I never watched the movie Braveheart. I get woozy and nauseous even with fake Hollywood war scenes. That movie is not on my list. However, I know the famous cry is for “Freedom”, to no longer be captive to the oppressors. While we may know this theme from movies, do we know the reality of freedom in our own lives?
2 Peter 2:19
They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.
What has mastered us? What sin do we think is just going to be a part of our lives to the end of our days? Maybe we have excused it with the lie of “that is just the way I am” or even the lie of “it is not that big of deal”. However, we are a slave to that sin. Slaves! That means we are not in control, instead the sin controls us. We can claim freedom while being completely in bondage!
Does that frighten anyone besides me? I do not want anything to be my dictator, my captor, my slave master. Jesus spoke of this as well.
John 8:34
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.
This verse applies to everyone! We have two choices: slavery or freedom. Slavery comes from choosing habitual sin. This verse applies to those who know Jesus as well as those who do not.
2 Peter 2:20-21
If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.
We can know Jesus and then become entangled again to this world which is considered worse than never knowing Him at all. We must guard against this world that wants to take us captive once more to its systems. The enemy desires us to return to our former sinful ways so that we may become slaves once again.
2 Peter 2:22
Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”
Did you know it is possible to not return to incessant sin? To stay free? We do not have to be like a dog returning to vomit or a pig wallowing in mud. We can have a new way of life that is not connected to the sin that seems to keep us in bondage. It is our choice. Will we stay entangled in the world and remain a slave or will we let Jesus set us free?
John 8:34-36
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
The only way to escape the bondage of sin is for the Son to set us free. We can escape slavery by remaining in a relationship with Jesus. His desire is for us to escape captivity in order to live as children of God.
We know that we are children and not slaves by living according to the Father’s will, revealed in His Word.
John 8:31-32
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
When we live according to the Word, we are free. When we live according to the world, we are slaves. We decide each day, each moment what we live by. We can be children or captives; the choice is ours.
Wherever there is habitually sin in our lives, we can cry out to Jesus to free us. And when He sets us free, we will be free indeed. The freedom is beyond not just being a slave, but enjoying the relationship as children with our Heavenly Father. And we do not even have to paint our face blue and yell “freedom” in a Scottish accent (that is a reference to the movie Braveheart for all of you who are squeamish like me). We will be free!