Whose Slave Are You?

Text: John 8:31-36

Sermon preached at Gospel Light Christian Church, Singapore
by Pastor Mike Redick

Introduction: The popular notion that man is his own master and is master of his own destiny is a delusion and out and out lie of Satan to keep man from God. As a matter of fact it is the very lie that Satan told Eve in the garden, 'you will be like God', 'you are the master of your own destiny', 'captain of your own fate'. But the fact is that everyone is a slave to somebody or to something.

Some people are enslaved to their work, some are enslaved to things, all their waking thoughts are given over to taking care of what they have and dreaming of how to get more. Some are slaves to habits that dominate their existence. Some are slaves to tempers that control their actions. Some are slaves to sensuality that control their bodies. We are all slaves and we obey these things that enslave us. Spiritually all humanity serves under one of two masters, for everyone is either a slave to God or a slave to sin.

The question today is not 'Are you a slave' but 'whose slave are you?’ That is the point of this passage and I want you to see today, 'How you can be set free from the slavery of sin'.

I. Everyone is a slave to sin.

A. Universality of sin Jesus said it this way, 'whoever commits sin is a slave of sin' (John 8:34). In the book of (Eccle. 7 :20) it says, 'There is not a just man on earth that does good and sins not'. Paul the Apostle said, 'All have sinned and come short of the glory of God' (Rom. 3:23). The fact is all are sinners.

B. Examples of sin What is sin? (I John 3:4) defines sin as "the transgression of the Law." God has laid down for us His law in the Bible and when we do what He says we should not do or we do not do what He says we should do we have broken God’s law and sinned. For example God says we should not "Take His name in vain" when we do we have broken God’s law and sinned. God says, "We are not to bear false witness", or we should not lie, when we do we have broken God’s law and sinned.

C. Disqualification of sin. The problem with sin is that it disqualifies us from coming into the presence of God. (Romans 3:23) says, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." God is a Holy God and in order to get eternal life and to be set free from sin, God demands absolute perfection. The problem is that no man is perfect because no man is without sin. It does not matter how much a person tries or how good a person may be. All fall short of God's standard of absolute perfection.

II. Sins slavery brings death

A. Judgement of sin. Not only is everyone a slave to sin but the slavery of sin brings death. Sin carries with it a penalty. Rom. 6:23 says, 'The wages of sin is death.' The wage we earn and deserve because of our sin is death. The word death in this passage refers not just to a physical death, for all men die. But it refers to a spiritual death, an eternal death, an eternal separation from God in a place the Bible calls hell.

B. Description of judgement. The Bible describes hell as a place of constant torment, misery and pain. It is a place of absolute darkness. Throughout the eons of eternity the damned will never again see light or anything that illumines. It is a place of everlasting fire, a fire that can never be extinguished and from which the damned will never find relief. It's torment is so tragic that Jesus said, in hell there will be 'weeping and the grinding of teeth.' Its torment will be everlasting; it will be endless suffering of body and soul in a lake, which burns with fire and brimstone. Hell is a real place reserved for those who die a slave to sin.

C. Recipients of judgement. Who is going to hell? Who will be there? Notice what the Bible has to say, (Revelation 21:8) says, 'But the fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire an brimstone: which is the second death. " The fact is everyone has sinned and sins slavery brings death, an eternal death an eternal separation from God in a place called hell. Now I know that is bad news, but here is the good news.

III. Jesus Christ can set us free.

A. The Motive of Salvation. That is the point of this passage. Jesus said, 'Therefore if the son shall make you free you shall be free indeed' (John 8:36). Paul said it this way, 'The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord' (Rom. 6:23). Paul also said, 'God demonstrated His great love for us in that while we were yet sinners Jesus Christ died for us' (Rom. 5:8). God seeing the sinfulness of man and in great love for us sent His Son Jesus Christ into the world. Born of a virgin, taking the form of a man, living a sinless life, He willingly submitted Himself into the hands of sinful men, being beaten, mocked, ridiculed, He went to Calvary's cross, where He died for our sin, paying the judgement that we deserve.

B. The Message of Salvation.

1) Jesus paid for our sin. (I Peter 2:24a) says, 'Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree'. Jesus Christ died for your sin, He paid the judgment that you deserve to pay and He paid for all, not just some of your sin but all of your sin. In John 19:30, as Jesus hung upon that cross paying for your sin and mine, He cried out saying, 'It is finished.' What was finished? The payment for sin was finished. He completely paid the price for your sin. (I John 1:7) says, 'The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.' The word all means all. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin. All sin of the past, present and future. In His death he paid for our sin, He paid for all our sin, He paid the debt that we owed and he paid it all and he did it all for you.

2.) Jesus credits His righteousness to our account. (Rom. 3:28) says 'Therefore we conclude that a man is justified (declared righteous) by faith.' The moment a person asks Jesus Christ to be their Savior from sin and hell, immediately Jesus removes the debt of sin and at the same time applies His righteousness to their account. You had a debt of sin that you could not pay. No matter how good you may try to be, you cannot erase your sin. Jesus Christ offers not only to pay for your sin but also to credit His righteousness to your account, thus qualifying you for eternal life. What a wonderful offer!

C. The Means of Salvation. How can a man receive this offer? How can a man be set free from the slavery of sin and hell? The answer is you must believe. John 3:16 says, 'whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have ever lasting life.'

To believe involves three things. First of all it involves knowledge, you must know something, you must know that everyone is a slave to sin, you must know that sins slavery brings death and you must know that Jesus Christ can set you free.

Second you also need to agree that they are true.

Third you must depend upon Christ to do what He has promised to do. To believe in Christ means to depend on Christ to save you from sin and hell. It is transferring your dependence to Jesus Christ ALONE to save you from sin and hell. It is not having knowledge about Christ, but it is a decision you make to trust Jesus Christ to save you from sin and hell. Have you made that decision?