The Scriptures reveal our God as Deliverer. David recorded this;(2 Sam 22:1,2) so did Paul(Rom 11:26). The only message in the entire universe that frees sinful, fallen man is the gospel of Jesus Christ.
As Christians we need to cling to this liberty that Jesus Christ has given us. Interestingly enough, many people seem to actually ‘prefer’ bondage to freedom in Christ! The Word of God cites four sources of bondage. Let’s look at them.
The world system: This is typified by Israel while in the land of Egypt. Life for Israel in Egypt was bitter and hard. The same is often true for people who live for this fallen, twisted world system. Never forget who ‘runs’ the systems of this world.
Death: This bondage is the result of fear. However for those in Christ, death is dead! The only cure for the fear of death is faith in Jesus Christ because in Jesus, death is gain.
False teaching: The entire second chapter of 2 Peter deals with this source of bondage. False teaching brings enslavement through fear, exploiting insecurity. Jesus Himself gave warning of false prophets, and Paul told the Ephesian elders that these wolves would come in. False teachers beat and intimidate sheep. What a contrast to Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, who laid down His life for His sheep, that we might be enriched by Him, not enslaved by unbiblical rules or expectations.
Legalism: This may seem a lot like false teaching, but it isn’t. A legalist is a person who tries to franchise the kingdom of God into one pattern or opinion – his! Of course, in Christ there are absolutes. Grace does not license sin or unholy living. However, there is room for different convictions on some issues.
Yes, the Christian has been set free from the world system, death, false teaching, and legalism. Deliverance from these sources of bondage is truly reason to rejoice!
