Galatians 5:1

FREE

John was a slave on a slave ship in the mid-1700’s. The conditions in the hold were horrible: the bodies chained close together, the stench, the cries of misery and fear. The conditions of John’s slavery, however, were very different. John’s chains were not trapping his body in the bottom of a boat. John’s chains were trapping his soul.

In a line of work where callousness and immorality were often the norm, John had gained the reputation of making other sailors wince. He continually rebelled against his superior officers, even when it brought him ghastly punishment. His mouth was so filthy it’s said that he enjoyed inventing new words just for shock value. And when anyone ever expressed any kind of faith in God, John relished the chance to mock and attack without mercy. That was John’s life of slavery.

If John’s story were a movie, the scriptwriter would have one incident serve as a turning point for John’s soul. But that’s not what happened. Instead, over a period of years, John encountered some severe hardships in his life. While this was going on, he also encountered opportunities to consider the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

God kept working on John’s chains through his word. He was patient with John. Very patient. Eventually, the chains fell off. Through faith in Jesus Christ he was a forgiven child of God. He was free. From that time on, his life was not the same.

Perhaps as you read or listen to these words, you’re not sure what to think of Jesus. That’s okay. Just keep reading. Keep listening. Keep considering what it is that Jesus has done for you. He’s come to break your chains of guilt, your chains of sin, your chains of fear. He’s come to set you free.

John’s full name was John Newton. You may not have heard of John, but you’ve heard what John wrote later in his life. He’s the man who wrote the hymn, “Amazing Grace.”