Bondage

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stant firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1)

In our culture, we don’t see slavery in the sense that there are actual people owned by other people. But there are people everywhere walking around in slavery. 

People are enslaved to the things they struggle with and don’t understand that are already free in Christ. The prison door is open but they will not walk free. The thing about people in slavery is that they are attracted to freedom. They see it in others and they try to walk in the way they go to get the same freedom, but it doesn’t take long before they start to become resentful, because freedom doesn’t come from experience or steps 1,2, and 3, it comes from Jesus. A direct and frequent intimate relationship with Jesus. A talking and walking life with the man who says, “I have come to set the captives free” (Luke 4:18).

Lust, resentment, greed, addiction, hurt, and fear are all things we can be enslaved to but Jesus has an answer to all these things.

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

“And you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:32).

But you know what Jesus is really offering? 

Love.

God is love. We forget that sometimes. People can try to place their bondage on you because they are jealous of your freedom or the love you have for Christ. I have even heard people say they do it because of love or because they have to speak the truth. Friend, let me tell you that love does not condemn, it doesn’t take away your freedom to choose. Truth doesn’t place you in bondage or shame. 

But you know what does? 

Control.

If they can’t have what you have then they figure they might be able to control what you do so they don’t have to feel their own entanglement. Misery loves company, as the saying goes. They need someone to struggle with them. Like the Pharisees that were more focused on a man carrying his mat on Shabbat that they completely missed the wonder and glory of the man walking after Jesus healed him (John 5).

Here is what I say to the person struggling with freedom: If Christ has come to set us free, and He is the truth, and He says you will know the truth and it will set you free, then maybe there is a measure of Christ you don’t know yet. 

None of us, while we are on this earth, will know or understand the fullness of Jesus, but we can know more. We can know enough to satisfy us because He said it would be so if we seek His face (Matthew 7:8).

It’s not going to hurt any of us, slave or free, man or woman, Gentile or Jew, to seek His face and His ways a little more today.

And always remember,

You are loved.