Pictured to the left is a copy of a version of the Holy Bible, known as the GOD'S WORD TRANSLATION ( GW ); being entitled: PRAY THE SCRIPTURES BIBLE. John 8:34 reads as follows:
"34 Jesus answered them, 'I can guarantee this truth: Whoever lives a sinful life is a slave to sin.'"
The word "truth" is defined as follows:
". . . n. pl. truths . . . 1 The state or character of being true in relation to being, knowledge, or speech. 2 Conformity to fact or reality. . . ." [ See NEW ILLUSTRATED WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY Including THESAURUS of SYNONYMS & ANTONYMS, PMC Publishing Company, Inc., 118 EAST 28th STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10016, dictionary portion: pages 1-1150, Copyright 1992, by J.G. Ferguson Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, p. 1038. ]
Sense 2, of the above-given definition, when considered together with verse thirty-four ( above ), clearly reveals that the concept of slavery is tied to reality: the two concepts cannot be separated. Jesus taught, here, that a life of sin is equated with slavery to it. The United States Constitution allows for freedom of speech, freedom of religion ( the justifying of false religion ), and freedom of assembly, for example.
Anyone who engages in such "freedoms" is actually a slave to sin, since these things are clearly condemned in the Holy Bible ( see Ephesians 4:29 and Matthew 7:21-23; 18:15-20 ( especially verse 20, for example ), for example, respectively - see also Psalm 119:65-73, 142, 151, John 17:1, 3, 17, and 1 John 3:4, for example ). It is of sad note that many do not realize they are slaves. The apostle Paul ( see 1 Corinthians 1:1 ) wrote ( 4:14; 16:21, for example ) the following in ( 15:34 ): "34 Come back to the right point of view, and stop sinning. Some people don't now anything about God. You should be ashamed of yourselves."
Paul ( see Romans 1:1 ) also wrote ( 16:1, 22, for example ) the following in ( 6:15-18 ): "15 Then what is the implication? Should we sin because we are not controlled by God's laws but by God's favor? That's unthinkable! 16 Don't you know that if you offer to be someone's slave, you must obey that master? Either your master is sin, or your master is obedience. Letting sin be your master leads to death. Letting obedience be your master leads to God's approval. 17 You were slaves to sin. But I thank God that you have become wholeheartedly obedient to the teachings which you were given. 18 Freed from sin, you were made slaves who do what God approves of." We are freed from our sins by the blood of Jesus Christ ( see Revelation 1:5 ) and, thus, one who has been baptized, by immersion in water, in His name, for the remission of his or her past sins ( see Acts 2:38; 8:26-40 ( especially verses 36-39 ( KJV, for example ), for example ), Romans 3:21-26 ( especially verse 25, for example ); 6:1-4 ( especially verses 3 and 4, for example ); 10:1-4 ( especially verse 4, for example ); 15:1-4 ( especially verse 4, for example ), Galatians 3:26, 27, Colossians 1:19, 20 ( especially verse 20, for example ), Hebrews, chapter 10 ( especially verses 4, 18 and 22, for example ), and 1 Peter 1:1, 2, for example ), has become a slave to obedience, who does what God approves of ( a Christian - see Acts 11:26, for example ). Everyone in this world is a slave, either to sin or to obedience: there is no such thing as a denominational slave to obedience ( see Ephesians 4:5, for example ). Please study the Holy Bible ( which is God's word - see 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16, 17, for example ).
If you have any questions about the Holy Bible, you can contact me by e-mail at:
<rewillis1_1@juno.com>
<Russell E. Willis>.
