Here in the United States of America we value our freedom. This nation was formed by people who were under the rule of the king of England who would not let the people choose in many areas of their lives. They were under a huge burden of taxation and were not allowed to worship freely. The king decided how the common people would live their lives and if they did not follow his commands they were imprisoned or killed. There was not a choice for the people. They were slaves to the king.
Slavery in one form or another has been the plight of mankind from early on. Early on even Adam and Eve and their children were slaves to the earth. After their fall in the garden nothing was easy and they had to produce the food they would eat to live. In the times of Noah there was great wickedness on earth so we should only assume that the strong used the weak as their slaves. After the flood the same happened again. Noah's son, Ham, sinned against his father Noah and his linage was cursed. A grandson of Ham, Nimrod declared himself king and decided to take his cousins (children of Shem and Japheth) as slaves for the city and tower (Babel) he was building in honor of his gods. He had forsaken the One True God. The stories of slavery continue until this day.
In our day owning a slave is detestable yet many workers in many industries will tell you they are a slave to their job. Today people are slaves to their possessions. They are slaves to their family. They are slaves to their friends. They are slaves to their sins. Slavery is bondage to something or someone. All who are held in some kind of bondage (slavery) know it yet somehow are unable or unwilling to break the chains. They live in it for their entire lives and many die in it.
But there is hope for all of mankind held in any kind of slavery. That hope is Jesus Christ who saves us from the trials, tribulations, and sins of this life. He promises us an eternal life free from sin and slavery. He offers this free gift of forgiveness and salvation for eternity in a new world without sin and slavery. He came to earth specifically to pay the price for us to be free from this worldly life filled with fear, wickedness, and bondage. He promised to never leave us and to always be with us if we come to him and accept his saving gift of forgiveness and to honor his commands to love one another and be gentle in spirit, words and deeds.
We will still have to live in this fallen world even when we have come to the saving grace of Jesus. We will still feel many time that we are not free from the wickedness of this world and the bondages it places on us as humans. We still have to find a way to bring food to the table for our family. We still have to live in a world where people choose other gods and idols. As long as we are in this human body on this fallen earth we will have to deal with it's sinful ways. The evil ruler of this earth is still going to try to place the people in bondage and slavery. He is still going to try to place chains of conviction on all of God's chosen people. He is still going to try to place God's people in some kind of prison to keep them from the freedom that God gives to those who call upon His name. He is still going to place doubts of our freedom from sin. He will never give up trying to convince us we are not worthy enough to be free.
There are promises on promises throughout the Bible telling us that the Lord God Almighty will set us free from this world and all of the chains that bind us. All we have to do is believe His word and His promises.
Galatians 5:1 (NKJV) - Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
John 8:31-32 (NIV) - To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:36 (NIV) - So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
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