Jesus clearly understood the debilitating nature of bondage. During His earthly ministry, He witnessed Roman slaves taken in their conquest of foreign lands who were then forced to serve their captors. Although not indifferent to physical bondage, Jesus focused upon the bondage that everyone faces, regardless of their status in life, and that is spiritual bondage. And it is from “spiritual bondage” that all of us need to find freedom. 

The Bible teaches that our sin separates us from God. Of course, we can talk about the sins of “commission” (things that we should not have done) and the sins of “omission” (things that we should have done, but didn’t), but the real essence of sin is found in our indifference toward and rebellion against God. When we say, “I don’t need God,” or even, “I’m going to do whatever I want to do regardless of what God says,” then that’s the essence of sin, and that’s what keeps us separated from God and in bondage to sin. 

Jesus came to set us free from both the penalty of sin (separation from God) as well as the power of sin in our lives. The Jewish leaders tried to convince Jesus that they had never been in bondage to anyone, denying the reality that the nation had once served as slaves in Egypt for over 400 years before God, through Moses, delivered them from bondage. Like those religious leaders in Jesus’ day, many of us may try to deny our own bondage, but for us, it’s not physical bondage as slaves, but spiritual bondage to the power of sin. 

The solution is simple – Jesus said, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (Jn. 8:36). Yes, the solution is simple, but getting there is the most difficult thing we will ever do. The real problem lies in our pride, and that pride often prevents us from admitting that we have a “sin” problem from which we need to be set free. Did you know that “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (I Pet. 5:5)? In other words, we cannot approach God with a prideful heart, but He opens His arms to the humble. Peter continues, “Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that He may lift you up at the proper time, casting all your care upon Him because He cares for you” (I Pet. 5:6).

Maybe this week as we prepare to celebrate Independence Day, this will be the “proper time” for you to find the true freedom that comes from being set free from the bondage of sin. Only Jesus can set you free, and He did it by dying on the cross for your sins. Just humble yourself and ask Him to do just that. I will have more to say about “freedom” next week.