Live Free in Christ!: Our Union with Christ According to Paul's Letters to the Seven Churches

By Anthony K. Wright

In a culture that is running from Christ, Live Free in Christ is a must read! With over 25 years in Biblical studies, I have yet to read such an in depth study on what it means to live in Christ.

Michael Winfrey, Founder of Teen Talk

This is a fresh and timely examination of living free in Christ. Grounded in a careful handling of the Apostle Pauls letters, this book offers sensitive encouragement to its readers. The tone is pastoral, the content is soundly biblical, and the result is devotional. I warmly recommend this offering for the sake of the church.

Constantine R. Campbell, PhD, Associate Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Author Paul and Union with Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Study

You might ask, So what does it mean to live free in Christ? It means everything!

This book will increase your awe of Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit. After reading this book, you will have a deeper level of humility, commitment to the gospel and love towards others.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Nov 7, 2016
• ISBN: 9781512754827

Anthony K. Wright

Anthony K. Wright is a faithful husband, father, and pastor. He has been serving in the gospel ministry for over 20 years. He is the happily-married husband of Carmela Wright of 21 years and father of 10 kids, which they homeschool. Anthony serves as a church planter in Houston, Texas and a Bishop within the Family Life International Fellowship.

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Copyright © 2016 Anthony K. Wright.

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Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission. NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of Biblica, Inc. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of Biblica US, Inc.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-5483-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-5484-1 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-5482-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016913913

WestBow Press rev. date: 11/7/2016

Contents

Dedication

Introduction

The Objective Of This Book

What Does It Mean To Be In Christ And Walk In The Spirit?

Chapter 1 How Did Living Free In Christ Affect Paul?

Paul’s Awe Of Christ

Paul’s Willingness To Suffer For The Gospel

Paul’s Utter Humility Before God

Paul’s Intimate Walk With The Holy Spirit

Chapter 2 Live Free From Condemnation In Christ

Rome: The Converted Church

Live Free From Condemnation In Christ!

Chapter 3 Live Free From The Past In Christ

Corinth: The Carnal Church

Live Free From The Past In Christ!

Chapter 4 Live Free From Division In Christ

Galatia: The Divided Church

Live Free From Division In Christ!

Chapter 5 Live Free From Insecurity In Christ

Ephesus: The Elect Church

Live Free From Insecurity In Christ!

Chapter 6 Live Free From Discouragement In Christ

Philippi: The Conflicted Church

Live Free From Discouragement In Christ!

Chapter 7 Live Free From Immaturity In Christ

Colossae: The Humanist Church

Live Free From Immaturity In Christ!

Chapter 8 Live Free From Fear In Christ

Thessalonica: The Persecuted Church

Live Free From Fear In Christ!

Epilogue A Practical Summary

Appendix A The Seven Churches

Paul’s Letters To The Seven Churches

Appendix B Sexual Immorality Prohibits Unity

Biblical Limits To Unity And Fellowship

DEDICATION

To my dearly beloved wife and children: I hope to leave a legacy of transformed hearts and minds of believers who exalt Christ, defend the gospel, walk intimately in the Spirit, and sincerely love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. To my pastor, Archbishop Sterling Lands, II, the Greater Calvary Bible Family, and the Family Life International Fellowship: Thank you for the training, discipline, and motivation to proclaim the gospel of God’s grace to the world.

This book was born out of a season of difficulty and trauma for my family and I as we transitioned to a new city and endured several personal difficulties. Much of the practical encouragement and application was a result of the first-hand personal experience I have walked in over the past three years. To that end, I was wish to recognize and thanks those who came to our aid during this season and helped our family survive. We as a family would like to extend our thanks to Dr. Sunny and Rosemary Uzuh, Susie Clark, my mother Esther McReynolds, my brothers and sisters, Cynthia Wright, Lewis and Arnetta Wright, Shannon and Angela Jones, the Fantastic Four Families of Ron and Susan Seay, Rob and Jeri Chambers, Dynetro and Donitha Hadnot for your support and encouragement.

I have published this book to spark the enthusiasm of being in Christ into the hearts of every believer and empower them by the Holy Spirit to live free and love one another. My ultimate challenge is for each evangelical believer to take a look at who Christ is and what he has done, and allow the truth of the word through Paul’s message and his lifestyle to change their hearts.

I believe Paul, through God’s inspired and inerrant word, laid out a complete framework for us to understand what it means to live free in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. He did this both by example and instruction to the seven churches he addressed in the New Testament.

In Paul’s life, I see the reflection of a man who was in awe of the Lord, willing to suffer for the sake of the gospel, and walked intimately with the Holy Spirit. Paul’s letters truly reveal the depths of God’s love for us in Christ and our only answer to escape sin, carnality, and pride—the power of the Holy Spirit. But most of all, I see someone who, because he knew who he was in Christ, was humbled and able to live free in spite of sickness, persecution, incarceration, and many other trials and tribulations.

Freedom! No matter who you are, what you’ve done, or where you come from, today you too can live free in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. If you choose to place your faith in Christ and walk in the Spirit, you can experience the same freedom that Paul had. In the end, it all boils down to making moment-by-moment, loving choices to walk in holiness, obedience, and maturity.

If we aren’t making disciples and teaching them to do that, what are we teaching them?

INTRODUCTION

You have a choice! In Paul’s letters and his life, God reveals that through the gospel, we can live new lives in Christ. As a believer in the gospel of Jesus Christ, you can choose to live free in Christ and overcome your sinful nature. The secret to living free in Christ is choosing to walk in the Spirit on a moment-by-moment basis. Through Paul’s intimate experience with the Lord, we see the revelation of what God has done for us in Christ. The gospel of Jesus Christ has ushered in God’s new covenant with humankind, fulfilling his original intent and purpose for all people from the beginning of creation. Now, as believers of the gospel, we can walk in unity, free from the power of sin, full of life and love for one another. The unveiling of this new covenant through the sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ has brought us new life. This is a new day! No matter who you are, what you have done, or where you come from, God is calling you to turn from sin and receive the fullness of life in Christ!

God longs for us to live free in Christ. Living free in Christ will radically transform your life. It did for Paul. But what precisely does it mean to be in Christ? Is it possible that everyone who believes the gospel can live free in Christ? Yes! You may have heard the phrase in Christ before or been encouraged by Romans 8:1, which states, Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (NIV) and 2 Corinthians 5:17, which declares, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (KJV). But what did Paul mean when he used the phrase in Christ? Did Paul expound on this concept to any of the other churches he wrote to in the New Testament? How does the Holy Spirit enable us to be free, exercise power over sin, and live to please God? In this book, I will seek to definitively address these questions through a cursory overview of Paul’s letters in the New Testament.

Unfortunately, many believers today live unchanged lives as if they have never been saved. In general, modern Christianity has become characterized by a lack of focus on Christ and a lack of intimacy with the Holy Spirit. We’ve exchanged the good news of the gospel for denominational traditions, secular philosophies, and self-interest consumerism. Instead of living free in Christ and being transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, many believers live according to the pattern of this world. Our hearts are unchanged. There is no contrast between our lives and the lives of unbelievers. Like gold, the truth of gospel must be continually polished so that the works of the flesh do not diminish its glory. And our resolve to live new lives can be renewed day by day.

The Objective of This Book

This book is not just another book that aims to help you live a better Christian