A mailman was given a new route. His first day he approached the mailbox of a home that had a big German shepherd crouched on the porch. When the mailman put his hand toward the mailbox, the dog started barking and jumped off the porch, clearing the front steps completely in a single bound. Instinctively, the mailman braced for the impact of being bitten, but as soon as the dog’s feet landed, it quickly returned to the porch and reassumed its crouched position.

It was then that the homeowner walked out to see why the dog had barked. The mailman explained what had happened and asked, “Why did he go back to the porch?” The homeowner answered, “Oh, we took his chain off yesterday and he hasn’t realized it yet.”

Sadly, many Christians haven’t realized yet that Jesus has set them free from the power of sin. As Jesus said,

“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36, N.K.J.V.)

Likewise, Paul says in Galatians 5:1:

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” (N.K.J.V.)

So, Christian, do you have a certain sin with which you continue to struggle? Well, don’t you think it’s about time that you started walking in the power of Christ and living like someone who has been set free from that sin’s bondage? Frankly, until you do, you aren’t showing much more sense than that dog.