroyed him that had the power of death, bruised the serpent's head and deprived him of all power to sting with death. He opened the gates of the tomb and the gates of eternal life to all who receive Him as personal Saviour and believe on Him, giving everlasting life to all who so receive Him, while His death brings life to believers and disobedience ends in death. All believers who pass through natural death have eternal life in them, which is the life of Jesus received by eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God, so that His death has made it impossible for those who believe on Him to die eternally. Through that complete ransom fallen people are reconciled to God and may share the kingdom lost through sin, and His coming and death both make immortal life possible and show how people should live to receive it.
By bearing the penalty of disobedience and becoming sin for sinners He effects the exchange by which the guilty stand before the Father as innocent because the Innocent One has borne their guilt. The undeserving are made deserving while in their behalf the deserving became undeserving, the innocent bearing guilt so the guilty stand innocent, and repentant sinners stand before God justified and accepted and brought into favor. Through Him repentant sinners are accepted and received by the Father, for as great High Priest He approaches God in His human nature as well as His divine nature, having taken bone of bone and flesh of flesh to understand temptation and have compassion on the ignorant and erring. By His offering of infinite value on Calvary He redeemed the race and bore the penalty of sin to deliver from bondage, so that all who come through Him are clothed with the robe of righteousness, offered the sanctification of grace, enabled to render perfect obedience, and made obedient sons and daughters unto eternal life. His suffering paid the debt created by sin, not as license to keep breaking the law but calling to repentance and obedience, and He imputes His righteousness so efforts to keep the law may be acceptable, becoming a propitiation through whom pardon is received and the Sin-bearer takes away sins.
Through His power the delivered obtain victory over evil and overcome as He overcame, for He took human nature and faced temptation as a man relying on God's word so people can overcome in the same way. By overcoming the prince of darkness on humanity's behalf He broke that enemy's power over the race, humbling Himself to become substitute and surety and overcoming the powers of darkness for us, giving those who take hold of Him by faith power to overcome through His merits. His death for humanity makes it possible for people to become partakers of the divine nature, placed on vantage ground where through His power they can cease transgressing, keep the law, and live pure, sinless lives with His image reproduced in them. Deliverance from sin's ruin was possible only through self-sacrifice and condescension, for He alone could fight the great adversary, and having lived a sinless life for them and overcome in their behalf He enables the repentant to obtain victory over sin.
The reconciled are placed on vantage ground with God for return to loyalty and obedience, with the will in harmony with the divine will, washed and cleansed and overcoming by the blood of the Lamb. Sin had created a gulf between God and humanity, and by becoming Son of man and Son of Adam and brother to every person in the fallen family He joined humanity to lift people into the heavenly family and to open the way to life and to close union with God. In that redemption He carries with Him all who have received Him and believed on His name, that by His life in humanity they may become partakers of the divine nature, be perfected only through the merits of His sinless purity, be elevated by receiving His righteousness, and be changed by beholding His image from character to character. Thus united to Him in closer union than angels, they are made sons and daughters of God equal to the angels, complete in Him, welcomed by cherub and seraph as brethren, with Paradise opened and heaven joined to earth and linking finite people to God.
Second Adam's Victory
As second Adam He refused to become the enemy's bondslave where the first Adam believed Satan's sophistry and lie instead of reaching above his humanity for divine power. The first Adam stood in perfect manhood with full vigor of mind and body, with none of the effects of sin upon him, surrounded by the glories of Eden and in daily communion with heavenly beings. Christ took upon Him the infirmities of degenerate humanity after four thousand years of decreasing physical strength, mental power, and moral worth, meeting Satan in weakened condition with strength reduced by fasting forty days and forty nights. When Adam was tested temptation was removed as far as possible from him, but nothing was done to remove temptation from Christ, who as Prince of heaven stepped from His royal throne and clothed Himself with garments of humanity to stand where Adam stood and endure the temptations Adam failed to endure, being tempted on every point on which man would be tried. Only thus, by holding His allegiance to God without swerving a hair's breadth under Satan's full power in that weakened condition, could He rescue man from the lowest depths of degradation and keep the world from passing under Satan's control.
