Chapter # 1 Paragraph # 2 Study # 5
May 28, 2023
Broadlands, Louisiana
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Thesis: The "release" of us from our sins has a major first element with further downline consequences.
Introduction: In our last study, we considered the issues of Jesus being recognized as the One Who is to get the "credit" for all the good that comes our way, and as the One Who exercises "dominion" over this creation. This evening we are going to look a bit further into His prior action and what it entails.
- I. John's Ascription Of Glory And Dominion To Jesus.
- A. The issues involved.
- B. The roots of this expressed outcome.
- 1. To The One Loving us and having loosed us from our sins by His blood.
- a. Jesus is described here as "The One Loving Us".
- 1) The underlying motivation for "all actions taken" toward us, but particularly The Cross.
- 2) This underlying motivation is "continuous" and takes in all of our "issues" that relate to His "call according to purpose" (Romans 8:28).
- a) Because "purposes" vary, so also does Love direct our courses.
- b) Because "being loved" automatically summons the only legitimate response: "Loving".
- i. This is the "problematic issue" in terms of the details because "loving God" addresses all of the details of living: Note Jesus' question to Peter: Do you love Me more than these?" in respect to the entire gamut of "fishing" with all of its particulars.
- ii. The specific issue that faces us is (according to 1 John 5:21) "idols", i.e., attributing to something besides God Life-input that can only be from God.
- b. Jesus is also described here as "The One Having Loosed Us".
- 1) This is, by its tie to "love", the primary bondage-producing entity.
- 2) This is, also, an indicator that it points to the present concept of the "bondage".
- a) The initial, and past, issue is "release from what "sins" generate.
- i. The primary impact is the alienation of us from the Life of God and the subjection of us to His "legal retaliation" (i.e., "wrath").
- ii. The secondary impact is the amount of "damage" that the Law of the Harvest imposes: not in the harvest itself, but in the degree of "grief" that we suffer from that harvest (because our relationship with God primarily affects our souls, the quality of that relationship has much to say about how much suffering is actually felt).
- iii. The third impact is the losses at the Judgment Seat that are imposed simply because that "Judgment" has "limiting" power over how much "Life" capacity we have as a permanent factor into Infinity.
- iv. According to this initial, past issue reality, there are certain irrevocable factors involved.
- b) John's focus upon the Aorist ("released"), means for us to understand that we are already released, but being subjected to "sin's impact" as a matter of present experience is a genuine reality that our "faith" in "having been released" is a key factor in how well we live in the present.
- i. This focus is upon the "power" that Sin imposes because of present "habits of life" that we follow (Hebrews 12:1 insists that there are such "habits" from which we need deliverance).
- ii. This focus is addressed by the seven "letters to the churches" wherein there are certain "problem" areas that need to be addressed by "repentance".
- 2. And He made us a kingdom.
- 3. Priests to His God and Father.
- 4. To Him the glory and the power unto the ages.
- 5. Amen.
