I believe most everyone would say they want to be free. But what does freedom really mean?
I was reading John chapter 8 today, specifically verse 36, where Jesus says, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (KJV).
This chapter begins with the story of the woman caught in the act of adultery. The Pharisees brought her before Jesus, saying that Moses commanded that someone caught in adultery should be stoned. They asked Jesus what He had to say about it.
Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger. People have speculated about what He wrote, but the Bible doesn’t tell us. Whatever it was, Jesus eventually confronted the hearts of those who were accusing her. One by one, they left.
Jesus then asked the woman where her accusers were and whether anyone had condemned her. She answered that no one had, and Jesus told her that He didn’t condemn her either, saying, “Go, and sin no more” (John 8:11, KJV).
I wanted to share this because it connects with my previous devotion, When Sin Is Allowed to Grow. Jesus didn’t come to leave us in our sin. He came to set us free from it.
Later in John chapter 8, Jesus explains that whoever commits sin is a servant, or slave, to sin. The apostle Paul also talks about this in the book of Romans. Sin brings bondage into our lives, but Jesus came to break those chains and give us freedom.
Think about what Jesus said: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
I believe that statement should appeal to everyone because we all want to experience freedom. But the freedom Jesus offers is much deeper than simply being able to do whatever we want. It’s a freedom that begins on the inside, in our hearts and souls. The things that once held us in bondage no longer have to control us. Through Jesus Christ, we can walk in freedom, serve the Lord, and fulfill the calling and purpose He has for our lives.
I’ve shared parts of my own testimony in previous blog entries, including my journey from Indiana to Tennessee, attending Bible college, and losing my dad to cancer in 2005. Life is truly a journey.
My journey began when I gave my life to Jesus Christ after my dad surrendered his life to the Lord. I’ve shared more about that season of my life in a previous post, Heaven Is Real: A Personal Testimony of Faith, Loss, and Eternity. I would encourage you to read it if you haven’t already.
Life on this earth is short. Scripture reminds us in James 4:14 that our lives are like a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. First Peter 1:24 also compares our lives to grass that withers and flowers that fall.
What we do with the life God has given us is important. Scripture also teaches that we will one day give an account of our lives before Him. Knowing this, we should take seriously how we live and seek to walk according to the Word of God.
Jesus taught that the greatest commandments are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37–40). He explained that all the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.
So, let’s pursue the freedom Jesus offers us, and let’s continue walking in that freedom each day. We aren’t called to remain in bondage to sin but to live a life surrendered to the Lord, walking in obedience to His Word and allowing Him to change us from the inside out.
Let’s not settle for simply wanting freedom. Let’s walk in the freedom that Jesus Christ has given us!
Remember the words of Jesus: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
Until next time, have a blessed day, family!