Satan rejoiced with his angels at man's fall because it pulled the Son from His exalted position to take fallen man's nature, and he planned that when Jesus took that nature he could overpower Him in it and hinder the accomplishment of the plan of salvation. From Christ's birth onward he tried to turn Him from giving His life for human sin, but Christ endured the assault and completed His sacrifice. He entered the condition Satan hoped to exploit to defeat Him and prevent redemption, taking fallen human nature to redeem fallen people. The one holding the power of death is that fallen Satan, once a happy, exalted covering cherub next in power to Christ, who lifted himself against God, drew angels into rebellion, was cast out after war in heaven, and determined to set up a kingdom on earth by winning man to his side. He still bears a kingly form with noble features because he is a fallen angel, but long evil has debased every good quality and developed every evil trait, his countenance full of anxiety, care, unhappiness, malice, hate, mischief, deceit and every evil, his brow receded, his eyes cunning and sly with great penetration, his large frame loose in flesh, wearing in deep thought a smile full of evil and satanic slyness that makes the beholder tremble, the smile he wears just before making sure of his victim, growing horrible as he fastens the victim in his snare.
Looking with infinite pity on the fallen pair in their wretched, helpless condition under the power and control of the prince of darkness, He left His honor, kingly authority, glory, crown, royal robe and high command with the Father to humble Himself to humanity. Clothing His divinity with humanity He placed Himself on a level with them and took His place at the head of a fallen race as their Surety, substitute and brother, encircling the human race with His human arm while grasping the throne of the Infinite with His divine arm, to know their sufferings and temptations, to overcome in their behalf and to live a sinless life for them. He came to a world seared and marred with the curse, not in glory heralded by the heavenly host but born of humble parentage and brought up in obscurity at Nazareth, a small town of Galilee, beginning His work in poverty and without worldly rank, to reveal God as love, mercy, tenderness and compassion and sweep away the thick darkness with which Satan had enshrouded the throne of the Deity so the Father was again manifest as the Light of life. Only by bearing the penalty of disobedience, becoming sin and a curse for them, shedding His blood and offering His life as ransom and expiation could He destroy through His own death him that had the power of death, that is the devil, giving another trial and placing them again on probation with hope of an immortal inheritance so believers are not tempted above what they can bear. By this He shows men they may stand on vantage-ground with God, keeping all the laws of His kingdom in love, kindness and loyalty, obtaining victory over evil and standing justified and accepted, the undeserving made deserving, living pure sinless lives, while His self-sacrificing missionary toil becomes the model for all missionary endeavor.
He came to meet the enemy throughout every stage of human life on his own battlefield, declaring He would deliver those in lifelong bondage by Himself bearing the penalty of human sin and conquering Satan there. People made subject to Satan through Adam's sin are captives whom Christ alone can free, and He entered the conflict and gave Himself as a ransom for their release. He laid aside His visible glory and took human nature to stand at the head of the humanity Satan had deceived through lying power, meeting Satan under lowly circumstances to fight humanity's battles in their behalf against Satan's effort to draw Him away from allegiance to God and undermine His principles. Assailed on every point yet without mistake, He endured the enemy's assaults with power from God and did not turn aside, though Satan appeared as an angel of light and worked through fallen angels and human agencies, and He met the conflict with many nights of prayer with strong crying and tears. His death at Calvary appeared to Satan to be victory as he sought to claim his prey, but Christ's sacrifice counteracted Satan's influence, brought salvation to humanity, gives people help to rise above the enemy's power and regain God's moral image, and because He understands the tempter's plans He can teach people to recognize and escape the corruption Satan brings.
Living in Freedom
Freedom in Christ includes victory over appetite and temptation in His name, for His wilderness victory over appetite was borne on humanity's behalf where people could not overcome in their own strength. That victory shows the way of rescue from sin's degrading power is holding fast to God through Jesus, and those He lifts are raised to share heavenly places in Christ.
The verse lays a solemn burden to hold steadfastly to every principle of truth that has been given, to confirm faith in the position taken and keep it as safe instruction to follow in the closing days. Those indifferent to light and instruction will not escape the snares, but will stumble and fall and be snared and taken. The same burden calls the church to take up neglected duties in families and practice home religion, stirring the congregation and calling backsliders and sinners, especially young men and young women, to come forward for fervent prayer. There they are to confess pride, backsliding, and partaking of the spirit of the world, and determine to live a different life.
