Independent?

Ask somebody with an addiction whether they believe -- truly believe -- they are free. I've heard a lot of people who have said they have no interest in Christ because they want to live their own lives... but it sort of begs the question, doesn't it? There's an assumption that a relationship with Christ is some sort of shackle, but that, without religion in your life, you're "free" to do what you want. But is it true? Ask somebody addicted to alcohol, or gambling, or pornography, or nicotine... ask that person whether they are truly "free."

Bob Dylan famously sang "You Gotta Serve Somebody," noting that, no matter who you are, you live a life serving somebody. From ambassadors to gamblers to rock stars, "well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord But you’re gonna have to serve somebody."

Scripture says, whether we know it or not, we're already slaves. And I think when we're really honest with ourselves -- in those dark moments of self-doubt and hidden guilt -- we get it.

¹⁶ Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?
 ...
²⁰ When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. ²¹ What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!  (Romans 6)

But Jesus declares (Luke 4:18) He has come to "proclaim freedom for the prisoners!" He makes us independent from the heavy burden of sin by yoking us to Himself instead. And unlike the weight and consequence of a life of sin, He says, "my yoke is easy and my burden is light (Matthew 11:30)."

Certainly, Paul declares, in Romans 6, that when we are in Christ, we are slaves, instead, to Righteousness (vs 18).  But, as it turns out, you gotta serve somebody. The wages of sin is Death. And, let's face it, the consequences in life aren't always all they're cracked up to be either. But in Christ is freedom from the burden, guilt, and shame of sin. In Christ is life. 

When we depend on Christ, we can become independent of our sinful natures. For those critics who say we're just trading one master for another, here's the difference: in sin, we are shackled. In Christ, we are yoked together, working as one, with the One who created us, loves us, and leads us to Life.