“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
– Galatians 5:1 [KJV]
Last night, I was at a Bible study, and the pastor mentioned Galatians 5:1 concerning how we, as born-again Christians, can be trapped in bondage. Too often, believers think that just because they’re free in Christ, they can do anything in the world they want. God set us free to avoid sin, not indulge in it. When we sin willfully and habitually, we are telling God that His grace is not good enough. We make other people around us question whether God exists when we live like heathens but profess Jesus.
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”
– Romans 6:1 [KJV]
During the Bible study, the pastor used the analogy of a man who went to prison. When a person gets locked up, he or she loses their right to live in society because of the actions that person committed. Sin can feel good at the moment, but the consequences can be deadly. We can lose the things we take for granted by our foolish choices. Just because God saved and forgave us doesn’t mean He’s going to allow us to live irresponsibly. God wants us to be wise but also not let the wisdom of the world corrupt us. We want to make sure the things we do, the things we say, and the people we hang out with are conducive to our walk with Jesus.
A perfect example of someone who lost their freedom by making poor choices is Samson. Samson was known for having long hair. He was very attractive in his day, and his hair represented his strength. He was the man every woman wanted to be with. When Deliah lay with Samson, she convinced him to cut his hair, causing him to get sick to death:
6 So Delilah said to Samson, ‘Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.’7 Samson answered her, ‘If anyone ties me with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, I’ll become as weak as any other man.’
8 Then the rulers of the Philistines brought her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she tied him with them. 9 With men hidden in the room, she called to him, ‘Samson, the Philistines are upon you!’ But he snapped the bowstrings as easily as a piece of string snaps when it comes close to a flame. So the secret of his strength was not discovered.
10 Then Delilah said to Samson, ‘You have made a fool of me; you lied to me. Come now, tell me how you can be tied.’
11 He said, ‘If anyone ties me securely with new ropes that have never been used, I’ll become as weak as any other man.’
12 So Delilah took new ropes and tied him with them. Then, with men hidden in the room, she called to him, ‘Samson, the Philistines are upon you!’ But he snapped the ropes off his arms as if they were threads.
13 Delilah then said to Samson, ‘All this time you have been making a fool of me and lying to me. Tell me how you can be tied.’
He replied, ‘If you weave the seven braids of my head into the fabric on the loom and tighten it with the pin, I’ll become as weak as any other man.’ So while he was sleeping, Delilah took the seven braids of his head, wove them into the fabric 14, and tightened it with the pin.
Again she called to him, ‘Samson, the Philistines are upon you!’ He awoke from his sleep and pulled up the pin and the loom, with the fabric.
15 Then she said to him, ‘How can you say, “I love you,” when you won’t confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven’t told me the secret of your great strength.’ 16 With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was sick to death of it.”
– Judges 15:6-15 [NIV]
God wants us to avoid temptation at all costs so that we can enjoy the freedom He granted us.
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