1 Peter 2:24
“and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed”.
If we know it or not, we were all slaves to sin. Jesus said, “…he who commits sin is a slave to sin…” (John 8:34). The chains aren’t obvious, but they are there. I think of the addict or one who cries, “who would choose this life?”
Others seem to go through life unaffected, yet Jesus says they are also slaves. Jesus’ immediate audience was the pharisees. They seemed to have it all together. Life’s winners. It may be their blindness is part of their slavery.
Some are trapped in sadness or anxiety. Torchered ones who are afraid to leave the house. Like being stuck in the mud, the hours of struggle have been futile. These have very little hope.
Like a group of blindfolded captives, we grope about. We are stuck in our 3×3 space. Re-doing the same patterns. We may unaware or possibly assume that “this is who I am”. Jesus wants to liberate us.
The Israelites in Egypt were enslaved over 400 years. As Moses was attempting to liberate them, they resisted (Exodus 2:14). We often resist as God tries to free us. We are afraid of change. We are comfortable with the status quo. The Israelites craved Egypt and wanted to return.
The liberation process can be uncomfortable. It’s almost like a patient at physical therapy. Each step is difficult. However, as time goes by, the person is able to run again. As we yield our lives to Christ, He uses our daily struggles as the therapy exercises. Life no longer needs to be a burden. As we trust Him, He makes us conquerors (Romans 8:37).
Today’s passage says, “that we might die to sin and live to righteousness”. Our yielding to Him is dying to our will and/or particular sin or enslavement. We may struggle with these things for years. That doesn’t mean it isn’t working. Paul says, “I die daily”, (1 Cor 15:31).
We often need the help of others. James 5:16 says to “confess your faults (or sins) to one another”. When Jesus raised Lazurus from the dead, He told his friends to “unwrap him” (John 11:44). As we share our struggles, our friends support, advise and pray for us. This seems to be half of the healing. God wants the body of Christ, His people to be agents of healing. To “go it alone” is to miss most of what God has for us.
Lord, thank You that You want to liberate us. Help us to yield to Your and the process.