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Imprisoned
by Self
Thomas
Costain’s history, The Three Edwards, described the life of Raynald III, a
fourteenth-century duke in what is now Belgium.
Grossly overweight, Raynald was commonly called by his
Latin nickname, Crassus, which means, “FAT.”
After
a violent quarrel, Raynald’s younger brother Edward
led a successful revolt against him. Edward captured
Raynald but did not kill him. Instead, he built a room
around Raynald in the Nieuwkerk castle and promised
him he could regain his title and property as soon as
he was able to leave the room. This would not have
been difficult for most people since the room had
several windows and a door of near-normal size, and
none was locked or barred.
The
problem was Raynald’s size. To regain his freedom,
he needed to lose weight!
But
Edward knew his older brother, and each day he sent a
variety of delicious foods. Instead of dieting his way
out of prison, Raynald grew fatter. When Duke Edward
was accused of cruelty, he had a ready answer: “My brother is not a prisoner..... He may leave when he so wills.”
Raynald
stayed in that room for ten years and wasn’t
released until after Edward died in battle. By then
his health was so ruined he died within a year … a
prisoner of his own appetite. *
Scripture
reveals the origin of SIN: “But each one is
tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires [or appetites] and enticed. Then,
when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and
sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death”
(James 1:14-15).
Many
times, WE
are our own worst enemy.
We become imprisoned by our own selfish desires
and, unless we are rescued, our sin will lead to our
own destruction.
Paul
exclaimed, “O
wretched man that I am! WHO
will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans
7:24).
Then
Paul gave THE answer: “I thank God; through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
(Romans 7:25). ONLY
JESUS... can deliver us from the power of sin
and death!
Jesus
WON the ultimate victory over sin and death..... when
He died on the cross as payment for sin (Ephesians
1:7) and broke the bonds of death through His
resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
WE can share in His victory through our
submission to His will: believing
in Him (Acts
16:30-31), turning from sin in repentance
(Acts
17:30-31), confessing
Him before men (Romans 10:9-10),
and being baptized
into Christ for the forgiveness of
our sins (Acts 2:38).
Then, if we will continue to walk in the light
of His Word, we, too, will be victorious.
WE
are self-imprisoned by sin and on the verge of
destruction. Only
Jesus can set us free.
And He will, IF we will TRUST
and OBEY Him.
Won’t
YOU?
--
David
A. Sargent,
Minister
Church
of Christ at Creekwood
1901
Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
* Dave Wilkenson, quoted in Not Even a
Hint by Josh Harris
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