Pastor Alistair Begg once said: “When we become captive to the Word of God, then we discover true freedom.”1
Knowing the truth of the God’s Word has an amazing ability to make you free. We read in (John 8:32): “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” However, just knowing the truth of the Bible is not enough to truly liberate you from the bondage of your past sinful lifestyle. In order to do this, we need to read not only (John 8:32), but (John 8:31) together with (John 8:32). This couplet of verses reads: “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’” The key here is in order to be free from the bondage of sin we must first abide in the word and in Christ. Once we do this, our abiding will give us the power to say no to the flesh and yes to the spirit – the result will be great freedom!
And it is this abiding or obedience to God’s Word that truly has the power to make you free. I believe that it is one of God’s spiritual laws that the more we obey the truth contained in the sacred Scriptures the more liberated we become. Henry Ward Beecher said it well when he proclaimed: “True obedience is true freedom.”2 Only when we are obedient to the Word of God are we free to walk in the path of true freedom.
But just what is true freedom. In our American society, sadly, many believe that true freedom is to do whatever one pleases. Thus, when a woman says it’s my body, and I have a right to terminate my pregnancy whenever I want to, through an abortion, she believes that’s what true freedom is all about. As Christians, however, we understand that the more we obey the principles of Scripture, the more joy, peace, and true meaning will become ours. Doing whatever we desire when it conflicts with the word and will of God will never bring us peace and joy. In fact, disobedience to God’s Word, often has the effect of bringing us long term misery, and no lasting meaning.
For the Christian, he realizes that there is a special joy in delighting in obedience to God’s Word. (Psalm 37:4) tells us: “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” When we obey God our desires, in reality, line up with His desires and there can be nothing more wonderful than to be on the same page with Jesus!
To do whatever we want, when it conflicts with the will of God, will keep us in bondage to sin. And bondage to sin is the opposite of true freedom. Being a bondslave to Christ is the most liberated a person can be because true joy, peace, and meaning, the things that people really want in life, are a by-product of letting Jesus be master of our lives. My friends, there is nothing more liberating than being a servant of the Lord! Obeying and abiding in Christ is the only way to obtain true freedom in a world that is in total bondage to sin and living in the fantasy world of false freedoms. In reality what the world calls freedom is the ability to be free to sin and I for one am so glad to be delivered from this false illusion of freedom!
1 TOP 25 QUOTES BY ALISTAIR BEGG (of 138) | A-Z Quotes (azquotes.com)
2 Henry Ward Beecher Quote: True obedience is true freedom. (minimalistquotes.com)