Jan 08

The misconception which the world has regarding freedom leads to a most dreadful end: death. Many, many people in this world think they are leading a life free from the constraints of God and his law, when the reality is that they are completely under the control of their own sin, and they will one day die as the result of sin. For sin leads to death.

"The wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23).

Jesus was acquainted with this false perception of freedom. When he told the religious leaders of his day that if they believed in him, they would be set free, they did not understand. They thought they were free already. So they told him, "We . . . have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?" (John 8:33).

How tragically sad that not only the religious leaders of Jesus' day but the whole world of then and today does not even realize that it is
in bondage to sin. The world does not even know that it needs a Savior. That is why the first step in bringing the world to Christ is to let it know that it is in bondage to sin. Jesus knew this. That is why he replied to a blind people in slavery to sin, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin" (v. 34).

We are all sinners, all subject to the slavery into which the power of sin subjects us. But Jesus sets us free from that bondage.

Scripture for today: John 8
Thought for today: Freedom apart from Christ is slavery. Slavery to Jesus Christ is true freedom.
Prayer for today: I thank you, again, Jesus, for setting me free. I am so grateful to you for doing this for me that I never tire of thanking you and desire to thank you every day for this freedom.

JAN 08