In John 8:36, Jesus says something very powerful about victory. He says, “If the Son sets you free, then you will really be free.” These are strong and encouraging words, and I want to start by telling you how happy I am that you are free. But have you ever stopped to think about what you’re free from?
If you look at the Greek, you’ll see that this word can mean both “to set free” and “to release from responsibility.” So, this verse could say: Whoever the son frees or frees from responsibility will really be freed and freed from responsibility.
Because of this definition, when you look at this verse in its whole setting, I want you to think about two things. First, Christ has set you free from some things. Second, Christ has set you free to do some things.
Today, let’s look at both sides of the coin because they are both important to living the full and abundant life that Christ wants you to live.
What Has Christ, the Son, Freed You From?
The Bond of Sin – (Your Captivity)
Before something or someone can be set free, it or they must first be bound or locked up. A captive is someone who is held in a small space. We really were like that. You and I were both held captive by our sins.
Sin’s desires had us in their power. We were slaves to our sinful natures. Sin was so strong that we couldn’t do anything to stop it. Sin ruled us and kept us in chains.
When you were living before Christ, sin got whatever it wanted. This doesn’t mean you were living wildlife, though it could. It just means that your sinful nature was the most important thing in your life. It had the upper hand. Paul says that sin is your master in Romans 6.
But when you were born again, you got a new master, which was a beautiful thing. God gave you a new nature and, even more important, filled you with his Holy Spirit.
This means that your sinful nature is no longer in charge of you. You are free. Paul says it well in 2 Corinthians 3:17: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
You are free because the Holy Spirit lives in you.
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The Penalty of Sin – (Your Eternity)
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord,” says Romans 6:23. Let’s be honest: without Christ, we all had a death sentence for all time.
Yes, both of us were on death row. You probably didn’t understand it or understand how important it was, but that’s where we were.
Many people still don’t get that today, which is sad. Because of our sin, you and I were headed in the direction of being cut off from God for all time. This was the eternal punishment or debt we owed because of our sins.
The story doesn’t end there, thank goodness. Paul says that God’s gift is eternal life through Christ Jesus. Jesus took away your death sentence when he set you free. Your punishment has been taken away, and you now have eternal life. He changed the course of your eternal life.
You can be happy today because if you have Christ, you have life forever. You no longer have to pay for your sin, and in Christ Jesus, you will never be cut off from God’s love.
The Guilt and Shame of Sin – (Your Vitality)
Have you ever felt like you did something wrong? Have you ever been embarrassed by things you did in the past? Have you ever felt like you needed to repent again because you felt so bad that you wanted to make sure God “really forgave you?”
We’ve all done things we feel bad about. Things we wish we could take back and never do again. We can all think back on our mistakes and wonder why we did what we did.
I know because I’ve done it a lot. But when you do this, all you do is make yourself feel guilty and ashamed. This can come back to haunt you and stop you from being able to live and grow, which is your vitality.
One of Satan’s most powerful tools is to get you to think about the bad things you’ve done in the past. When you do that, guilt, shame, and condemnation can take over. In the end, this will take away your joy, steal your peace, and kill your strength.
I have good news for you today: you are now free. When you truly asked for forgiveness the first time, God let you go. He took that sin away from you as far as the east is from the west, and he has forgotten about it.
He won’t talk about it again, and you shouldn’t either. But forgiveness doesn’t just take care of your sins; it also takes care of your shame. Christ doesn’t just forgive your past mistakes. He also frees you from your past shame and guilt. He takes away your guilt and shame, which have been making it hard for you to live and grow.
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If you are forgiven, it means that you are forgiven completely. Sin, shame, and guilt are all taken care of when Jesus frees you. You no longer have to carry around that weight of guilt and shame. You have been forgiven, and you are truly free.
When you know what Christ has set you free from, you can start living in what Christ has set you free to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who the Lord Has Set Free is Free Indeed?
“If the Son sets you free, then you will really be free.” “You have been set free from sin and made a slave to righteousness.” “Because the law of the Spirit of life has set you free from the law of sin and death in Christ Jesus,” says the Bible.
What Did Jesus Free Us From?
Jesus saves us from our sins through his word, which is how he calls people to turn away from their sins. (Matt. 9:13) “(God) sent his word and healed them,” says the psalmist. (Psalm 107:20). The word of Jesus sets us free from the chains of sin.
Final Words
In John 8:36, Jesus says, “If the Son sets you free, then you will really be free”. Have you ever stopped to think about what you’re free from? Christ has freed you from some things and set you free to do other things.
Paul says that God’s gift is eternal life through Christ Jesus. Jesus took away your death sentence when he set you free.
You no longer have to pay for your sin, and in Christ Jesus, you will never be cut off from God’s love. The Guilt and Shame of Sin – (Your Vitality). Jesus freed us from our sins through his word. The word of Jesus sets us free from the chains of sin. He also frees you from your past shame and guilt.
You no longer have to carry around that weight of guilt and shame. Now you can start living in what Christ has set you free.
