Day 30. No Longer Captives
Back to Daily Bible Readings in the Life of Christ
"You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32
Even among the followers of Christ, there is still much bondage because of ignorance of the truth. Superstitious people are in terror of certain imagined dangers — but their terror instantly vanishes when they learn the truth. They are slaves of ignorance, until knowledge makes them free. So it is in spiritual things. There are Christians who are in perpetual distress about their sins, thinking that God's wrath still rests upon them — when in reality they passed long since from under wrath, into blessed forgiveness. They do not know the truth about divine forgiveness, and therefore miss all the joy. If they but knew the truth — the truth would make them free.
At the end of the last war between France and Great Britain there were a number of French ships that had been out for some years. They did not know that peace had been proclaimed in their absence, and they wanted to get back to their own country without meeting any British men-of-war. A gale scattered them, and one vessel was carried away from the others, and when the morning broke she found herself opposite the coast of England, with a British war-vessel lying close by. The French captain was greatly perplexed and in terror. His first thought was to sink his vessel rather than allow her to fall into the enemy's hands. At length his ship was hailed from the man-of-war, and he was told that peace had been proclaimed between Great Britain and his own country. When he had been assured of this fact — his fear vanished.
So the truth of the gospel makes us free, by telling us of the peace which has been made for us by Christ's cross. The moment we truly receive Christ — we are free forever from sin's curse and condemnation. We are no longer captives — but free.
Back to Daily Bible Readings in the Life of Christ