THE KING’S BUSINESS
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not quit, by that one act of sin you have sold your soul to a master that never lets go a slave, unless a stronger than he wrests him from his grip, and there is but One stronger than he to do it. A “bondser vant of sin,” just think of it thou man or woman who are contemplating sin. v. 35. “And the servant (bondservant) abideth not in the house for, ever: but (omit, but) the Son (son) abideth ever (for ever).’? If we are slaves we can have no continuing place in God’s household. If we are “bondservants of sin” we shall not abide in the house forever. But there is One who does abide forever, that is the Son, and all who become sons by receiving Him (ch. 1:12), and thus being set free from sin, shall abide forever. v. 36. “I f the Son therefore ( I f therefore the Son) shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” In these words Jesus tells us the way to be free and the only way. Have you discovered yourself to be a slave" arid therefore without a permanent place in God’s house? Then look to the Son to make you free and"you shall be free indeed. We are all by nature slaves as both Scrip ture and experience teach, but there is One who has power to free any one of us, the Son of God, the Lord Jesus. When He sets us free we are “free indeed,” truly free, essentially free, free not merely out wardly, but inwardly, free in actual fact. Has He set you free? There is many a man who professes to be a Christian whom He has not set free. Has He.you? If not, will you look to Him to set you free right now? The conditions are simple, “come to Him” (ch. 6:37), “continue in His Word” (vs. 31, 32). Glorious freedom after awful bondage. v- 37. “I know that ye are Abraham’s seed, but ( : yet) ye seek to kill me, because my Word hath no place (not free course) in you.” The Jews were Abraham’s descendants, but they were not truly his children (cf. Rom. 9:7). If they had been really the children of Abraham they would have done the works of Abraham (v. 39). Abraham was a lover of the truth, but they
ing Jesus. Receiving Jesus is the way to find liberty; rejecting Jesus is the way to lose it. Continuance in Jesus’ Word is the only road to liberty. But from what does the truth make free? From many things: (1) from the power of sin, (2) from the fear of man, (3) from the/fear of death, (4) from all anxiety, (S) from the dread of God, (6) from all that man needs free dom from. v. 33. “They answered ( add, unto) Him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never ( add. yet) in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?" How deluded these Jews were when they cried, “We were never in bondage to any man.” They were very much in bondage, but they recognized no bondage except the bondage of the human slave master. They resented the implication that they were slaves, but they were none the less. We speak of our nation as a nation of free men, but are we free? If we are, what mean these slaves of drink we see upon the streets? What mean these slaves of pleasure that throng pur theatres and ball rooms and card par ties? What mean these slaves of fashion who bedeck themselves in aH sorts of fan tastic, extravagance, barbaric, unhealthful, and even immodest array, that we see at our social gatherings, and even in our churches? What mean these slaves of money that sell their souls and trample the poor and perishing under foot at the crack of the whip of their slave-masters, Greed for Gold? The Jews could deny their bondage only by closing their eyes to facts, and that is the only way men out of Christ can deny their bondage^ v. 34. “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever (Every one that) committeth sin is the servant (bondservant) o f sin.” By these words Jesus opened their eyes, and they are words that ought to sink down into our hearts. Does any one question the truth of this assertion of our Lord? Jesus here announced a law that .has no exception. “I will commit this one sin,” many a man thinks, “and then I will quit.” No you will
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