Houdini's Hardship

Harry Houdini, the great escape artist, bragged that there wasn't a prison cell that could contain him for more than thirty minutes.  It has been said that a certain town built a new prison cell and invited Houdini to come and see if he could escape from it.  Houdini accepted the challenge.  He entered the cell, closed the door, pulled the curtain, and began to try to use his remarkable skills to get out of the jail.  Thirty minutes later, the curtain was drawn, and there on a cot sat a dejected Houdini.  
He had tried every trick he could think of but still - he was unable to escape!  
The jailer walked to the cell, and without a key, simply opened the cell door...
                             - It had been UNLOCKED the whole time! -

"Houdini's hardship" illustrates the serious problem that each of us has due to SIN.

By our OWN choosing, we imprison ourselves within the confines of SIN.  
We sin by breaking the law of God (1 John 3:4) and by failing to do what He wants (James 4:17).  And, "whoever commits sin is a slave of sin" (John 8:34).

Then, despite our best efforts, we - like Houdini - are unable to free ourselves from the prison of SIN.  Understanding the dilemma of sin, the Apostle Paul cried, "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me?" (Romans 7:24).  Then Paul answered his own question: "I thank God -- through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:25).

We find ourselves caught in SIN, a prisoner of our OWN device.  We struggle in so many different ways to get out on our own, but despite our best efforts, we are unable to break free from the sin that has enslaved us.  And like Houdini, many simply GIVE UP - resigned to their hopeless condition. But there is GOOD NEWS! The door has been UNLOCKED for us by God's own Son - by the blood that He shed on the cross!

On the cross, Jesus paid the price to set us free from SIN.  "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7).

All that is required to be freed from the bondage of SIN: is a response of submissive, obedient faith to what Jesus has done for us.  Those who place their faith in Jesus (Acts 16:31), repent of their sins (2 Corinthians 7:9-10), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sin (Acts 2:38) are set free from sin - they have passed through the "door" that Jesus has UNLOCKED for them!

Christ died to set us free, but NOT free to have our OWN way or to indulge our selfish desires. That would lead us right back into bondage!  Listen to the Apostle Paul: "What shall we say then? Shall we CONTINUE in sin that grace may abound?  Certainly not!  How shall we who DIED to sin LIVE any longer in it?  
Or do you not know that as many of us as were BAPTIZED INTO Christ Jesus were BAPTIZED INTO His death?" (Romans 6:1-3).  As long as we CONTINUE to follow 
after Jesus, He will keep us free from SIN.

Imprisoned by sin?  DON'T try to be an escape artist!  Follow Jesus; He will set you free.

God bless you.

David A. Sargent / Allan Eldrige

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

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