Jesus said, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be freed indeed” (John 8:36). What if Jesus really meant it when He said if He has set us free we are really free? If He did really mean it, how will that change how I live my life? How will it change how I treat others?
But first, let’s put Jesus’ words in context.
Jesus spoke these words while discussing with the Pharisees the validity of His message (John 8:12-30). At times the discussion was heated, but Jesus held His ground and “Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him” (John 8:30). The “many” were primarily of the Jewish faith. Then, “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 the truth, and the truth will set you free'” (John 8:31-32).
Those words led to a brief discussion about the Jewish people not needing to be set free because they were “Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves to anyone” (John 8:33). It seems they had forgotten that their ancestors were slaves in Egypt for 400 years, and even now they were being oppressed by the Roman government. Their pride in their own religion had blinded them to their reality. Likewise, today, many people are in bondage to their religion (or denomination) without realizing how enslaved they really are. But more than physical or religious slavery, “Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin'” (John 8:34). And of course, in this sense, we are all slaves because “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23). But through faith in Jesus Christ we have been set free and “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). Hallelujah!
Thus, Jesus sets us free from our past. He breaks every generational curse. He sets us free from our legalism and from our religiosity. And He sets us free from our sins! We are no longer slaves to self. We are no longer slaves to society. We are no longer slaves to sacred cows. We are no longer slaves to sin.
If Jesus really meant we are free in Him, then…
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1).
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who in in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2).
“I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, not any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).
“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love” (Galatians 5:13).
You are free!
Walk in that freedom!
Don’t let anyone, or any thing, enslave you again.
Floods of Justice 