Introduction
As citizens of the heavenly kingdom, believers have the right and privilege of living in freedom. The right to live in and enjoy one´s freedom in Christ has been guaranteed through the sacrifice that the Lord Jesus Christ made for all human race. In this piece, the privilege of believers´ release from bondage is discussed.
Bondage
Bondage has been defined as spiritual subjection to sin and corrupt passions, as well as subjection to the yoke of the ceremonial law or servile fear (Webster). Unbelievers, being aliens and strangers from the covenant of promise, and from the Commonwealth of the Kingdom of God (Eph 2:12), have been subjected to various forms of bondage including sin and death, and the Law.
Bondage to sin and death. Both Jews and Gentiles had all been once under this bondage (Rom 6:17) which tends unto fear, even the fear of death (Heb 2:14-15). Once a sinner, you are in bondage to sin and death (Rom 5:12, Rom 6:17). This means that sin is in control of your life and death is the result of sin (Jas 1:15). But the good news is that believers have been made free from sin, and have become servants to God because they have their fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life (Rom 6:17, 20-22, Rom 8:2). Many people for fear of death are all their lifetime subject to bondage (Heb 2:15). The fear of death makes many people wreck their lives because they either take actions that put them in the strongholds of the devil or they refuse to do anything. Praise be to God that you have been delivered from the power of sin and death (Rom 8:2).
Bondage to the Law. There are some believers who think that the only way to be saved or to please God is to strictly adhere to the law of Moses (2Ch 33:8). It should be noted that it is not the hearers of the Law who are justified by God, but the doers of the Law (Rom 2:13). It is good to keep the Law (1Ti 1:8), but remember that whoever keeps the whole Law but stumbles on one of them is guilty of all (Jas 2:20). This affirms Apostle Paul´s submission that a man is not justified by works of the Law, but through faith in Jesus Christ, for they as Jews believed in Jesus Christ so that they might be justified by the faith in Christ, and not by works of the Law (Gal 2:16). It is further contended that for the works of the Law shall no man be justified in God´s sight (Rom 3:20). It is against this background that Paul writes that:
“Therefore let no one judge you in food or in drink, or in respect of a feast, or of the new moon, or of the sabbaths. For these are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ” (Col 2:16-17).
Therefore, sin shall not have dominion over you because you are not under the Law, but under grace (Rom 6: 14-15). For the law was weak to deliver people out of sin and justify them (Rom 8:3). Having been delivered from the demands of the Law, believers are encouraged to enjoy the liberty which Christ Jesus has given them but they should not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage that comes by the Law (Gal 5:1).
It needs to be reiterated that the freedom Christians have is not to be used to engage in sinful acts. Believers are warned not to use their liberty in Christ to the flesh but to serve one another (Gal 5:13). Peter also adds to this when he writes that as free people, the freedom should not be abused as a cover of evil, but as servants of God (1Pt 2:16). Christians need to understand that having been freed from sin, they should live as servants to righteousness (Rom 6:17-18).
Conclusion
Christians are children and citizens of Heaven. The right we have is that we have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father (Rom 8:15, 2Ti 1:7). Believers have been delivered from the grips of sin and death, as well as from the dominion of the Law. We have received freedom from Christ to live unto righteousness. This is a privilege which should be appropriately enjoyed but not to be abused.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord God of heaven and earth, for the freedom you have given us through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ. May you favor us to live in the liberty which we have received through grace so that we shall not relapse into bondage. In Jesus´ name, we pray. AMEN!