Have you ever taken time to consider the paradoxical slavery of sin? Most of us would probably answer, “no”, however you only realize that you are restrained, tied down and handcuffed when you try to break free from sin and its effects.
Imagine with me a beautiful, lush, green yard. As you stand on the sidewalk, you admire the serene beautiful, meadow-like grass. In the distance you see a red dog house. The paint somewhat faded and just to the left two bowls, one for food and the other for water. You scan to the right and you see the large block letters, “BEWARE of DOG”. You squint your eyes into the cavernous front door of the canine structure and you see a large black dog, snoozing away in the mid-summer day’s heat.
You take the step off the cold, hard concrete sidewalk onto the soft, plush, emerald grass. At that moment the dog perks up and your eyes meet. You hear the growl, you can see the drool dangling from his chin and the pointed incisors. You hear the gruff bark of the hound as he takes two steps towards you for intruding on the property. Your test your luck once more and remove your other foot from the cool, white surface onto the comfortable olive coloured terrain. That is when the canine charges. You stand in complete cool and confidence and as the distance closes you smirk. All his efforts are in vain and the dog becomes conscious to his bondage. As the cold, hard chain snaps to attention the dog is irked backwards.
All the while the dog has forgotten he is heavily chained. The dog has forgotten his restraints because all that he needs, his food and water is close that it does not cause him discomfort. But now the reality of his limits is all too real.
It is exactly similar to you and me, when everything we need is close to us we seem settled and satisfied. But when the time comes to get free, we feel the bondage and the restraints and in our state we cannot find freedom.
This is the message of the Book of Galatians in one profound word, Freedom!