“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).
TEXT — John 8:31-36
Message
One of the greatest yearnings of people everywhere today is freedom. They want to be able to determine how they live and what they do with their lives. Unfortunately, this quest has drawn many people into irreversible mistakes, resulting in lifelong regrets. Some people are not fortunate enough to be alive to express regrets for their past actions and possibly repent.
Jesus was preaching about freedom from sin and salvation for all, warning that simply hearing His words was not enough; one needed to accept the Word and allow it to transform their life, while continuing in it. Doing so will make one His disciple and expose one to the truth that would make one free indeed. Despite this message, people argued with Him, claiming they were never slaves and questioning how they could be made free. Jesus explained that engaging in sinful practices made one a slave to sin, while He, as the Son of God, had the power and authority to set them free. He emphasised that only through Him could they inherit the Kingdom of God and be truly free from sin.
We need not look any further in our search for true freedom. Despite achieving and celebrating political freedom, many individuals and nations are still gripped with numerous challenges caused by the evil and decadence that pervades their societies. It shows they are a long way from true freedom. Even where political and economic freedom has been attained, the souls of men are still bound by the wickedness, indulgences, and excesses of life that bring neither peace nor happiness. Instead, it enthrones instability, fear, worry, and anxiety everywhere.
It is when you come to Christ and plead for forgiveness and pardon for your sinful conduct that He cleanses your heart with His blood. He sets you free to live here on earth, not as you wish, but according to the dictates of God, and assures you of a place in the kingdom of God in eternity. This is the freedom that counts, and it can be yours today if you ask the Lord for it.
Thought for the day
Freedom that enslaves you to sin is another form of bondage.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
