I hope everyone had a wonderful Independence Day. I hope you had a nice day off, a good cookout, or a fun time at the lake. But I hope you also took a few moments to consider the concept of freedom. Freedom is a virtue that we in the U.S. value highly, however, it can be one that is difficult to understand. We think that freedom means “doing whatever you want” or even “the absence of a master”.
John 8:34-36
Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
From the words of Jesus, it is clear that freedom cannot mean “doing whatever I want”, as that would make me a slave to sin. Ironically, I would go from saying “yes” to what my flesh desires, to being unable to say “no” to those very things. Without a doubt, that is slavery.
Freedom is not even the absence of a ruling master, as those who are “free indeed” are servants to God. But rather I am delivered from the evil, harmful master of sin, into the care of the gracious and loving Master, Jesus Christ. Under the lordship of sin, I become hardened, bitter, and destructive. Under the lordship of Jesus, I am taught to live to my full potential as a creature made in His image.
This is true freedom: freedom from bondage, freedom from the confines of sin, freedom from the spiritual damage that it would do to me, freedom to imitate my true Master.