Where Freedom is Found

Happy Wednesday! (Or whatever day is happens to be when you're reading this). Pray that God gives you understanding of His word, and read over these verses in John a few times and really pay attention to what is being said about freedom.

John 8:31-38
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father."

The truth of the gospel is the truth of love and a future and the good news of Jesus Christ. By being completely grounded in the teaching of Jesus you experience the freedom that comes with a relationship with Christ. But what does that set you free from? Let's look at what Jesus told the group.

The Jews Jesus was speaking with had never been slaves, so they were confused by what Jesus was saying. "Set free? Whatever dude I'm already free to do whatever I want." Um, well... That kinda seems true at first, but it's a lie the enemy uses to decieve people into continuing on that path. Jesus said anyone who sins is a slave to sin. That's because without the intercession of Christ, we are bound by that sin. Without grace, we are stuck in bondage and the death that sin causes (Romans 6:23).

We were created by God to serve God and live in a relationship, so we have a natural instinct to worship and serve. As a result, we will either be a slave to sin (fall under temptation, chase after worldly desires that will pass away, worship idols, etc.) or a child of God, which ultimately results in freedom.

Romans 8:1-4
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

You have been set free by the sacrifice Christ made. He made that willingly because of his passionate, enduring love for you. You are free to live a life rich with joy, hope, love, and faith. You are free to live without caring what other people think or say about you, you are set free from addiction, from the hopelessness that results from sin. You have the power to resist temptation and have hope and faith under any circumstances. In addition to the liberation you have in this life, you are now set free from the struggle to make yourself right by just being a "good person" to try and get to heaven, but by grace through faith you get to spend eternity with our King. 

Smile today and know that you are free. Free to live the beautiful abundant life God has promised... Free to be the person He created you to be and live for him with everything you have.

Here's one of my favorite videos, personally... And it's a great visual for the freedom we have in Christ.