Jesus said in John 8:32, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
True freedom does require knowledge.
Look what Paul says Rom. 6:3, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?”
And in Rom 6:6, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”
And in Rom. 6:9-11, “Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Now it is a divine fact that we have been crucified with Christ. We are NOW totally and absolutely dead. This is NOT a positional truth but an actual true reality.
This fact is a vital and inseparable part of the Gospel message. If this fact is neglected or overlooked you have NO gospel at all. How can any person reckon himself dead indeed to sin and alive to God without having this knowledge?
Look at all the people who claim they believe that Christ was crucified on the cross but they do not have a clue that they where crucified with Him. Many struggle and strive continually but only experience defeat and failure in their attempt to live the Christian life.
This fact needs to be proclaimed over and over so everyone can know this truth and then walk in the true reality and experience the true freedom of what God in Christ has ALREADY accomplished for them and in them.
2 Cor. 5:14, “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
Acts 17:28, “For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said,for we are also his offspring.”
Gal 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
As for sin, God in Christ has taken care of the sin problem once and forever.
Col 2:13-14. “ And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.”
Please note, that even tough God in Christ has already accomplished these things for us and in us there will be many people who refuse to walk in or experience the existing reality of what has been accomplished.
My death on the cross is an actual fact and I experience the true joy and freedom of this truth daily. The Holy Spirit continually shows me new aspects of what all that this death means to me. As a result I do die daily as I embrace with joy these new discoveries of what God in Christ has already accomplished for me and in me. The eyes of my heart are always being opened more and more to see His accomplished work. All this is the result of having and embracing His Life with in me. His life within me is NOT the result of my self effort or anything that I ever have done. I just walk in the enjoyment of His Life and His accomplished work.
* Edited for spelling
