Jesus will strengthen and encourage us because he is true life, and life has defeated death.

We now stand holy and blameless before our Heavenly Father as his own dear children, and we are set free to serve our neighbor in love.

Satan and the old Adam don't want Jesus to bear our crosses for us because that means we can't claim that we've done anything to merit God's mercy and salvation.

Christ crucified is at the heart of both our freedom from sin and death and our freedom to serve and love our neighbor.

Our freedom as Christians is not a form of independence. Our freedom in Christ comes from our dependence on him.