RELIGIOUS BONDAGE

Jesus said, "...if ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (Jn. 8:31-32). The word "indeed" can and should be taken two ways: one, they are truly His legitimate disciples; and two, they show their fruit by their actions, that is, "in deed." Our deeds are evidence of our allegiance to Him. But the word in what Jesus said that brought a negative response from the Jewish leaders was "free." They were offended that He implied they were under bondage to anyone but God. This was truly amazing, because at the time they were speaking to Jesus, they were in bondage to Rome, to the Law, and to their sin. The only person present at that conversation that was truly free of bondage was Jesus! He had no fear of Rome because He could have destroyed them at any time (Matt. 26:53). He was not under bondage to the Law because the Law was the very expression of His character: after all, He was "the Word Who became flesh and dwelt among them (Jn. 1:1-14). And, He was without sin (Heb. 4:15).

Because they were religious, the Pharisees assumed that they were free of the guilt of sin. They knew the Law frontwards and backwards. However, because they were not able to keep the Law, they frequently needed to offer sacrifices for their sins. So, in effect, they were counting on their obedience, and their sacrifices to keep them free from the bondage of sin. The problem was, they did not have a clue about why God gave them the Law in the first place. They thought it was a list of how they could "qualify" for God's blessings and salvation. That which they were counting on for their salvation, was given to them by God to show them they could not live a life worthy of being in fellowship with their Creator. Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, had this to say: "But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe (see also Eph. 2:8-9). But before faith came, we were kept under the Law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore, the Law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith is come, we are no longer under the schoolmaster" (Gal. 3:22-25).

The person who has accepted the Jesus of the Bible as his or her Savior and Lord, is no longer under the legalistic bondage of the Law of the Jews, or the legalistic bondage of churches. We are children of God by faith in Jesus Christ, and heirs of God (Jn. 1:12; Rom. 8:14-17; Titus 3:7). We are not to be under bondage to "days, and months, and times, and years" (Gal. 4:10). Let no man, therefore, judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath day" (Col. 2:16). There are so many denominations solely based upon doctrines of bondage in the Church. No musical instruments in the church, Saturday worship, the Lord's Supper (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc.) are all forms of legalism or law. The only biblical restriction on Christians is that we do not use our liberty if it offends others (1 Cor. 8:9). Love of others is the only law a Christian needs (Gal. 5:14)!