Category Archives: Bound

Bible, Bound, Freedom, Holy Spirit, New, Renewed, Scripture

NEWNESS OF THE SPIRIT

ROMANS 7:6

“But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.”

When I met my wife of over 40 years, we were friends and coworkers. She was one of my many friends and coworkers. That was a quantitative relationship. But when we got married our relationship changed from just friends to family. That was a qualitative change. She wasn’t just one of my friends anymore. We were husband and wife and in a totally different kind of relationship.

Why in the world am I talking about that? Because Paul uses a word in today’s verse that needs further explanation. When he writes “newness of the Spirit,” he uses the Greek word kainotés which is only used here and back in Romans 6:4 (newness of life). The Topical Lexicon says “kainotēs conveys the idea of qualitative ‘newness,’ a state or mode of existence that stands in sharp contrast to what has gone before. It is never a mere novelty: in Scripture it points to the decisive, divinely wrought transition from the old age under sin to the new age inaugurated by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.” We have a totally changed relationship to God because of Jesus.

APPLICATION

Not to overuse a source, but I want to also give you another quote from the Topical Lexicon. It’s a pretty powerful statement about the use of kainotēs in the two verses we are looking at. “Romans 6:4 and Romans 7:6 serve as theological pillars, illustrating both the accomplished reality and ongoing outworking of that divine newness in personal sanctification, corporate worship, and eschatological hope.” (Topical Lexicon) If you aren’t shouting, you should be. It’s accomplished and ongoing! Glory to God.

Newness of life and newness in the Spirit. What else could you want. At salvation we are given that newness in life. The old self dies and the new self is resurrected to walk with Him through each day of your life. That walk is possible because we also have the newness of the Spirit. Jesus told us He would give us a Comforter, and He did. He lives in and through us and helps us take each step.

Now listen close. Lean in here. Walk in that qualitative newness. It’s not like anything you had before Jesus. Any religious high you may have experienced won’t measure up. Any vow or promise you made to God won’t hold up to it. We have the freedom in Christ to now walk in newness of life and in the Spirit. Think about that. No more trudging along just trying to make it. We can literally and spiritually hop, skip and jump through life because of this newness. Start walking that way.

O Lord, I am so thankful for the newness You have given me in Jesus.

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Bible, Bound, Safety, Scripture

GOD’S GLUE

COLOSSIANS 3:14

“In addition to all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.”

Elmer’s glue has been around since 1947. Did you know that? Originally it was produced under the Borden label and was made from a byproduct of milk production. That’s pretty cool, huh? It changed over the years and has been a mainstay of many schoolteachers through the decades. How many children did arts and crafts with Elmer’s glue?

Although Elmer’s is good, God’s glue is better. Look at today’s verse. Paul tells us to “put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” The Greek word for “bond” is sundesmos and is only used four times in the New Testament. We will look at some of those in a minute. Paul wanted us to know that as we put on the new heart, we also should put on this love glue. We need to be closely connected.

APPLICATION

In Acts 8:23, sundesmos refers to the bondage of iniquity which Peter said Simon the magician was in. In Ephesians 4:3, it is the bond of peace. Earlier in Colossians 2:19 we saw it used to describe ligaments that bind us together in our growth in God. And here it is the bond of unity. What a wide range of definitions and usages. Sundesmos comes from syn (that inseparable “with”) and deo (to bind). So, it means to be bound closely.

What had you preferred to be bound to – iniquity or unity? Hmmm. I choose unity. I choose peace. I want some of God’s glue, that super glue, that supernatural glue. He joins us in His Spirit with that glue. He binds believer’s together with that glue. God is always about bringing us closer to Him.

One day death will separate us physically from our loved ones. Sometimes that happens way too early. However, if we are one in the Spirit, we will never be separated eternally. I am getting to the age that I am starting to have more family and friends on the other side than I have here. We are bound together with God’s glue. Are you?

Father, thank You for Your supersize tube of glue that never runs out and will never lose its grip on me.

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