DO WE DRAG THE CHAINS OF BONDAGE?

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 57, 22 July 1965, Page 2

DO WE DRAG THE CHAINS

OF BONDAGE?

God has deliverence today for those who would avail themselves of it, ,says Mr F. N. Mercer in this week's Voiee of ihe Churches. The Bible says: — "For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." 1 John, 3.8. To th-e religious Jews Jesus said: — "If the Son Shall make you free you shall be free indeed." Their retort was: — "We were never in bondage to any man, and how sayest thou we shall be made free?" John 8.36. Their memories were pitifully short. Jewish history was one long catalogue of captivity and restorations, and here they were in subjection to Rome in their own land, a bondage which held

them in silent rage. The French have a most suggestive proverb: "He is not escaped who drags his chains." The historian Gibbon tells of one of the Roman emperors who was brought from prison to the palaee, and who sat for some hours on the throne, with his fetters upon his limbs. What an illustration this was, not only of these proud Jews, but also of multitudes today, who like this emperor, drag the chains of bondage that have captivated them all their lives. I speak of the bondage that God calls sin, a bondage that multitudes are in even though our Saviour, before He dismissed His Spirit cried, "It is finished". One is sickened, week after week, by the items in our newspapers, of crime and violence, lack of parental love, and grasping covetousness. In a day of scientific advancement, culture and education, in a land of prosperity and enjoyment, the words of scripture come afresh to one's mind. "Behold this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread and abundance of idleness." Ezek. 16.49. These were the things which led to her final

abomination, that brought God's vengeance from above. We have a parallel to these things in our fair Dominion today and people love to have it so. We need in our midst, prophets like Jeremiah of old, who cried, "Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of t-ears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people . . . for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men, and they bend their tongues like their bows for lies but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth, for they proceed from evil to evil and they know not Me, saith the Lord." Jer. 9:1-3. God has deliverence today, for those who will accept and avail themselves of it, for says the Apostle Paul "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and has committed unto us the word of reconciliation. We pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God." 11 Cor. 5.19.