How We Became Slaves to Sin and Finding Freedom
“The king sang this lament for Abner: ‘Should Abner have died as the lawless die? Your hands were not bound, your feet were not fettered. You fell as one falls before the wicked'”2 Samuel 3: 33, 34.
King David is here grieving the death of Abner the commander of his army who was killed unjustly. To read the passage for context, click here. Abner was not a lawless man, and therefore not enslaved. This is the idea I want to look at here.
The Connection between being Lawless and being Slaves to Sin
I believe there is a definite connection between being lawless and being bound or fettered. In any area of life where we lack self-control, give our appetite free reign, have no rules or “law” for ourselves, we’re going to be enslaved.
The key to finding freedom in an area where we’re bound is to restrict ourselves. As we gain strength in that area, we will be able to give ourselves progressively more freedom.
But initially, the more enslaved we are to some appetite, the more we must restrict ourselves to gain freedom.
The Law Written in Our Heart
We need an outward law to begin with. But once we’ve gained some mastery over a weakness, the law becomes written in our heart. And we no longer need an outward law.
But the person without a law, either inwardly or outwardly, who doesn’t exercise self-control and who gives in to his impulses will be enslaved to them.
To give in to your every impulse might seem like freedom. But it leads to slavery. To not control yourself might seem liberating. But it leads to bondage.
The more restrictions we have outwardly, the more freedom we gain inwardly.
Lawlessness Leads to Slavery
So just as lawlessness leads to slavery, in the same way the law leads to freedom. Jesus said “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free “John 8: 31, 32.
Don’t miss that first part, “if you abide in my word”. In other words, if you keep doing it day in and day out, whether you feel like it or not, whether there seems to be a benefit or not. This is the definition of law.
But it’s the only way to freedom.
“But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing” James 1: 25.
To read another post related to How we Became Slaves to Sin and Finding Freedom, see The Destruction of the Flesh: Satan’s Gift to the Church.