If you walked out onto the street today and asked the average person, "Are you free?" most would probably be insulted that you even asked. They would tell you, "Of course I’m free. I live in a free country. I choose my job. I choose my spouse. I am the captain of my own soul". We love the idea of autonomy—of being a law unto ourselves.

But in John 8, Jesus walks into the heart of religious life and shatters that idol. He looks at a group of moral, Bible-believing men and tells them the one thing no one wants to hear: "You are not free. You are slaves".

The Myth of Spiritual Heritage

The crowd in this passage was offended because they were relying on their resume. They claimed, "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone". Historically, that was laughable (Rome was watching them from the fortress next door!), but spiritually, it was arrogant.

We do the same thing today. We don’t say, "I’m a child of Abraham." We say, "I’m a Southern Baptist," or "My granddaddy was a deacon," or "I’m an American conservative". We use our background as a shield against the conviction of Christ.

But here is the hard truth: You cannot inherit salvation. Your mama’s prayers are precious, but they cannot substitute for your own surrender. Being raised in church doesn't make you a Christian any more than being raised in a garage makes you a car.

The Reality of the Bondage

Jesus defines our problem in a terrifying way: "Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin". He isn't talking about messing up occasionally; He is talking about the bent of our lives. This is what theologians call Total Depravity. It means that by nature, we are bound. We are free to do what we want, but we are not free to change our wants. We want self, we want glory, and we want sin.

We are like a man born in a dark cellar who thinks he is free because he can walk from one wall to the other, never realizing he is a prisoner because he has never seen the sun.

The Only Way Out

So, is there hope? Yes, but it doesn't come from us. Jesus uses a simple illustration: "A slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever". A slave cannot free himself. He must be set free by the Heir.

Freedom is not a decision you make in your own strength; it is a liberation by divine authority. As Jesus promised, "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed".

The Ultimate DNA Test

Ultimately, Jesus forces us to answer one question: Who is your father?. The religious leaders claimed God was their Father, but they wanted to kill Jesus. Jesus told them plainly, "If God were your Father, you would love Me".

That is the test. It's not about monotheism or morality. The test of a true Christian is this: Do you love Jesus?. Is He precious to you? The children of God treasure the Son of God.

If you hear His voice calling you today, don't rely on your past, your family, or your behavior. Rely on the Son.

You are either freed by Him or enslaved to sin. Come to Him, and be free indeed.