John 8-10

November 9

John 8-10

"Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin." (John 8:34, NIV)

We all have a choice, but we are all a slave to something. We can either be a slave to Christ or a slave to sin. We are a slave to that which we serve. Sin is fun for a season, but it will grab you and hold you captive and you cannot set yourself free. Sin will take you further than you want to go, cost you more than you want to pay, and hold you longer than you want to stay. We try, but on our own, we are trapped, we are enslaved by sin. But just as God set the Israelites free from slavery to the Egyptians, He can deliver us from sin.

Jesus said; "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36, NIV)  Paul wrote; "You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness." (Romans 6:18, NIV) True freedom only comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ. When He sets us free, we are free. We are no longer slaves to sin. We produce a fruit of righteousness because we are made righteous. We walk in obedience, not because we have to, but because we want to. We have new hearts that yearn for more of Jesus instead of yearning for the empty promises of sin.

We have all been a slave to sin. We have all struggled to free ourselves. But Jesus came and died on the cross, not only to give us eternal life in heaven, but to set us free from the sin that so easily entangles us while walking this earth. He came so we could live lives of righteous now. When God delivered the Israelites from Egypt, it took them over 40 years to learn to live as people who were no longer slaves but free. When we enter into a relationship with Jesus, we also have to learn to live in our freedom. We live as children of God when we realize that is what we are.