I have been wanting to start a thread about Christian freedom that will explore the implications of our salvation. Our entrance into salvation was a declaration of our innocence before God, which gives us assurance and confidence. We no longer are under condemnation, but we are completely free of all shame and guilt. We stand as sons who are fully accepted based on Christ's work done on our behalf. Now our struggle is not against our own flesh and blood, since we were sanctified at our new birth. But our fight is mainly with the oppression of evil men who are controlled by the devil. It is important to realize that all the hardships and difficulties we experience in life come from external sources, namely from the sin and wrongdoing of others. As we are the dwelling place of God, we grow and progress through His grace. We are no longer controlled or dominated by the negative consequences of our actions or the guilt we feel as a result of them. Instead, we are enjoying the freedom that comes from being aligned with the Spirit. If we have been baptized into Christ's death and resurrection, we have been endowed with the power of His resurrection and can never fail. Our confidence as believers is in the fact that we have a Father who will never let us down.We must not allow ourselves to be moved away from our first love, which is God. We must understand that the shame and sorrows we experience come from our circumstances, and not from God. We are living in a world where there are distresses on every side, and in danger of this hate growing us cold. However, if we are baptized by His Spirit, we are free indeed. The promises of God are true, and they will always be true. God has declared all men guilty so He can silence all men. We long for the wicked world to know that they are just men.The dangers of the world and the threats of violence and harm that exist on all sides can easily lead us to allow this sense of sorrow and despair to enter into our souls. We are in danger of internalizing the shame of the world and its problems. But if we can remember that we are not identified with the world, that we are not defined by the problems and evils that exist within it, we can begin to break free from the ties that bind us. We can start to trust in things that are lasting and of true value, rather than getting caught up in things that do not ultimately matter. I want to convince you that what may seem like a monster or evil force is often just a whipping boy for the saint.