True Freedom is Found in Christ
John 8:36 NIV
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
The cycle of sin can keep us in bondage and captivity. You can feel overwhelmed by guilt, shame, and condemnation. This will ultimately strip your joy, rob your peace, and destroy your vitality. What does it mean to be held captive? To be captive means to be confined. So our sinful impulses can hold us captive. Without Christ, we have no power to overcome these influences. But according to Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (NIV)
At the end of 2019, I had been wrestling with a sin that had robbed my soul. Feelings of confusion and sadness set in. The guilt and shame weighed heavy on my heart. There was a part of me that wanted to keep this sin hidden away from those I loved most. However, God was encouraging me to confess my sin.
I will admit that it was terrifying to come clean and confess. I did obey and did follow God’s nudge after a month or so passed of trying to figure out this sin on my own accord. After confessing my sin to my spouse, a weight was lifted off of my shoulders. I felt a sense of freedom at that moment. I then knew that I was on the path towards healing. Healing meant that God’s joy, peace, and love were going to flood back into my life once again.
When we confess our sins, we are forgiven. (1 John 1:9) The book of Romans also states, “There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” (v. 8:1 NLT) An article from Focus on the Family also explains that, “Jesus was not setting us free to do whatever we wanted; He was freeing us to do what we ought to do. He was liberating us to walk in a relationship with God and to be the kind of people He created us to be. This spiritual freedom is what is called “inside freedom” — the ability to obey God and choose His will for our lives.”
Paul sums it up in 2 Corinthians 3:17, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” We are free not because of our deeds or actions, but by the remarkable gift provided to us by Jesus Christ. I am in awe of this incredible act. Jesus took our sin and our shame and bore them to the cross. He paid the ultimate price for us. By allowing the Spirit to move in our lives, we will experience the life-giving freedom that comes with walking alongside Jesus.