God is the God of truth(Ps 31:5). 

In Him is the truth(Jn 1:14) and 

To those who know the truth, He gives freedom(Jn 8:32). 



Faith is longing for freedom and 

The life of faith is seeking eternal freedom and pressing on to enter it, in spite of awaiting hardship. 



For every man wants to be free, 

He fights for it to the point of losing his life. 

But for slaves or those on death row, 

They rather die since they would be free then. 



Though Adam was to dwell in the word of God and be free(Ge 2:16-17), 

Because he broke the commandment regarding the fruit 

He was driven out of the Garden(Ge 3:6, Ge 3:22-24) and 

Not only lost freedom but became a fugitive(Ge 4:14), 

In bondage to the devil(2Pe 2:19) and 

In bondage to decay(Rm 8:21). 



The exodus of Israel and their desert life is 

The model for seeking freedom. 

After escaping the hardship under the Pharaoh, 

The Israelites entered the desert(Ex 3:9-10), where 

They had to live under the guidance of the pillars of clouds and of fire(Ex 13:21-22), and 

The Law for they sought to enter the Promised Land, the land of Canaan. 



While the tablets inside the ark of the sanctuary 

Reminded them that as long as they remained in the Law they would be free, 

The Law was also a spirit of slave to fear(Rm 8:15). 



Jesus said, "Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days(Jn 2:19-21), because 

Through the death and the resurrection of the temple of His body, 

He would set souls free from the devil, from decay, for 

He is the Word who was with the Father in the beginning(Jn 1:1, Jn 1:14, Jn 1:18), 

The Truth revealed in the last days(Jn 14:6). 



While He promised freedom to others(Jn 8:31-32), 

He was bound and killed(Mt 27:42). 



However, as He died, Jesus said, "It is finished(Jn 19:30), declaring that He: 

Willingly chose death according to the Father's command, for a servant must die to be free(Jn 10:17-18; Php 2:6-7); 

Condemned the ruler of death(He 2:14); and 

With His blood redeemed all men and put an end to the slavery to sin, the devil and death(Mt 20:28; He 2:15); 

Jesus rose and ascended to the heavenly throne, becoming the eternally free. 

Because He is the truth, in the truth is freedom. 



The Holy Spirit comes to 

Those who received the name Jesus and by being baptized in His name 

United with Christ, burying the old self and being born as a new man - the free(Rm 6:6-9). 

He lets them seek eternal freedom and return to the Father's house(Jn 14:2-3). 



The man of the Spirit is he who, 

Compelled by the Spirit, 

Puts effort to finish the task that the Lord gave, 

The task of testifying to the gospel of grace(Ac 20:22-24). 

Therefore, he willingly goes to places where 

Hardships and bondage await him, for 

He seeks eternal freedom. 



O Lord, 

Though we are children of God, born to be eternally free, 

Like those wild animals chained by food and whips, 

We are losing our freedom. 

Let us break free from the chains of this world and 

Finally enter eternal freedom! Amen.