Westside Church of Christ

We are less than a week away from celebrating the 250 th anniversary of American independence. Freedom is a precious possession that came through the sacrifice of brave men and women, and many more have fought to maintain it. We’ve experienced external wars and conflicts that challenged the land that we call home, and terrorist attacks have threatened us within. Yet, we stand with freedom ringing loudly. It is great to live in such a nation, but there is a much greater freedom to be gained.

An immature, superficial notion of what it means to be free lures us. Fleshly lusts draw us into a tangled web that promises to free us from stuffy old morals and ethics. We cast off the time- honored standards of past generations and adopt new ones where anything goes. It feels so good that it can’t possibly be wrong. So, we stumble into the devil’s trap, and he becomes our master. It is a terrible choice that leads us into his hands.

He dominates and holds us prisoner to the ways of the world, our out-of-control impulses and the whims of the evil one. It is the ultimate in false advertising, and Jesus exposed the fraud and provided a way that only He could to be truly free. It took sinless, perfect blood being shed to release us not only from the consequences of sin but also the enslavement to it. That is exactly what God the Son gave (Revelation 1:5). He paid the ransom price, but are we living liberated lives? He told us how.

They are some of the most familiar words in the Bible, “…the truth will set you free…” (John 8:32). That sentence fragment is important and encouraging, but it is only a partial picture. It is crucial to see the entire message that Jesus communicated if we sincerely yearn for freedom from sin and spiritual death.

A closer look will teach us that it takes a consistent practice of living by His principles to achieve liberation. It isn’t just knowing the right words, but it is using them to determine our choices and formulate our thoughts. The devil’s dictates will permeate every area of our lives distorting the noble image in which we were created into something much less. It takes constant attention to our steps to avoid the trap.

Jesus described it as genuine discipleship. There are hypocrites and phonies who put on an impressive show while remaining enslaved. They will never know this kind of freedom until they shed the costume and become real disciples. Only then will they be liberated from their sins because no one but God the Son can unshackle us. He made the sacrifice to do so. Now, the choice is ours. Do we want to be free? “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36). Happy Independence Day!