How to Escape Spiritual Bondage
We recently studied the prophecy of Isaiah, quoted by our Lord in the synagogue of Nazareth, that the Redeemer would “proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the eyes to those who are bound” (Isa 61:1; Luke 4:18). Both the details of Isaiah’s language and the New Testament history suggest that these expressions are metaphorical. Our Lord never released anyone from physical prison—not even John the Baptist from Herod’s dungeon. But he did speak of spiritual bondage (John 8:31-36), and many believers today wrestle with besetting sins that frustrate their Christian walk. Our Savior has unlocked the chains, but we sometimes have a struggle in getting untangled from them.
After our study, we discussed practical ways that we can experience the delivery from bondage that our Lord promised. Here are four suggestions, from four different brothers in the meeting. Together, they are a powerful set of tools for enjoying Christian liberty. If you’d like a mnemonic, you can think of them as the four ‘R’s: Retreat, Relate, Remember, and Replace.
Retreat: Don’t go near the source of the temptation, and if you find yourself near it, run away. Paul exhorted his readers, “Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof” (Rom 13:14). Job “made a covenant with [his] eyes” (31:1), resolving to turn away from stimulating sights in order to avoid lascivious thoughts. We should follow Joseph’s example: confronted with direct temptation by Potiphar’s wife, he “fled, and got himself out” (Gen 39:12). So Paul exhorts the Corinthians, “Flee fornication” (1 Cor 6:18). If you know you are weak in an area, make up your mind not to go anywhere near the source of temptation, and if it comes upon you, don’t dwell upon the opportunity. Get out.
Relate: You can’t be holy alone. Be accountable to other believers. Find a more mature believer (a man if you’re a man, a woman if you’re a woman) with whom you can confidentially share your weakness. Ask this friend to hold you accountable as you deal with your weakness–to ask you how you’re doing from time to time, and to pray for you. We are not intended to live our Christian lives in independence of other believers. Rather, we are told to “consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works” (Heb 10:24).
Paul wrote to the church in Corinth about a man who was living in open sin. He expected this man to be accountable to the other believers. If the sinner persisted, they were to exclude him from their fellowship (1 Cor 5). More generally, Paul told them, when they came together to remember the Lord in breaking bread, to “discern the Lord’s body” (1 Cor 11:29), that is, the other believers in the church, judging themselves so that they would not fall under the Lord’s judgment (1 Cor 11:31).
The next two suggestions require that you prepare specific responses for your besetting sin. Ask your accountability partner to help you in this preparation.
Remember: Memorize Scripture passages that give God’s perspective on your besetting sin. The Psalmist recognized the power of this principle, when he wrote, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Ps 119:11). When our Lord was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, he met each attack with a pertinent verse of Scripture, introduced by, “It is written” (Matt 4:4, 7, 10).
Paul calls the Word of God “the sword of the Spirit” (Eph 6:17). Set aside time to collect Scripture passages that deal specifically with your area of weakness, and commit them to memory. (You might ask your friend to quiz you on them, to make sure that they’re firmly in your mind.) Then, when you’re under attack, you can recall those verses, and the Spirit can use them to reinforce your resolve to obey the Lord and resist temptation.
Replace: A powerful way to remove one form of conduct is to replace it systematically with another. Paul urges the Ephesians to deal with their temptations this way. He tells them that changing ungodly behavior into Christian behavior is like changing clothes: “put off [like a garment] concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And … put on [like a garment] the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Eph 4:22-24). Then he illustrates by listing several items of their new wardrobe. Instead of lying, they are to speak truth to each other (4:25). Instead of stealing, they are to devote themselves to honest work (4:28). Instead of corrupt, filthy speech, they are to think of things to say to one another that will build up the body (4:29). Instead of bitterness and anger, they are to be kind, tender, and forgiving to one another (4:31-32). Self-sacrificing love is to replace covetousness and unclean desire (5:2-3); thanksgiving to God is to replace foolish jesting and dirty jokes (5:4).
Bondage to a particular sin is really a habit, and the best way to break an old habit is to form a new one. Just as you prepare specific verses to counter the temptation that you know will come, think of specific practices of holiness that you can repeatedly practice to develop godly habits, pushing out the ungodly ones that were part of your old life.
The Lord Jesus came to set the captives free. He has broken the power of sin, and given us the Holy Spirit, who is able to deliver us from its daily influence. God promised his people, “I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them” (Eze 36:27). You can enjoy this victory, if you Retreat from temptation, Relate to other believers, Remember God’s word, and systematically Replace your sinful habits with positive acts of holiness.
