8. FREEDOM
Henry Law
"If the Son shall therefore make you free, you shall be free indeed."—John 8:36A precious text here offers comfort to the sons of faith. It flies from Jesus' lips on a glad mission. It proclaims Freedom as the portion of His happy people, and the contrast is obvious, that apart from Him each soul is locked in cells of bondage.
Slavery is the lowest depth of degradation. It is the extremity of woe. It is man's worst condition. How sad is life to him, who trembles in constant fear of tyrannizing cruelty! It is misery indeed to hear the lash, and bear the chains of an exacting master. Israel's children, in their Egyptian thraldom, present the type of anguish. Their wretchedness is stated as the moving cause of heaven's compassion. "The Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows." (Exod. 3:7) The direst form of misery is found in Samson—deprived of sight, bound in fetters of brass, and grinding in the prison of the Philistines. (Judges 16:21)
Let the truth be faced, that the state by nature of our race is spiritual captivity.
I. Each mother's son first breathes as a bond-slave. Satan exerts his overpowering sway. He says, "Go," and the slave obeys—"Do this," and submission yields. Freedom indeed smiled in Eden's lovely garden. But its peaceful reign was short. The tempter came. His wily arts prevailed. Man surrendered liberty, and placed his neck beneath the tyrant's feet. From that day each child is born in slavery's bonds. Satan reigns the master-tyrant over subjugated man. He has imposed an universal yoke. He sways the will, the heart, the affections, the desires. He gives no respite and no rest. His ceaseless work is to impel to rebellion against God, to violation of His righteous law, to disregard of His holy will, to contempt of His majesty, to treason against His rightful rule. Resistance, if it be ever made, is vain. The unregenerate man willingly obeys the devil.
But from this thraldom Jesus liberates. "When a strong man armed keeps his palace, his goods are in peace: but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he takes from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divides his spoils." (Luke 11:21, 22) Satan indeed is a giant in strength, but Jesus is omnipotent. He enters into direct conflict with the vile usurper. He hurls him from his throne. He wrests the scepter from his accursed hands. He tramples it beneath His conquering feet. He throws wide open his prison-doors. He bids the prisoners to come forth. He calls them to breathe liberty's pure air. He delivers them from the kingdom of darkness, and translates them into the regions of new life. Satan no more is their tyrannic lord. They are no longer under the law, but under grace. We read the blessed words, "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Rom. 8:2)
This deliverance is effected by the blessed Jesus, and the grand word is fulfilled, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." (Luke 10:18) The Spirit convinces believers "of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged." (John 16:11) Believer! rejoice in the truth that you are striding to victory over the neck of a vanquished tyrant, and that you too will "tread Satan under your feet shortly." (Rom. 16:20) You may exultingly profess, "The Son has made me free, and I am free indeed."
II. Freedom from the devil's power is also freedom from sin's penalties. How is it that Christ brings this deliverance? He presents Himself to bear the full descent of merited wrath, and to drink to the very dregs each vial of decreed punishment. Here is the glory of substitutionary atonement. Here is the perfect liberation of the redeemed. Jesus suspended on the cross makes satisfaction to every outraged attribute of Jehovah. He there endures the full amount of suffering due to His people's sin. They see, and they believe. They believe, and shout, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus." "The Son has made us free, and we are free indeed."
III. Death affrights as king of terrors. It is invested with most solemn awe. Its image is appalling. It belongs not to man's original constitution. It is the terrible offspring of sin. With sin it entered. "In the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." (Gen. 2:17) It quickly commenced its subjugating course. Adam soon saw his Abel lifeless at his feet. From that day its scythe has never rested, and generation after generation have yielded to its stroke. No rank is spared. No intellect can gain exemption. The infant in the cradle dies. Old age must soon succumb. Thus it exerts uninterrupted sway, and begets universal dread.
