“Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin” (Jn. 8:34). In our so-called “sophisticated, postmodern, and post-Christian” times, many have come to believe and argue that they are, or ought to be, absolutely free from external constraints of any kind. This is nothing new, of course. It has been so from the beginning. This story began with The Fall in the Garden of Eden, and it continues to be written down in blood and suffering of every kind in our own time, by ourselves. This seemingly endless story of pride has always blinded us to the reality that we are, more often than not, slaves to our egos, indeed, even more basically, to our passions. In the words of Jesus, “everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.”
Of course, many in this age will say that there is no such thing as sin, but our own experiences tell us otherwise in many profound ways. Not many escape the ‘convicting reality’ of the conscience that niggles away at us with feelings of guilt or shame on occasion. But there is a greater danger, that is, to become so separated from ourselves and God, becoming so saturated with the poison of unbounded ego, that we can ultimately deaden the salutary effects of a healthy conscience. A world that no longer recognizes sin for what it is is a dangerous world indeed. It is a world where war, fraud, lies, and all of the worst forms of injustice become merely ‘practical’ or ‘pragmatic’ means to some end. A simple glance at the daily news headlines is evidence enough to show that we are living in such a world.
What is the only power that can remove the chains of our slavery to sin? In the words of Jesus, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (Jn 8:31-32). Jesus is the Word of God breathed into the world by the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth to a world that has gone away from it, to bring it back to reality rooted, once again, in both a personal and communal relationship with the One who truly is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (Jn. 14:6). And Jesus does not just speak the truth, he lives it; he remains true to the Father in all that he says and does, and he invites us into that same relationship with the Father through him.
Where can we find the truth that, if recognized, honored, and followed, can lead us into real freedom, that is, the freedom that sees, knows, and habitually chooses to do what is good and to avoid all that is truly evil? Paul tells us, “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
Scripture is the revelation of The Truth written in capital letters. Even those who are against religion or a belief in God, those who are intelligent and thoughtful and who can remain open to it, can recognize that the truth found in the scriptures could make a very different place. And here is the more difficult reality to face: What if those millions who say that they believe that Jesus is the Word of God (The Truth) made incarnate in human flesh, really practiced and followed that truth in their daily lives, might it be possible that with God’s generous grace, the world would be a much better place than it is right now? Given the daily headlines, it appears that we Christians are falling far short of ‘practicing what we preach.’
In this last week of Lent, as we contemplate again the reality of the Cross and the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, let us pray earnestly for the graces we need to be able to know, to understand, and to truly practice the Word of God in our daily lives. For it is in our humble acceptance of God’s Word, and our trusting willingness to live in accord with it, that we will find our truest freedom and no longer be slaves to sin.
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