Claiming Freedom From Sin And Bondage
- Mary Lynn Tolar
- Jun 5
- 3 min read
“…and forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Matthew 6:12 (NASB)
At Infusion Ministries, we disciple identity in Christ and how to walk in the freedom Jesus provided us through the Lord’s Prayer Journey. When we review “Claiming Freedom from Sin and Bondage,” many people seem surprised at the variety of sins the Bible addresses.
The scriptures denote these specific six keywords: sin (Romans 3:23), debt (Matthew 6:12), lawlessness (1 John 3:4), transgression (Psalm 32:5), trespass (Ephesians 2:1, Matthew 6:14), wickedness (Psalm 106:6).
Words for Sin Meaning
Debt What is owed, your obligation, consequences of your sin
Lawlessness Open, flagrant rejection of God’s commands, disrespect for the law
Sin Missing the mark, inability to do good or display holiness
Transgression To step across the line, loss of self-control, no restraint
Trespass A fall or slip, infatuation, passion of the moment
Wickedness An immoral, depraved or wicked desire, lewdness, unclean, dirty
This list opens our eyes to realize that we are far more prevalent sinners than we thought! It’s very challenging to undergo sanctification when we are deceived that sin is not prevalent in our lives. Deception begins to lose its grip when our sin is addressed in complete repentance. Strongholds that we didn’t recognize previously begin to break. Our minds become renewed about the sting of our moral failures, and we run more quickly to the cross to be cleansed.
Looking a little more closely, the consequence of sin creates a debt that we can’t pay; it brings us death (Matthew 6:12, Romans 6:23). For those in Christ, having asked Jesus to be their Lord and Savior, Jesus paid that debt when He became sin and was crucified on the cross. Our identification with Jesus and repentance blots out the debt, praise Jesus!
Our sin is cumbersome because we miss the mark daily, unable to do good and be a holy witness to others. We rewrite or ignore God’s commands in our lawlessness to the leadership the Lord gives us and the rules they make, including the lowly traffic tickets. We transgress when we lose self-control and disrespect others created in God’s image. We trespass and act wickedly, pursuing lusts and unholy passions. We need the Holy Spirit’s conviction to recognize each stumble (or leap) into sin. Only the Lord’s help frees us from the strongholds.
We need the help of the Holy Spirit as we ponder these areas of sin and ask the Lord for a heart check, as David did in Psalm 139:24. The Lord knows every thought, and every action we take. He will reveal hidden sins so we may be freed.
We recognize the deceptive sin, repent and renounce it, and are cleansed, but we must step further into renewing our minds to recognize when sinful ways are building up again. Studying our thoughts will expose open doors where the enemy can get a foothold. As 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV) says, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” We do this by comparing the thought of action with what the Bible instructs. We ask, “Does this action honor Jesus or not?” and consider if it brings peace (like Jesus’ ways) or anxious thoughts.
It’s a life-long journey of sanctification to become more like Jesus, and, if we falter, we get back up, repent, and follow the process again. Our Teacher, the Holy Spirit, is there to guide us and help us grow in faith and right living. Thankfully, the Lord is the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2) and helps us to walk in holy actions. As 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV) reminds us, “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
As adapted from THE BONDAGE BREAKER and STOMPING OUT THE DARKNESS by Dr. Neil T. Anderson and Dr. Dave Park, and EPIC ENCOUNTER BY Dr. Dave Park and The Infusion Team
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