33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
John 8:31-36
The American Revolution was started because a tyrant king wouldn't listen to the colonists' pleas. He refused to meet their needs. Civil rights were fought led by Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. because government was in a sense a tyrant over part of the population's rights to be free. These two examples are tyrannies of Man.
Jesus fought and won over the Tyranny of Sin.
For this victory to happen in an individual's life he or she must first own up to the fact that Sin reigns in his or her life.
Jesus said in John 8:34, "everyone who sins is a slave to sin."
So what is freedom in Christ?
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you[a] free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh,[b] God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.[c] And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life[d] because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of[e] his Spirit who lives in you." Romans 8:1-11
We can't "fix" our weakness, our slavery to sin. But Christ can and will. God says to us, "I didn't create you to be separated from Me."
We put ourselves in chains. Jesus will take off those chains if we want Him to.
"Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of[a] your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—" Colossians 1:21-22
Without Jesus we are all murderers. Without Jesus we all are adulterers and thieves and liars.
If there is anything that is separating you from God right now, or if there is anything getting in the way of yoru relationship, get rid of it. IF there is anything you are doing that is causing others to stumble, stop. Freedom is not anarchy. Love your neighbor as yourself, Jesus told us.
"Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak."
1 Corinthians 8:9
"I will walk about in freedom,
for I have sought out your precepts." Psalm 119:45
Eleven words that mean so much!
We must never surrender to sin slavery again -- if we do this we are loudly proclaiming that Jesus' sacrifice was a waste of time and isn't worth anything.
"This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves." Galatians 2:4
Don't follow anyone into sin. Don't follow anyone into legalism (a form of sin). God is a jealous God.
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1
"Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves." 1 Peter 2:16
"Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom," James 2:12