Does Doing This Make Something True?

John 8:33 - They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, 'You will become free'?"  NASU 

• Just Saying It Doesn't Get It 

You most likely have heard the terminology "selective memory". It is the ability to remember things you want to remember and forget the things you want to forget.
 
The Jews here are participating in "selective memory". They are saying they have never been enslaved to anyone. Really! Just saying something doesn't make it TRUE.
 
If I were Jesus, I would have asked them if they have ever heard of Egypt, have they ever heard of Moses, have they ever heard of the Red Sea, or have they ever heard of the 10 plagues upon Egypt?
 
The Israelites were enslaved by Egypt for over 400 years. The entire book of Exodus is all about Moses getting the Israelites out of this Egyptian bondage.
 
Now, these Pharisees said, "They have never been enslaved to anyone." Yet, the truth of the matter is they have been enslaved, AND they are enslaved right now by the Roman Empire.
 
They are lying to themselves. Just saying something doesn't make it TRUE. 

• Have We Ever Been Enslaved 

The answer is yes. We have been enslaved to sin.
 
Romans 6:5-7 - For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin…
 
Galatians 4:6-8 - Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.  However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods.
 
I am just the opposite of those Pharisees for I have been enslaved. I was a child of the devil, something I hate to say, but it was true. When God's Spirit was not in my life I did some very horrible things.
 
If any of you are reading this Pump Up and I did something to you before I became a Christian (3-2-1975) please accept my apology. I genuinely ask for your forgiveness. 

• Are You Enslaved Now? 

If you are enslaved now and have not been set free from your sins let me help you.

Romans 6:2-5 - How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,…
 
When I was baptized into Jesus Christ I was baptized into His death and when I was raised up from the watery grave it was my first resurrection. I was now no longer a slave to sin.
 
If you remember the story of the Israelites enslavement as they were leaving Egypt they walked on dry land but they were surrounded by water. There was the Red Sea on their right and left sides and a cloud (which is made up of water) over them. Below is how the apostle Paul said it:
 
1 Corinthians 10:1-2 - For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;…
 
I find it pretty cool that God freed us both using baptism. The Israelites were freed from bondage using Moses' baptism and today we are freed from the bondage of our sins through Christ's baptism.
 
You can be freed from your sins also.
 
Think About This:
 
There are thousands of ways of pleasing God, but none without trusting Him.

Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word