As Paul goes on in that passage to indicate we should stand firm and not allow ourselves to be burdened by the yoke of slavery, this meaning appears to be clear. In Christ, Paul is saying, in essence, we have freedom, so we should never again be bound or chained by the ropes or other structures that once held us tight.
Farmers and other livestock workers often put a wooden pole over two work animals, usually curved to fit around their necks, so the two could be fashioned into one unit, unified so together they could pull their loads evenly and efficiently. For instance, in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, and elsewhere in the Old Testament, God reminds His people He has delivered them from their former captors, the Egyptians. The Egyptians had placed a yoke upon them, but they are not yoked together anymore.
But Christ came and offered a new way: A path to God through Him. When the people were in the wilderness, Moses went to the top of Mount Sinai, where he was given a special covenant from God — the Ten Commandments. This covenant agreement is outlined throughout Exodus and Leviticus.
God knew this. Jesus stood in our place and paid our sin debt. In those days, those words were typically uttered when a debt was paid in full, and that seems to be precisely what Jesus was saying just before He took His last breath on the cross. Jesus paid our debt by dying for us, thereby liberating us from the old way and forging a new path that would enable us to have salvation with God in heaven forevermore. He bought our freedom with His own life. That includes freedom from so many things which we experience here and now in our day-to-day life.
In John it becomes perfectly clear that we have full liberty to choose not to give in when we are tempted to sin. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. We have freedom from being harassed by Satan.
We are free to resist him and crush him under our feet. We have freedom to let others be free. No demands on how people should be or what they should do. Each individual has the freedom to follow their own conscience and to be obedient to the leading of the Spirit in their own life.
If we hold others to our conscience we can place heavy burdens on them. Everyone has the undisputed right to follow their own conscience and we have to respect that. The conscience is also fluid, changing and updating as God gives us light about different things. He shows each one His truth as they are able to receive it and bear it. God has given us each a personality, with gifts and talents. But Jesus accepted the condemnation on our behalf.
Now, whoever is in Christ has been spared destruction. What great freedom! God has always had a Law for mankind, and has always intended for mankind to keep His Law. Yet this Law exists be it the Old Testament or the New Testament in part so that we would be conscious of sin and how imperfect we really are cf. The Bible exposes our faults, weaknesses, and imperfections — even when we are at our best. Yet, in Christ, we are free from keeping the Law for the exclusive purpose of meriting our way into heaven.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. We obey God because we are grateful for His great love for us. Thus, as John wrote:.
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