It is sad to say that many who are in bondage to the law and its curse sincerely believe they are free. This was the case of the Pharisees when Christ told them they were in bondage. He told them, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). This specific truth was and is the Gospel God's promise to save sinners, freely give them all of salvation, and entitle them to all of Heaven based on His righteousness alone. They rejected this message and replied, "We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?" (John 8:33). They thought they were already saved, already free. This is the case of lost religionists today. They seek to serve God, to avoid sin, to reform and improve themselves, and they sincerely believe they do these things in the Spirit of liberty and grace, when in reality they are motivated by the spirit of bondage and legalism. How can we know if we are free or in bondage? God's Word provides the simple and clear answer, so we need not remain ignorant nor deceived on this vital subject. True spiritual liberty that comes in salvation is when a sinner knows and believes that before he takes the first step in seeking to obey God, he is already qualified and entitled to all of Heaven based solely upon the righteousness of Christ freely imputed and received by faith. Liberty is realized when a justified sinner is motivated by the absolute certainty of eternal salvation and final glory conditioned on the imputed righteousness of Christ, without the deeds of law. Bondage and legalism is when a sinner attempts any obedience while thinking that it saves him, keeps him, qualifies him, or entitles him to any part of salvation and/or Heaven. That person is in bondage because they are debtors to do the whole law. They owe a debt to God's law and justice they cannot pay, thus, they are in bondage. The Gospel is a call to freedom, to salvation not by the works and efforts of men, but freedom and salvation based on the merits of Christ's obedience and death alone. Any who desire THIS freedom can have it. Any who believe that God will save them and entitle them to all of Heaven based on the righteousness of Christ are set free and must stand fast in this liberty of grace. They now have the freedom to serve God and bring forth fruit unto God without any thoughts of legalism and bondage. What a miracle of grace!