I Delivered & Conveyed V. 13

A.Delivered

1. Delivered– to draw to one’s self, to rescue, to deliver. Rescue by a sovereign power.

a. Delivered us from the power of sin.

i. Unsaved man (not indwelt w/ Holy Spirit) has only his own power to resist sin

ii. Christian has the power of God’s Spirit to resist sin.

iii. Ephesians 1:19 the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe…

iv. Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us…

b. Delivered us from the penalty of sin.

i. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

c. God didn’t just deliver us from sin, but delivered us to Himself and His kingdom

i.  A P.O.W. that is delivered from the enemy but left in the battle zone would be grateful, but still needy and in great danger of being killed or recaptured.

ii.  A P.O.W. that is delivered from the enemy, to his own troops is in a superior situation. His survival no longer depends only on him, but he has great support.

iii.  Jesus didn’t just deliver us from the power of sin, but leave us in the same spiritually weak condition, trying to fight against Satan and sin on our own.

iv.  He delivered us from the power of sin, indwelt us; brought us into His kingdom.

2. Jesus delivered us

a. Someone else didn’t deliver us. We didn’t deliver ourselves from the K of Darkness

b. A church didn’t deliver us, or self help group, or a philosophy, or political party.

c. A person may be able to “deliver” themselves from a bad habit, and addiction, a wrong way of thinking, etc.

3. From what were we delivered? The Power Of Darkness. The Kingdom of Darkness.

a. Like the children of Israel delivered from bondage under Pharaoh.

i. God brought them out that He might bring them into The Promised Land

ii. God delivers us out of the dominion of sin that He might deliver us into a life of freedom, holiness, righteousness, mercy, grace, unconditional love.

b. Someone greater (God) exerted His power to free them to live for Him.

c. Power of darkness– speaks of the kingdom which is ruled over by Satan.

i. The unsaved person knowingly or unknowingly is subject to the reign and influence of Satan.

ii. Turn to Ephesians 2:1-4 This describes the sphere of existence for the unbeliever

iii. Romans 5:17 For if by the one man’s offense (Adam) death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

aa.Notice the use of the word reigned

bb.Sin is the dominating principle and influence in the Kingdom of Darkness

cc.It may appear as hideous or elegant, but it is the dominating impetus.

dd.The final result is eternal separation from God. (Romans 6:23)

iv. Acts 26:18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’

B.Conveyed

1. Conveyed- KJV-translated; NIV-brought us into; NASB- transferred us;

2.Turn to Luke 16:4, Acts 13:22, 1 Corinthians 13:2

3.Used of resettling colonists as citizens of a new country.

a.NOTE- They are the same people, with the same quirks, strengths, weaknesses

b.The big difference is that they have a new ruler, and are part of a new community, with a different mindset, different goals, and a new found power to live according to the desires and design of the new ruler.

c.Philippians 2:13 it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

4. Not just delivered out of the kingdom of darkness and left without strength, help, etc.

5. Jesus didn’t rescue us from the kingdom of Satan, & then set us out to wander aimlessly

6. Delivered out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light.

7. The Kingdom of the Son of His love. The Kingdom of Jesus.

8. Indwelling Christ, indwelling Spirit, fruit of Spirit, transformed mind, changed heart.

9. The Kingdom of God is both now and not yet.

10. We live and move in the Kingdom of God, and yet it shall one day come in its fullness.

11. Spurgeon– “Beloved, we still are tempted by Satan, but we are not under his power; we have to fight with him, but we are not his slaves. He is not our king; he has no rights over us; we do not obey him; we will not listen to his temptations.”

II.Redeemed & Forgiven V. 14

A.Redeemed

1. In whom– The redemption we have is not from a church, a program, or in our efforts.

d.The redemption that the Christian enjoys comes from the sacrifice of Christ.

e.His life was the ransom paid to deliver us from the power & penalty of sin.

2. Redemption– the payment of a price or ransom for the release of a slave.

a.Release by a legal ransom. To cancel a debt.

b.The Bible describes life apart from Christ as being a slave to sin. Sin is the dominating influence. It is the master who exerts his will over his subjects.

c. Turn to John 8:31-36 Speaks of being a slave to sin, or free from the slavery of sin

d.1 Corinthians 6:19, 20 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

3.The Christian is one who has been ransomed and released from the dominion and power of Satan’s kingdom.

a.Though Christians are still tempted to sin, the dominating aspect of sin has been broken through the transference of the Christian out of the kingdom of darkness, and into the kingdom of light.

b.Any experience that might cause a Christian to “feel” like they are in bondage must be sifted through the sieve of this truth: The dominating power of sin has been broken in the life of a Christian. The influence of their former citizenship has been loosed, and they are free to obey God, by way of God’s indwelling Spirit.

B.Forgiven

1. Forgiveness– to send away. God sends our sins away from us, regarding the debt we owe to Him for sinning while we lived in the Kingdom of Darkness.

2. The old citizenship: Dominated by sin, guilty, and owing a debt. (Felt guilty)
New citizenship: Freed from the domination of sin, forgiven, debt paid. (Feel forgiven)