The Gospel (Lesson 12)
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"If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
–John 8:36
The gospel is a promise of freedom.
The Bible teaches that all people are enslaved to sin and under a curse of death, but through faith in Jesus Christ, we can experience freedom from the penalty of sin and the fear of death.
In John 8:36, Jesus says, "So, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
First and foremost, freedom in Christ means being set free from the penalty of sin.
Because of Jesus' death and resurrection, we have the assurance of forgiveness and no longer fear the justice our sins deserve.
Freedom in Christ also means we are no longer slaves to sin, but we have been set free to live a new life in Christ.
While we are still influenced by our sinful nature, we are no longer controlled by our sinful nature.
Rather, we live under the greater influence and by the power of the Holy Spirit within us.
Romans 6:22 says,
“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life."
Our union with Jesus also sets us free from the fear of other people's opinions and judgments.
The apostle Paul wrote about this in 1 Corinthians 4:3-4, saying,
"I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me."
He is not saying "don't judge me" so that he can sin more.
He is saying that he is no longer concerned with the opinions of anyone other than Jesus.
He is not living his life for the praise and acceptance of others but for the praise of the one who has already accepted him by grace through the blood of his cross.
Because the gospel is a promise of freedom.
Discussion Questions
Describe freedom in your own words.
How does faith in Jesus Christ bring freedom from the penalty of sin?
How can the power of the Holy Spirit within us empower us to overcome the influence of the sinful nature?
How does freedom in Christ relate to freedom from the fear of other people's opinions and judgments?
How does the gospel bring freedom from the fear of death and judgment? How can that change the way we live our lives?
How can we tell if we are living in the freedom that Christ has provided for us?
A Suggested Prayer
Dear Father in heaven,
Thank you for the gift of freedom in Christ. Help us to grasp the extent of our freedom and to live in a way that honors you in all we do.
We ask this in Jesus' name, Amen.