Slaves of Sin: John 8:31-47

“Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin’” (John 8:34, NASB).

In the Tennessee elections for November 2022, voters will vote on Amendment three (3). The purpose is to reword the Tennessee constitute. Tennessee outlawed slavery in 1870, but it was worded to allow slavery and indentured servitude as punishment for crime. Now after over 150 years, there are legislators seeking to reword the constitution so that crime cannot be used as a reason for slavery and indentured servitude. Regardless of their motives the idea seems to be to eliminate any possibility of slavery and indentured servitude in the state of Tennessee. Having seen a portion of a newscast on television about the issue I remembered that according to the bible this amendment would not prevent slavery to sin. I remembered that Jesus had said to His opponents that they were slaves to sin even though they did not think of themselves as slaves. In this article I want to address the teaching of Jesus about slavery to sin and the consequences of dying as slaves to sin.

In the gospel of John the author records the ongoing debate between Jesus and the Pharisees and scribes. At the center of this debate is the question of who Jesus really is. In chapters 5-8 Jesus states His claim to be the Son of God sent from the Father. He is the Son of God, the promised Messiah sent to restore Israel to its favored relationship with the Father. The Pharisees do not believe that Jesus is the Messiah because He comes from Nazareth instead of Bethlehem. Jesus has no apparent interest in overthrowing the government of Rome through military means. Instead, Jesus associates Himself with people of low estates. He spends time with sinners, and He takes care of the needs of sinners that are forever condemned in the law as the Pharisees interpreted the law. The core of the problem was that the Pharisees were concerned about earthy things and Jesus was concerned about spiritual needs; about a person’s relationship to the Father.

Jesus continued to teach the people about the kingdom of God which in most ways did not reflect the ideas that the Pharisees had about a restored Israel to its prominent days during the reigns of David and Solomon. This was the problem. God did not choose Israel to be the strongest nation for earthly notoriety and fame. Rather, God chose Israel and blessed Israel so that the nations would see that the God of Israel was the one true God. Thus, the purpose of Israel’s might was not that Israel would be famous; rather, the God of Israel would be made known and the nations would turn to God in worship and obedience. In this sense the nations were in bondage to the world and its decay while Israel was free from the world’s sin and decay because Israel was committed to God. Thus freedom in its truest sense is to be who God created us to be. On the other hand slavery is inescapable bondage to the world and its corruption and decay.

As Jesus was teaching the people about the kingdom of God some of those that heard Him believed Him. They expressed their faith in Jesus, but Jesus knew that their expressed faith had not been tested. Was their faith genuine? The world would test their faith whether a temporary expression of belief or a genuine commitment to live a new life. The words that Jesus taught were the seed. What kind of soil was the word falling upon (see Matthew 13:1-23—parable of the sower)? If they passed the test they would know the truth and the truth would make them free (v. 32). This saying offended the Pharisees because they had convinced themselves that since they were the descendants of Abraham they had never been enslaved to anyone. This self deception ignored Israel’s enslavement by the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, and Romans.

Jesus clarified His teaching on freedom. All along He had been saying that knowing the Father was the means of knowing the truth. Jesus had come to make the Father known so that they could be free from their sins. If they did not come to know the Father they would die in their sins. “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (8:24). Jesus made a distinction between the Pharisees and Himself. “And He was saying to them, ‘You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world’” (v. 23). Thus, a person cannot know the Father and attain eternal life except they abandon the world and enter into the kingdom of God.

Again, the Pharisees believed themselves to be free. They wanted to know what Jesus was talking about. Since they were Abraham’s descendants and had never been enslaved to anyone, they asked Jesus, “how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’” (v. 33). How can a person who is already free become free? Again, Jesus responded by making a distinction between one’s status in the world and their relationship with the Father. Jesus spoke from the Father’s perspective. “Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave to sin’” (v. 34). However, there remained the possibility that they could escape the consequences of their sin.

Jesus said, “The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever” (v. 35). Jesus, the Son of God was with God from the beginning. He had never left the presence of the Father. His status in the godhead was established forever. Regardless of His physical location, nothing could separate Him from the Father and the Father’s love. On the other hand, those that were in slavery to the world had left the house—the presence of God. However, they could be set free from the cares and ways of the world if they continued in His words. “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed” (v. 36)). If they believed in Jesus and obeyed His word they would be free from the sins that held them captive to the world. They could return to the house—the presence of God.

What does freedom from sin look like? The person that has been set free from sin is no longer held in bondage to evil passions, corrupt inclinations, and their groveling views that are determined by the world. Sin makes one naturally inclined to respond to evil passions and to see things according the world’s point of view. Jesus came teaching not the thoughts and ways of the world. Instead Jesus came to teach the will of God. Unless they believe in Jesus and commit to Him and obey His teaching they will remain slaves to sin. They will reap the benefits of the world and will forfeit the freedom that is found in Jesus. The difference is whether a person will continue with the mind of the world or will a person be transformed by their renewing of their mind by learning to live by the mind of Christ?

The Pharisees held the highest positions in the life of the people. They were the religious leaders. They knew the law, interpreted the law, and took measures to make sure that the law was faithfully applied in the daily life of the people. They determined what a person’s standing in the community ought to be. However, the Pharisees were slaves to their own sins. They cared for the things of men rather than the things of God. They cared more about their standing with Rome than they cared about their standing with God. Their commitment to avoiding trouble with Rome prevented them from seeking God. Jesus said that they stood against Him and sought to kill Him, and this was not just a matter of Rome’s dominance. Rather, again Jesus placed emphasis on their spiritual life. Their actions were based on the fact that the devil was their Father. Just as the devil was engaged in war against God, his children who included the Pharisees were engaged in war with the Son of God (see 8:43-47).

If we are not committed to Jesus and obey His teaching we will continue to live in slavery to our sins. Jesus came to set us free from our slavery to sin. We must hear His words, believe in Him, and commit to obeying His words if we want to be free from our slavery to sin.