SALVATION'S REMEDY FOR FEAR AND BONDAGE

"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Heb 2:14-15). "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father" (Rom 8:15).

Devotion 3 of 18

FEAR, THE MEANS THROUGH WHICH BONDAGE ENFORCED

Hebrews 2:14-15 is a concise statement of the purpose for which Christ Jesus came into the world. He did not come as an angel, but entered as a man. He entered in the manner in which all men enter the world–through birth. He was "made of a woman, made under the Law" (Gal 4:4). Because the ones He came to save were "flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same." But at this point, there is a critical distinction between Jesus and the rest of humanity. Ordinarily, birth is in order to life. In Jesus' case, it was in order death. Our Lord was born to die!

But Christ's death was no ordinary death. It was more of a beginning than an end. His death was an "accomplished" death (Luke 9:31). Divine objectives were accomplished by His vicarious, or substitutionary, death. First, Jesus died in order that "through [His] death, He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." Here, in His death, the Lord delivered the crushing bruise to the head of the old serpent. It is a mortal bruise, and sealed the devil's destiny. He was not "destroyed" in the sense of extinction or annihilation, for he still "walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet 5:8). However, he has no access to the "heavenly places" where the saints have been raised in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:6). He is impotent in the heavenly realms, where we are called to place our affection (Col 3:1-3). However, and make no mistake about it, he is invincible if men choose to walk in the flesh, dominated by this present evil world. Christ's death opened the door for men to "clean escape" the condemned domain, and come into the fellowship of God's dear Son (1 Cor 1:9).

Our Lord's death was also in order to "deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." As soon as He entered into His earthly ministry, he announced He had been anointed to "preach deliverance to the captives," and . . . to set at liberty them that are bruised" (Lk 4:18). These poor souls are described as "those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death" (NIV). Notice, the means through which their bondage was facilitated was "the fear of death." In their case, fear, particularly the fear of death, kept them in bondage, hopelessly enslaving them.

The "fear of death" had a twofold stimulus. First, from the beginning of life in the flesh, the cloud of death hovers over all men–and they sense it. There is a certain sense of futility that is produced by the knowledge of death's imminence. It causes the unregenerate soul to live with an unholy abandon that throws him into the hands of the devil. Additionally, the Law heightened the fear of death, offering life only to the one who flawlessly kept the Law (Lev 18:5; Gal 3:l2). No less than thirty-seven, the Law required that violators "be put to death." Later, God would affirm through Ezekiel, "the soul that sinneth, it shall die!" (Ezek 18:4,20).

The Law's demand for the perfect execution of its demands proved to be a curse. Scripture refers to it as "the curse of the Law." Some sophists teach that this curse is sickness and poverty. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Spirit is explicit on this point, and ignorance of the truth is inexcusable. "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them" (Gal 3:10). Jesus, through His death, has delivered believers from that curse (Gal 3:13).

Working with the "curse of the Law," the defiled conscience caused men to become enslaved to sin. The reason for the enslavement is that their defiled conscience forbade them to come to God. Instead, they ran from Him. When this occurred, there was no other alternative than to serve sin. No one was exempted from this bondage, "for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Rom 3:23). When the Law stands up against sinful man, and death hovers over him, fear rises like a spiritual tyrant, forbidding the individual to draw near to God. That condition unavoidably results in bondage to sin, and it is a harsh bondage requiring a Deliverer from heaven.

PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You through Jesus for not giving me the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and of a sound mind.

– Tomorrow: THE HELPLESSNESS OF MANKIND --