To the people who believe in his message, Jesus has these words: Abide in my word (John 8:31). Or keep believing what I say. My word, the truth that I give, it will set you free!
His Jewish followers are confused. Free? We don’t need to be freed. We’ve never been enslaved, why would we need to be freed? Imagine walking up to someone today and saying, “Would you like to be free?” They’d probably just say, “Uh, from what?”
Jesus teaches that if you sin, then you are a slave to sin. To be enslaved to sin means to obey sin.
So, let’s zoom out. Who sins? Everyone. Again, Jesus is talking to people who attended a religious festival. This is a universal message because sin is a universal experience.
If it’s true that everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin, and if it’s true that everyone sins, then it logically follows that everyone is a slave to sin. We’re born into it. This is what Jesus says in John (we don’t even have to go to Paul in Romans for this). Jesus says that all who do not believe in him are condemned already because their works are evil.
Jesus teaches that, apart from him, we are slaves to sin. We’re born into it; we’re born under the curse of sin. We are enslaved by that curse. On your own you are unable to break the pattern and power of sin. You struggle to do it because you can’t do it.
But you were not made to be a slave to sin; you were made to be a son or daughter of God.
If the Son sets you free, you are free indeed.
If you’re a sinner like me, this is really good news.
Jesus, the Light of the World, the utterly unique I AM, the Word of God himself, who existed before Abraham and Moses, who created all things with the word of his power and upholds them by his might. This Jesus has come to earth to set the captives free. To break the bonds of sin and death, as Paul will say to put them to open shame as he triumphs over them on the cross.
That’s your sin. Your pride. Your lusts. Your greed. Your hatred. Your bitterness. Disarmed by Jesus.