Free

Isaiah 9: 2, The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined. NKJV

In John 8, Jesus teaches us that if we will continue in His Word, we will come to know the truth and the truth that we know will make us free (paraphrased). We know that Jesus is the Light of the world. We also know (from John 1) that Jesus is the Word of God made flesh. When God saw the sin and depravity of man, He sent us a Savior. When Jesus came, He spoke the truth, which is the light that shines in darkness and exposes the hearts of sinful man.

The purpose of Jesus coming into a world that was spiritually blinded by sin wasn't to condemn us; it was to show us what was hidden deep in our hearts. After the truth exposed the sin, the blood of Jesus was offered as the sacrifice that would save us from the condemnation of sin. Isn't it interesting that Jesus preached the truth that convicted people of their sins BEFORE He died and paid for our sin debt? 

Why did the truth come before the offering for man's sin was completed? Before mankind was able to receive a Savior, we first had to realize that we were sinners. Sin had blinded all of mankind, and without the light of God's truth, no one would have known about sin. We know this because Jesus and Paul both taught on the subject. Let me share a couple of excerpts from both. 

John 15: 22, If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. NKJV

Romans 7: 7, What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet." NKJV

We can see by these two examples that the truth had to come first, and then, once conviction was felt in the hearts of the sinner, the sacrifice was made for remission of those sins. Therefore, we know that God has given us hope for the problem that sought to take our souls to hell. Instead of God sending His Son to condemn us with His Law, Jesus came to shine the light of truth and hope so that we could choose life or death. 

Just like the prophet, Isaiah, declared in today's scripture, the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. The Light was sent to set us free from sin's bondage; it was not sent to condemn us for our sin. However, we must now make the decision to forsake our sin because, according to Jesus' Words, we no longer have an excuse for it.

If we will choose to walk in the light of God's Word, then sin will lose its hold on our soul. Darkness isn't greater than light, and sin isn't more powerful than God's love or His truth. While we still have the time, let us cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armor of light in Christ. Whom the Son of God makes free, they are free indeed.

Give Me the Word, So I Can Be Free,
Pastor Asa Dockery