Free Indeed!!

In today's study, we are in the book of John. Jesus was teaching those who had believed in him and the Jews were giving him grief again. Look here...

John 8:31-36 NIV

[31] To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. [32] Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” [33] They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” [34] Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. [35] Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. [36] So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 

https://bible.com/bible/111/jhn.8.31-36.NIV

There are a few lessons here. 

First, Jesus said if we hold to his teachings then we really are his disciples. Then we will know the truth and the truth will set us free. We learn the truth by studying Jesus's teachings. His teachings will set us free, because His teachings are truth. 

So first, let's get in the habit of studying Jesus's teachings which are in the Gospels. He said when we study and follow his teachings, then we are like the wise man who built his house upon the rock. By incorporating His teachings into our lives, we are building a firm, solid foundation for our lives.

Having Jesus and his teachings to follow, we are ensuring that our lives will never crumble and fall. Why? Because we follow Jesus, and apply what he says to our lives. So by doing so, we will learn the truth and that truth will set us free. Jesus sets us free!!

Next, the Jews argued to Jesus about what he said. They claimed to be descendants of Abraham and never slaves to anyone. Jesus said that everyone who sins, which we all do, was a slave to sin. Also, a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to the family forever. Jesus, the Son of God, would set us free from all this slavery business. Because, remember, when you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, you are born again by the Holy Spirit, and are adopted by God into the kingdom of God, the family of God. So, as a Christian, you are no longer naturally a slave to sin, but adopted into God's family as a son or daughter. So we are no longer slaves of sin, but adopted sons and daughters of God. We are in God's family permanently, forever.(v.35). We belong to it forever. So that's why Jesus said,"If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." Jesus sets us free from every kind of slavery in life that sin offers. How? By believing in Him and by his teachings. 

When we believe in Jesus, follow Jesus, and apply His teachings to our lives, we are not slaves to anything. We are no longer slaves.We are truly set free from everything. We are born again. We are adopted by God into His family forever. We belong to God forever. We are children of God forever!

We died to who we were naturally to become who we are now, which is children of God. That's why Paul said we can't live in sin any longer. It's not a part of who we are anymore. Look here:

Romans 6:1-11 NIV

[1] What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? [2] By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? [3] Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? [4] We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. [5] For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. [6] For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— [7] because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. [8] Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. [9] For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. [10] The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. [11] In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

https://bible.com/bible/111/rom.6.1-11.NIV

So, being children of God, we are dead to sin, and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Being in Christ, all things become new. We are a new creation in Christ. We never have to be slaves to sin again because we belong to God in Christ Jesus. 

So being His disciples, His followers, His brothers and sisters, being in His family, He has set us free from all things on this Earth. We are "free indeed." We are family now. Never slaves again!!

So let's follow Jesus and do what He teaches, because He is our big brother and our Savior now. He is our everything now!! "We belong to Jesus." 

"So, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!"

Follow Jesus everyday!!

Love you dear readers,

Jeffrey Post