His self-sacrificing missionary toil in this world is the model for all missionary endeavor, for He came from heaven to take His place at the head of a fallen race, uniting humanity and divinity so that all essential for the complete recovery of sinners could be done and they could be delivered from bondage. That model calls every believer to unreserved surrender and consecration of time and talents and to return to God all entrusted goods with the increase gained by trading on them to advance the work He came to do, with the reproach of indolence removed only by laboring as He labored. He left the courts of glory and came to partake of temptations and hardships in order to lift people up and make them sons and daughters of God, delivering them from bondage while they were still unbelievers. Those delivered are therefore to take up their appointed work, to watch for souls, to become acquainted with the spiritual needs of friends and neighbors who do not believe, and to work for them in meekness and lowliness to bring a strong counterinfluence against Satan's effort to take possession of the world. His taking human nature to reach and save the lost calls Christians to approach people who are perishing in sin rather than stand aloof from them. The Prince of heaven clothed His divinity with humanity and identified His interests with humanity, so that humanity could reach humanity, and this supports the use of human agents to instruct God's people. Because His sacrifice redeems people from Satan's oppressive power, believers are to pity and help those who are fallen and sinful rather than hurting or dominating them.
Remembering His dear sufferings in communion should melt the heart and overflow with gratitude and love to Him, for by His sufferings for sins He paid a dear price to ransom sinners from the power of Satan and hopeless misery. Understanding why He gave His life gives the missionary spirit, for He laid off His royal robe and kingly crown and came as a little child to be brought up in poverty, and His humanity laid hold upon divinity. Those He came to deliver must take hold of that same divinity and bring it into their lives. The Lord holds out forgiveness and deliverance to every soul that repents of backsliding, turns to the Lord, and cuts away wrong habits and practices, perverted appetites and passions, selfishness, and hardness of heart, for the longer selfishness is practiced the harder it is to break. Those who do this become a savor of life unto life and stand where they can receive a commission from God, and the immense sacrifice made in their behalf calls them to humble their souls before God to comprehend and respond to it.
The chain is broken only by God's power, by breaking with Satan and fleeing to Christ to be saved, for the slaves in lifelong bondage are fastened to his chariot wheels and held in his chains and fetters. The deliverance must be chosen before it is everlastingly too late, because a few more steps on Satan's path divorces the soul from God until light and truth have no power over it. Those who are delivered become victors and overcomers and receive life that measures with the life of God, and heaven itself is worth everything to gain it.
Freedom means becoming His co-laborers drawing other minds to Him, for by becoming man, bone of bone and flesh of flesh, partaking of the same flesh and blood as the children, tasting death for every man and dying Himself, He destroys the devil who had the power of death and frees humanity after Satan corrupted the mind and perverted human principles. By the Holy Spirit's power and the elevating, sanctifying power of the truth, fallen minds can be sanctified, purified, ennobled and made dignified for that work. He took human nature to set a complete and perfect pattern and to make people like Himself in purpose, feeling, thought, heart, soul, and life, with the result a purified, ennobled, consecrated life shaped by obedience to the truth and Christian integrity opposed to deception and pretense. The Lord accomplishes nothing in saving the human race without the cooperation of the human agent, yet man can accomplish nothing without God, for humanity alone has nothing saving or restoring in it. The frail human instrument must strive for unity with God, become meek and lowly in heart, take Christ's yoke and carry Christ's burdens, and when linked up with the divinity of Christ can do all things through the strength which Christ imparts. He gave up His riches and glory to seek sinful people, make them pure and upright, and lead them to heaven through obedience, freeing them from sin's defilement and making them like Him. By His life of untiring labor He taught people how to resist Satan's plans and work with God in building His kingdom. He hates sin yet loves the sinner, meeting evil with stern rebuke while laying aside His riches and glory to seek sinful, erring, unhappy people that He might lead them to heaven, humbling Himself and taking human nature to make people like Himself, pure and upright and free from defilement. He suffered more than any will be called to suffer and gave His all for each person, which calls for giving to Him in return.