Jesus told his disciples, "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free." In this statement we get a glimpse at why Jesus left his heavenly throne to appear on earth as a man. He came that you and I might be truly free. This article discusses three reasons why Jesus came to set us free.
First, Jesus came to set us free because God loves us and wants the best for our lives. In the first chapter of the Bible, the author tells us that both male and female were created in the image of God. This means that each person is designed with a piece of the divine within them which makes each respective person valuable to God. As such it follows that you are very special to God too and that he cares deeply for your well being. He loves you so much he wants you to be free to live an abundant life.
Second, Jesus came to set us free because most of us are enslaved in some way. Liberty is not the same as freedom. Many are shackled by their liberty. Generally, we are in bondage to our desires for physical satisfaction, material wealth and social status. In regards to physical satisfaction, many are addicted to their appetites. Although, we are born with natural needs for food and sexual intimacy, many allow their desires for such things to intensify to the point of gluttony. Rather than control our appetites, we allow our appetites to control us. As to material wealth, we become enslaved to keeping up with the Jones'. The current economic crisis is as much about the general public wanting more than they could afford than the financial institutions trying to satisfy Wall Street investors. If the general public had not been enslaved to their inordinate desire for more, most of current crisis would have been avoided. Furthermore, people are enslaved to their desire for power and social status. Some are bent on organizing their own little kingdom on earth. Accordingly, they pour out their lives, spending countless hours, days, and years attempting to amass their empire which will be given to another upon death. God created the world with everything necessary to satisfy both your simplest and most profound needs. Jesus came to set you free from your bondage to inordinate appetites for physical satisfaction, material wealth, and social status.
Third, Jesus came to set us free that we might eternal life with him. God created you to live in eternal fellowship with him both in this life and on into eternity. Unfortunately, our slavery to self-satisfaction has caused us to fall short of God's best and sin against him. God cannot dwell with sinful people, so a remedy had to be designed. Our sin should have resulted in our eternal death but Jesus came to pay the penalty that we might be able to dwell with God and be free forever. Free from our appetites and free from the penalty of eternal death. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the gospel of freedom; that is the good news that we do not need to be slaves to our basic needs but can walk with peace and joy and live in continual fellowship with God.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the gospel of freedom. Unfortunately most people are living as slaves to their own appetites and longings. This article has presented three reasons why Jesus came to set us free.