Freedom From Sin

Unrealized Sin

Jesus had just told the Jewish believers that if they continued in His word they would know the truth and the truth would set them free. This was offensive to them because they believed that they were already free. We see this in their answer to Jesus. They claimed to be Abraham’s descendants and have never been enslaved to anyone. They believed because of their lineage they have always been free. This is not true. They have been slaves to Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Greece, Syria and were currently slaves to Rome. The problem they faced is they didn’t recognize their own captivity.

Freedom for the Jew was the highest quality of life for a person. To be enslaved was to have a worthless life. Jesus just told them that the only way they could be free is to believe in Him. This would mean that they would have to face their captivity and seek freedom in truth.

Danger of unrealized sin today

People crave freedom as much today as they did in Jesus day. People that crave freedom today have a attitude that suggest that they can do what they want and no one has a right to tell them otherwise. They are free to do what they want.

This is how sin originated. I want to take you back to the beginning in the garden of eden.

3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” 4 The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! 5 For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings. Gen.3:1-7 “

Satan basically told Eve who is God to tell you that you can’t do something? He convinced her that she could be her own god. This was appealing to her and she did what she wanted to. Not only this, but she gave it to her husband who was with her. The consequence was that their eyes were opened and their hearts were darkened with sin. Sin and death were ushered in to God’s creation.

The significance of this is that the sin nature that was ushered in is inherited from every descendant of Adam and Eve. This means everyone has sinned.

Rom. 3:23

Romans 3:23 NASB95

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

The true danger of the unsaved person is that they don’t see their own sin and believe that they are free. Their presumed freedom will ultimately lead them to a death in the lake of fire. Rom. 6:23

Romans 6:23 NASB95

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Slaves to Sin

Jesus told them that anyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. To the Jew sin was not an issue because they believed it had no bearing on going to heaven. They had believed a lie.

They believed because they were from the lineage of Abraham that they would spend eternity with God regardless of their sin. They did not see that their sin separated them from God. They did not see that Jesus is the one that restores them to God.

The Jews were enslaved both physically and spiritually. Because they refused to acknowledge it, they did nothing to change it. The danger is that both conditions would lead to death.

He reminded them that He was the one who had permanent residence with the Father not them. He said the that the slave did not remain in the house forever but the son does. He was revealing the error in their belief. He was telling them that He is the Son of God and they are the slave.

Slave to sin today

Richard Phillips describes it accurately when he says:

Here is the great and fundamental bondage in which the entire human race is enslaved—the bondage of sin. Terrible as they are, other forms of slavery tend to be outward: they affect one’s body and freedom of action. But sin’s bondage is one that permeates the very heart, including the will and affections. Moreover, this bondage is universal to our fallen race: Jesus said, “Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.” John Calvin writes, “Being enslaved by the desires of the flesh, they continually sin.” In this way, Christ was describing “the condition of human nature.”

Richard D. Phillips, John, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, 1st ed., vol. 1, Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2014), 549.

Besides not recognizing sin as a capture, people refuse to do anything about it. This leads to further enslavement. What I mean is that enslavement to sin is compounding. Because unbelievers wills are constrained by sin, unbelievers continue to sin over and over. They have no way out. Their lives are enslaved to their inherited sinful nature.

What the unbeliever needs is freedom from their sin!

Freedom From Sin

Jesus told the believing Jews that if the son sets them free, they will be free indeed. Jesus was going to pay the penalty for their sins six months from proclaiming this. His death, burial, and resurrection would set the Jews free indeed. As a matter of fact it will set all people who place their faith and trust in Jesus free from sin.

Three ways Jesus sets us free from sin

I find that Jesus sets us free from sin in three ways: 1. He frees us from the guilt of sin. 2. He sets us free from the power of sin. 3. He sets us free from the death of sin

Jesus sets us free from the guilt of sin

The law of God sets the standard for sin. Understanding that the law though it sets the standard was never meant to save people. For no one can uphold the law perfectly except Jesus. The law was to show us that we are all guilty of sin and in need of a Savior.

James 2:10 NASB95

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.

This means if you have ever told a lie, disobeyed your parents, or stolen something just once then you are guilty. A guilty person must pay the price fir their offense. Jesus did this by taking our punishment on the cross.

2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB95

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Romans 8:1 NASB95

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Jesus sets us free from the power of sin.

The unbeliever has no power over sin. They will always choose sin because they have not been set free from its power. But the believer has had their nature changed and now has the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome the sin nature. This is how it works.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NASB95

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

When we are tempted to sin, God gives us the way of escape so that you will be able to endure it. This is noteworthy! Just because you are a Christian, doesn’t mean that you will not have sinful desires. What it does mean is that you can overcome these evil desires!

Jesus sets us free from the death of sin

The Bible teaches that unbelieving sinners will be separated from God for all eternity. This is known as the second death.

Revelation 21:8 NASB95

“But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

This is the punishment for remaining enslaved to sin. Everyone will die once because everyone sins. You must recognize your enslavement to sin and be willing to do something about it. You may ask what do I do? I have great news!

John 3:16 NASB95

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

BELIEVE!