May 3, 2026

LIVING HOPE
Song by Bethel Phil Wickham

[Verse 1]
How great the chasm that lay between us
How high the mountain I could not climb
And spoke Your name into th
Then through the darkness, Your lovingkindness
Tore through the shadows of my soul
The work is finished, the end is written
Jesus Christ, my living hope

[Verse 2]
Who could imagine so great a mercy?
What heart could fathom such boundless grace?
The God of ages stepped down from glory
To wear my sin and bear my shame
The cross has spoken, I am forgiven
The King of Kings calls me His own
Beautiful Savior, I'm Yours forever
Jesus Christ, my living hope

[Chorus]
Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There's salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ, my living hope
Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There's salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ, my living hope

[Verse 3]
Then came the morning that sealed the promise
Your buried body began to breathe
Out of the silence, the Roaring Lion
Declared the grave has no claim on me
Then came the morning that sealed the promise
Your buried body began to breathe
Out of the silence, the Roaring Lion
Declared the grave has no claim on me
Jesus, Yours is the victory, woah-oh-oh

Exalt: “Living Hope”
Empower: Romans 6:1-14, 8:3; 2 Corinthians 5:19

The Chains of Sin are Broken

Romans 6:6-7 Alam natin na ang dati nating pagkatao ay naipako na sa krus kasama niya, upang mamatay ang ating makasalanang pagkatao at nang hindi na tayo maalipin pa ng kasalanan. 7 Sapagkat ang namatay na ay pinalaya mula sa kapangyarihan ng kasalanan. (MBBTAG).

Ikaw ay naipako nang kasama ni Cristo; namatay na ang makasalanang pagkatao mo. Ikaw ngayon ay may bagong buhay at bagong pagkakakilalan na. Naputol (nalagot) na ang tanikalang dating umalipin sa iyo. Hindi ka na alipin ng kasalanan. May kakayahan at kapangyarihan ka nang tanggihan ang anumang mali at anumang tukso sa mundo o panlilinlang ng kaaway. Ikaw ay malaya na. Mamuhay ka kung sino ka kay Cristo: isang matuwid, malinis, banal at karapat-dapat sa harapan ng Diyos.
The chains (power) of sin are broken. Ang tunay na problema ay hindi na kasalanan [God has dealt with it completely on the cross]; ang problema ay kakulangan ng kaalaman o pang-unawa (i.e. revelation knowledge) sa ginawa ni Cristo, at sa bagong pagkatao na mayroon ang sinumang nanalig sa Kanya. When you don’t know who you are, you act contrary to your identity (i.e. identity crisis). Believers no longer struggle with sin, only with desires (because of ignorance). Kung ikaw (as a believer) ay nakikibaka (struggle) pa rin sa makataong pagnanasa (i.e. desires of the flesh), hindi na ito dahil sa may kapangyarihan pa sa iyo ang kasalanan o alipin ka pa nito (remember, believers have already been set free from the power of sin), kundi dahil sa kakulangan ng pang-unawa kung sino ka kay Cristo, dahilan upang hindi ka makapamuhay o makalakad sa Espiritu (whose fruit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – Galatians 5:22.)

The issue is wrong thinking/believing, or sin-consciousness, not inner bondage. Ang sin-consciousness ay isang paraan ng pag-iisip (mindset) kung saan ang isang tao (believer) ay laging nakatuon sa nagawang kamalian o pagkakasala at pagkukulang sa harapan ng Diyos. Ito ay parang palagiang pagharap sa maruming salamin at pilit mong nililinis ang iyong sarili (kahit na ikaw ay malinis na). Lagi mong iniisip na kapag nagkamali ka, galit ang Diyos sa iyo at hindi ka na pagpalain; feeling mo hindi ka na karapat-dapat sa Kanyang harapan (thus, you cannot come to Him with boldness/confidence; you avoid Him or the fellowship of believers because you feel condemned). Ito’y rin ay pag-iisip na may kulang pa sa iyo na pilit mong pinupunan sa pamamagitan ng sariling effort mo. Ang pagiging sin-conscious ay nagdadala ng takot, guilt at self-condemnation. [Sin-conciousness is an Old Covenant mindset that should no longer define a New Testament believer.] Ano ngayon ang dapat maging mindset ng isang mananampalataya? – Christ-consciousness.

Ang Christ-consciousness ay isang paraan ng pag-iisip kung saan ang isang mananampalataya ay fully aware sa kanyang pagkakakilanlan (new identity), katuwiran, at pagiging katanggap-tanggap sa Diyos dahil sa tinapos na gawa ni Cristo. Christ-consciousness is looking at Christ as your mirror. Nakikita mo na ikaw ay malinis na at nabubuhay ka na sa katotohanang iyon; kaya mayroon kang lakas ng loob na lumapit sa Diyos at malaya ang iyong puso sa anumang guilt or condemnation. When you are Christ-conscious, holiness or right living becomes a natural fruit, not a forced effort.

Jesus became what we are, so that we might become what He is! What is true of Him is also true of us!

Elevate: Application Question:

1.The chains of sin are broken. You have now the freedom and authority to reject any form of deception (e.g. sin- consciousness, religious mindset, worldly thinking, evil thoughts). Ipatotoo ang realidad nito sa iyong buhay o kung paano mo ito naisasagawa.

Exalt: “Living Hope”Empower: Romans 6:1-14, 8:3; 2 Corinthians 5:19

Exalt: “Living Hope”
Empower: Romans 6:1-14, 8:3; 2 Corinthians 5:19