Where is the breast which thinks unmoved of death! It conveys to a world from which there cannot be return. It closes the earthly course. It puts an end to all the hopes and prospects of this transitory scene. It bears to the immediate presence of our God. It is the prelude to the judgment-seat. It leads to the final doom and the unchanging sentence. Thus solemn is the view of death. But still to the believer there is no abiding fear. Jesus has made him free, and he is free indeed. It is grandly said, Jesus "has abolished death, and has brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel." (2 Tim. 1:10)
Death is mainly appalling as conducting to the execution of just wrath; but if all wrath be utterly effaced, the annexed fear must also cease. The believer feels, death surely comes, it quickly comes; it comes with constantly advancing step, but it will bear me to the presence of my Lord. To be absent from the body is to be present with Him. Can any who have faith in Jesus shrink from seeing His face, and being forever by His side! Thus death is the believer's friend. The Spirit assures, "All things are yours: whether life or death." (1 Cor. 3:21, 22) And again, "I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:38, 39)
Moreover, the believer rejoices in sure trust, that when dissolving nature sinks, Jesus will grant especial presence. Therefore he sings, "I will fear no evil; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." (Psa. 23:4) Thus the fear of death departs, and he is free indeed.
IV. The world, also, forges chains. It is confessedly the enemy of God. The word is true, "The friendship of the world is enmity with God." (James 4:4) The exhortation is clear, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15)
The power of this tyrant is mainly in its fascinating arts. It coaxes, it entices, it allures. It presents attractive baits. It shows its votaries decked in enchanting guise. It presents goblets filled to the brim with intoxicating draughts. It points to the merry laugh and noisy revelries of its infatuated crowds. It uses ridicule and scorn to deter those who venture to prefer another path.
But in its schemes and pursuits, where is God? He is excluded. His name is treason against its godless laws. The rule which governs its proceedings ignores His will, His Word, His very being. Frightful are its triumphs. How many have fallen slain at its feet! How many throng the cells of hell, enticed and ruined by its fascinations! From this enemy Jesus makes the believer free, and he is free indeed. He sends His Holy Spirit, and then the enslaving chain is broken. He tears the deceiving mask from the world's features, and shows its native hideousness. He exposes its hollow insipidity, its utter emptiness, its thorough insufficiency to give real peace. The believer sees that all its ways lead to disappointment and to shame. He mourns the folly of ever yielding to its poor fallacies. He flies to Christ for pardon and deliverance, and soon sings, "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (Gal. 6:14) Thus the believer is made free, and he is free indeed.
V. Sometimes the fear of trouble in advancing days embitters life. The present may be joyous; but the present is borne onward by the stream of time, and uncertainty conceals the future. Early morn smiles in sparkling brightness, but clouds and storms may wrap the evening in gloom. The spring blooms in copious blossoms, but frost and blight may introduce a fruitless summer. Thus sad anticipations of future distress may check enjoyment of the passing day, and show distressing phantoms in the dim horizon.
These apprehensions have no right place in the believer's heart. Jesus expels them. His Gospel tells that "things present and things to come" are the believer's heritage. He gives the promise which can never fail, "All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Rom. 8:28) Thus He makes free, and there is Freedom indeed.
This Freedom is not mere immunity from bondage. It gives a title to the grandest rights. The believer is a freedman to our heavenly Father's courts. He may approach and ever find a welcome. He pleads the name of Jesus, and paternal smiles await him. As one of the household of faith, he is at home with God. When transacting needful matters in the valley of earth, his conversation is above. The slaves of Satan cannot thus draw near: access is the privilege of the happy company whom the Son has made free. They draw near to God, and God draws near to them. They have admission at all times and in all places to the throne of grace. The golden scepter is extended to their touch. They open out the recesses of their hearts. They tell their sorrows, and make known their cares. They lay down their burdens and return relieved. Oh! how blessed is this privilege! It makes earth a foretaste of heaven: and thus believers pass through a lower heaven to their eternal rest. Such the Freedom of those whom the Son makes free.
The believer claims the promises as his allotted portion. Jesus bids him to walk up and down in the luxuriant garden of the Word, and to pluck the soul-reviving fruit. Many indeed and precious are these delights. They are suited to every state of need. They cheer in adversity. They add new relish to prosperity. They are all yes and amen in Christ Jesus. (2 Cor. 1:20)
The believer, also, has right to the sanctifying joys of public ordinances. He meets God in "the assembly of the saints." (Psa. 89:7) His prayers and praises are not dull formality, or merely the outward homage of posture, or the soulless utterance of holy words.
Happy are you, if you can truly say, The Son has made me free, and I am free indeed. But take heed that you "stand fast in this liberty." (Gal. 5:1) The enemy will try to spoil you of your treasure. Exchange not this blessed state for his slavish routine of outward rites, and forced observance of unsubstantial show.