How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”

We are slaves to our past. We are slaves to our culture. We are slaves to our traditions.

“I was born (Hispanic, Asian, black, white… whatever excuse.)”

The Pharisees were proud of being born Hebrew; proud of their Jewish past. In fact, they were slaves of their past, culture and traditions. Like many of us, they were slaves of their sin.

They were under the rule and slavery of Rome, who granted Jews (for a time as was politically expedient) a measure of freedom to worship and live as they were accustomed.  Like us, they did not realize that they were slaves of God’s providence and timing – God’s circumstances for application and witness of faith through difficulty.

Jews were so proud to have escaped the slavery of Egypt, that they did not recognize the slavery of their own disobedience to ‘elohiym hä·yä hä·yä – Yĕhovah Yĕhovah.

Yet their lives under the slavery of Rome required continual compromise of their freedom. These righteous rulers of the people slipped more and more into sin until they no longer had relationship with Almighty God.

The Temple was no longer a place of truth.  The worship of God had become as false as the faith of the Pharisees.

Then God, Who had been silent since the days of the Prophets, returned to the Temple in the Person of Christ Jesus.

John 8: 

“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

“You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world…”

 

The Truth Will Set You Free

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave[b] to sin.35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Jesus is LORD. But is Jesus lord over YOUR LIFE?

Have you slipped into the sin of your past… just as the Pharisees? Are you bound to the slavery of our sins?

Two Christian sisters have pointed out this week their deep sorrow over the addictions of loved ones to heroin. (It would not have to be heroin, though we realize more the inevitable consequence.) It could be gambling, or beer, booze or wine. It could be cigarettes or over-eating. It could be pornography or partying with the sexual sin of the world.

And worst of all for our witness of Christ (just like the Pharisees), we may at the same time CLAIM to be Christians.

 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God.The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

We seek the sin that will satisfy in the shadows of darkness and self-delusion. To continue in sin is to have sin shackle you.

Romans 6

English Standard Version (ESV)