The Lord's free-man

Robert Hawker's "Poor Man's Morning And Evening Portion"

November 22—Evening—1 Corinthians 7:22

"The Lord's free-man."—I Cor. vii. 22.

And who is the Lord's free-man? Jesus himself hath given a decided answer to this enquiry. "Whosoever committeth sin (saith Jesus) is the servant of sin." Now as by nature we were all born in this state of bondage to sin, and by practice have fully manifested the stock of servitude to which by nature we belong; we are vassals and slaves to sin, and in bondage to all the dreadful consequences. "But (saith Jesus) if the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed!" John viii. 34-36. Hence then; my soul, learn what it is to be the Lord's free-man, and the blessed effects resulting from this freedom. If this be thy portion thou art no longer in bondage to "the curse of God's broken law." Jesus hath freed thee from this; having "redeemed thee from the curse of the law, in being made himself a curse." Thou art no longer under "the penalty of sin:" Jesus delivered thee from the wrath to come, when "He, who knew no sin, became sin for his people, that they might be made the righteousness of God in him." Thou art no longer under "the dominion of Sin:" Jesus hath taken away this power also; for '° the law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus, hath made his people free from the law of sin and death." Thou art loosed from "the yoke of Satan:" for by the conquest of Christ on the cross, thou art "delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son." Thou art freed from "the slavish fears of death:" for through death Jesus hath destroyed him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and hath delivered them, "who, through fear of death, were all their life-time subject to bondage." Are these among the privileges of the Lord's free-man? Is it thus to be a citizen of the Jerusalem above, which is free, and the mother of us all? Hail then, thou almighty Lord of thy people! It is thou who hast redeemed them to God by thy blood! And therefore to thee we wave the palm of victory, ascribing all our salvation to God and the Lamb!