From Your Pastor’s Heart

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32

Happy 4th of July, or as it is more formally known “Independence Day.” July Fourth is the day we celebrate how wonderful it is to live in a country where we have freedom. In our 250 years of being a sovereign nation, Americans have enjoyed freedoms not shared in many countries around our globe. In light of that, I’m going to say something that might sound a little strange, especially as we celebrate the 4 th of July. People in the United States aren’t really free.

All we need to do is look around and see the evidence supporting such a statement. People continue to be divided by politics and social disagreements. Our founding documents state that all people are created equally yet so many of our citizens struggle against prejudices and oppression. The first amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of religious expression, yet all too often, Christians are stifled when expressing their faith while pride concerning sin is allowed to parade in the streets. No, this doesn’t sound like freedom at all. While we certainly have more freedom in America than other places, there’s something we need to understand: You can live in the U.S. and still not be free. You can claim to be free and still not be truly free.

Read these words from our Lord Jesus. 31So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:31-36)

Freedom isn’t manifested in political statements. It’s not realized through tolerating false teaching or novel definitions of faithfulness. No, the people in Jesus’s day tried that too, claiming special status as descendants of Abraham, but they were proven wrong by Christ. For so many people, their sense of freedom comes through their perceived status, or by choosing to do what they feel is good and proper…for them. But listen to what Jesus says. “Very truly I tell you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.”

Now, we all have to admit, each one of us has our faults. We are all guilty of sinful behaviors we would rather not discuss. If you carry a grudge against your neighbor, you are not free from sin. When greed overcomes your sense of generosity, you are not free. When substance abuse invades your need for control, you are not free. When you judge others according to your own perceived lofty standards, you’re not free. After all, “Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.”

People often say, “It’s a free country, so I can do whatever I want.” Do you know where that idea originated? In the Garden of Eden as the snake tempted Eve, Satan planted a false notion in Eve’s mind. If you eat this fruit, then you will be like God, and you can be free to do whatever you want. The problem is, having a false sense of freedom to do whatever I want makes me even more of a slave to sin.

Do you truly want to be free? If so, listen to Jesus: “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Getting my way isn’t freedom—not in Jesus’s eyes. Freedom doesn’t come from a country or a political party. It comes from the truth. “The truth will set you free.” The devil’s lie is that freedom is doing what you want. The truth is that real freedom is trusting in what Jesus did for you in taking your sin to the cross.  Through his victory over sin, death, and the devil, Jesus has set believers free. “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Now think again of our country. What do we need? Not a certain political party. Not a change in the laws. What do we need? We need the truth. We need to abide in God’s Word. That’s what changes the hearts and minds of sinners in need of grace. Whenever you feel weighed down by sin, God’s truth will set you free. Whenever you feel trapped by worry, God’s truth will set you free. Whenever you feel surrounded by sadness, God’s truth will set you free. This is the assurance of our Lord. “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Grace to you and peace,

Pastor David Nuottila