When an animal is tethered by a rope or a chain to a stake that is pounded into the ground in the field, the length of this rope determines the range of activity for this particular animal. The animal is free to move around wherever it wants, within the area that is limited by the perimeter of the circle that is made by the animal walking around the tether on a tight rope. If it wants to go farther, it will discover that it is bound. The longer the rope, the greater its range of activity, and the more liberty the animal has. This can be used as an illustration of our liberation from sin, our liberty in Christ, our spiritual range of action, our spiritual area of activity, our limitation to the area in which we have opportunity to accomplish something in Christ Jesus. We can picture it like this: Every sin, from the greatest to the least, is a rope, but of varying length. The greater the sin, the shorter the rope. In the beginning, we are virtually bound to the stake without any liberty (to do good) whatsoever. As the ropes are severed—as we gain the victory—our range of activity, and thus our liberty, increases correspondingly. All of us desire as much liberty as possible and go as far as we can until the next rope becomes taut. Each rope must first be discovered or seen before it can be severed. This also applies to sin. It must be seen and acknowledged by its true name before you can be liberated from it. Even if you discover the bond, you are not freed from it if the bond is not severed in reality. The knife that severs every such bond is faith in partaking of the death of Christ. For example, when you go to serve others in the love of Christ, you will sooner or later—after you have served a little bit or much—discover your limit. The bond (the bond of self-love) becomes taut: “Now I’ve had enough!” This applies to everything else as well. Who can serve the most and accomplish the most? It is obviously the person who has been liberated the most, who has severed the most bonds, who has the greatest range of activity.Elias Aslaksen