The Cross - Freedom From Fear

"Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery" (Hebrews 2:14-15).

Are you afraid to die? Are you afraid to leave your spouse and kids behind? Are you afraid of your spouse dying? If you are, know this: you are not alone. The entire world population is afraid of death, and is therefore subject to lifelong slavery. People are afraid to die, and therefore do what they can to avoid it. In addition, people afraid of death strive their whole lives to make this world deliver what they want from it. After all, they've only one life to live. So people don't just live in fear of dying. They also live in fear of not enjoying life enough - of dying too soon.

Christians are granted freedom from death as a gift from their heavenly Father. Death is a promotion or a graduation for Christians. Death is the means to eternal life. Since death is not the end for Christians, we don't have to fear it. And since death brings life far more abundantly than anything we can create on earth for ourselves, we are free from the fear of dying too soon. What exactly do we need to accomplish before we go? Who's running this show? Who's world is this? Who owns our spouse and our kids? Who's looking out for them? Do we actually believe they won't survive, even thrive without us? Do we really have to be afraid that God won't take good care of them? No, we don't have to be afraid, because Christians are free from such nonsense.

Jesus Christ beat death on the cross. He beat it. He took the death of everyone who would put faith in him, and bore it upon himself. He died our death in our place. He didn't just potentially die for Christians. He had his elect on his mind on the cross. He knew for whom he was dying. Not one drop of blood was wasted, not one tear was lost. When Jesus Christ died on the cross for his beloved brothers and sisters, he desired that the bondage of fear of death would be broken once for all.

One of the reasons spouses have such a hard time not making all sorts of daily demands one another is because we are really afraid of death. We are really afraid that we won't get all the fulfillment we can from this life. One of the reasons we fear death so greatly is because we don't meditate on the cross enough. We lose sight of what Christ has won for us. We go through life the same as the slaves - terrified that this life might end. I'm praying that all who read this will overcome the fear of death that enslaves so many couples to one another. The cross of Christ paid for far more than many Christian couples are claiming.