Instead, some of her wealthy clients in St. Louis contributed the money she needed, and Elizabeth Keckley paid the price for her freedom as well as her son’s. She moved to Washington, DC, where she counted Mary Lincoln among her dressmaking clients.

Without the help of someone else, Keckley would never have been able to purchase her freedom. *

All of us were enslaved to sin with no hope of ever gaining freedom. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  Jesus said, “Truly, truly I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin” (John 8:34).

In mercy and compassion, Jesus gave His life for us, purchasing our salvation by shedding His blood on the cross.  “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

God will save from sin and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

In Christ, we are free from the bondage of sin, but that freedom does not mean that we do whatever we want. Instead, we are free to live how Jesus wants us to live.  That is true freedom.

Peter Marshall once prayed this prayer before the U.S. Senate: “Lord Jesus, thou who art the way, the truth, and the life; hear us as we pray for the truth that shall make all free. Teach us that liberty is not only to be loved but also to be lived. Liberty is too precious a thing to be buried in books. It costs too much to be hoarded. Help us see that our liberty is not the right to do as we please, but the opportunity to please to do what is right.”

“Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” – John 8:36

-- David A. Sargent