We are enslaved to all sorts of things. When we think of being in bondage to something we mostly think of drug addictions, but I think that is much too narrow a view. Being in bondage to sin involves so much more than a small subset of legal and illegal drugs. We need to expand our thinking to include such things as the intangible, like power, fear, acceptance, image, etc., and such tangible things, like money, cars, clothes, etc. No matter how you look at it, being in bondage freezes us spiritually, emotionally, relationally, and financially. It’s like we

Here is something that amazes me, God provides a release from this bondage through His marvelous grace. Think about it…if God can free us from the bondage of our old master, Satan, could His grace not release us from something like being enslaved to the need to have all the power or the need to have all the latest fashions or the need to be right?

Every sin is a declaration that God isn’t enough. When we sin we are screaming that God cannot satisfy our deepest longing but this replacement of God can.

Sin enslaves and produces addicts of everyone. Those who live enslaved to sin are riding an escalator. The sin committed and ignored will only need something more and greater to satisfy the appetite once fed. Our new master wants more and more of us because sin is never satisfied. Every sin becomes a “drug” we take to deal with a pressure we face that we don’t think we can face with God’s grace. It is a slow spiritual suicide we commit when sin is ignored, and sometimes we choose not to even know what’s taking place in our lives. After all, “ignorance is bliss,” we’ve told ourselves long enough and now we believe it.

The grace God offers through Jesus doesn’t end at salvation, no the grace of the gospel continues with us each day to free us from the power of sin in our lives. Paul wrote to the Romans,

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)

When Paul says, “who are being saved” he is talking about sanctification…our everyday life of growing in God’s grace. He furthers says this is a demonstration of God’s power. God’s power to do what? It is God’s ability and authority to keep us from going back into the slavery of sin.

Jesus said,

 “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:34, 36)

It is only through turning our backs on sin and trusting God through His grace that we can be free. The promise and hope we have is that God is enough. God can and will satisfy the deepest longings of our soul. What we need to do is experience that God is enough; we must fight for a hungering and thirsting for God.

“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.” (Psalm 143:5-6)

Grace & Peace,