I freed a thousand slaves, and I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves,” said Harriet Tubman, an Underground Railroad Conductor who led hundreds of slaves to freedom in the pre-Civil War days. This diminutive black woman, an ex-slave herself, would travel into the South, and then hiding by day and walking by night, she would lead groups of slaves to the North. Nineteen times she made the dangerous trek into the South and is credited with leading hundreds of slaves to freedom.
Often Harriet would come to a clandestine meeting of slaves and explain to them how she could lead them to freedom on the Underground Railroad. Many would refuse her offer because they didn’t see themselves in the bondage of slavery. Not seeing themselves in the condition of slavery, they were not willing to undertake a long and arduous trip to escape it. Disappointed, Harriet would have to begin the trip back to the North with fewer companions than she had hoped for.
The reluctance to admit they were slaves kept many from seeking freedom. Today, the same thing is going on when the gospel is preached — people don’t see their need of the Saviour to set them free.
Only the Lord Jesus can set the sinner free. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:3636If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (John 8:36)).
How does the Lord Jesus set the sinner free? Let me give you three ways.
The Lord Jesus can set people free from the wages of sin. “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)). “What is the big deal about the wages of sin?” you might ask. “Everyone dies.” True, but death in this verse includes the separation of souls from God for all eternity in hell. It is much more than just the physical death of the body. In this case, it is not true that slaves don’t receive wages.
He can set souls free from the guilt of sin: “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:38-3938Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38‑39)). How precious it is to know that your sins are forgiven and paid for by what the Lord Jesus did on the cross!
He can also set souls free from the fear of death. “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (John 11:25-2625Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (John 11:25‑26)).
But nothing the Lord Jesus has to offer will make any sense to you until you see yourself as you truly are — a lost, undone sinner, without a shred of righteousness, headed towards judgment, both in this life and the life to come. You are not alone in this condition. This is the condition of every man and woman outside of Christ. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the [slave] of sin,” the Lord Jesus said in John 8:3434Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. (John 8:34). The human race, apart from Christ, is a race of slaves to sin. We have a great need of the Saviour of sinners — the Emancipator of all those who believe!
When the gospel of God’s grace is presented to you, will you see your need of salvation? Or will you pass the Saviour by because you think you are just fine without Him? Oh, be wise and consider what it means to be a lost sinner — a slave to sin — and then ask the Lord Jesus to save you and set you free!