How to Break Your Bondage to Sin
I was pumped. Our residence hall director decided to take us caving as a leadership exercise.
At one point in the cave, he had us turn off our lights and place our hand directly in front of our nose. Nothing. There was absolutely no light. We were too far underground.
During one stop, a buddy and I discovered a little offshoot. There was a slick mud floor that sloped down and away from the main cave. We wondered if there was a place to turn around at the bottom… so I sent him first.
When he came back up, he reassured me that there was room to turn around. The problem? He weighed less and stood almost half a foot shorter than me.
As I got closer to the bottom of the slide, the ceiling dropped down so that my head was near the floor. I was only able to inch along on my stomach. The tiny opening at the bottom may have been big enough for him to turn, but I wasn’t so sure it would work for me.
Rolling onto my side, I curled up in a ball and began inching around to go back up the slide. Suddenly, I was stuck. With my chin jammed into my chest and my knees drawn up to my chin, my helmet and boots caught at the same time. I couldn’t move.
“Don’t panic. Breathe. Panic won’t help me now. God, I don’t want to die here. Ok… What movement is possible?”
These were some of the thoughts that went through my mind. After what seemed like minutes but was probably only seconds, I was able to get my boots and helmet unstuck and then continue inching around.
In that moment, I felt hopelessly stuck, completely trapped. With a hard-packed dirt floor under me and tons of rock above me, I wondered if I would ever get out.
Isn’t that how repetitive patterns of thought and sinful behavior feel? “Will I ever overcome this? Is it even possible? Can I change?”
The Lord tells us through the Apostle Paul in Galatians 5:1 that “It is for freedom that Christ has set you free!” (NIV)
In 2 Corinthians 3:17, he puts it another way. “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (ESV)
When Paul and Barnabus visited Antioch in Pisidia, the synagogue leaders asked them if they had any words of encouragement. The culmination of his encouragement is found in Acts 13:38-39: “Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man (Jesus) forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.” (ESV)
It is clear from God’s word that our salvation is designed to provide more than just forgiveness and ‘getting through’ this life until we reach heaven. Rather, we have been given a new life and a new identity in Christ, so that we don’t have to live in our old ways of sin.
So then, why do we feel stuck? Why do we often feel trapped and helpless to change?
For one, we still live in a fallen world which provides ample stimuli to sin. We also still live in our flesh with its deep-seated patterns and inclinations toward sin. We have wrong patterns of thinking, make wrong and sinful choices, and are often driven by powerful negative emotions that have not been fully healed. As much as we wish it did, our flesh doesn’t automatically disappear when we become a Christian. On top of that, we have a spiritual enemy who hates us and wants to destroy our faith, families, and witness.
Is freedom truly available?
In Mark 10, when Jesus was talking with his disciples about how difficult it was for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God, he likened it to a camel going through the eye of a needle. When the disciples asked how it is even possible, Jesus replied, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27, NIV)
Years ago, when I first started understanding what it means to be a new creation in Christ, I had to grapple with the lie that said I couldn’t change. My sin pattern was too big and strong; I couldn’t overcome it.
These lies keep us in bondage, making us feel hopeless. Yet, God has done everything necessary for us to walk in freedom. Do you believe that?
Take your thoughts captive. God is ready and willing to help you move forward in freedom. Consider what thinking is hindering your growth and choose to renew your mind according to the truth of God’s word (Rom. 12:2). Then, take at least one action step at a time while relying on God’s power. He will strengthen you and enable you to walk in the freedom of obedience.
Though we continue to live in this fallen world and be affected by our fleshly desires, in Christ we have died to sin, and it no longer has power over us (see Romans 6:1-14).
Don’t lose hope and don’t panic. It may feel like you’re only moving inch by inch, but eventually, you’ll be headed back up the slope to walk in the freedom for which Christ died.