December 25, 2025. Christmas Day.

“Truly He taught us to love one another, His law is love and His gospel is peace. Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother and in His Name, all oppression shall cease…” — from the Christmas hymn, “O, Holy Night”

One year ago, I posted an article here which began with these same words, except that the year is 2024. I considered reposting it again but then decided to write a new article building off the same base, following the same format, and taking the argument I made last year into a new direction.

This song, O Holy Night, is without doubt, hands down, my absolute Christmas favorite and the main reason for that is the message it conveys. It is worth repeating.

“Truly He taught us to love one another. His law is love and His Gospel is Peace. Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother and in His Name all oppression shall cease.”

I cannot imagine a better way of describing the Gospel in three short sentences.

Undoubtedly, the breaking of the chains which bind us begin with the spiritual freedom which comes as a result of confessing faith in Jesus Christ and submission to His Lordship over our lives, but this is only the first step. From there, it progresses to the liberation of the soul, our emotions and feelings, and can even spill over into physical healing regardless the condition. However, as time goes on and I make progress in my relationship with God, the more I realize that since I am a person made in His Image, that I am no longer bound by the rule of Man, but am a sovereign being in my own right. The chain which seeks to bind me to the tyranny of others has been broken and cannot be used to subjugate me to their will. In Christ, I am truly free.

Of course, this should not be read to say that I can do whatever I want, that I am completely independent of anyone and anything. I am, as one of His disciples, under His authority and rule, and as a consequence, must live the way I am commanded. The distinction between these two is that, while Man’s rule enslaves in a spirit of power-seeking for one’s own benefit, His law is love, which empties itself for the good and betterment of those it touches.

“Chains shall He break…”

He breaks the chains. All we have to do is to watch and then act in unison, cooperation, and gratefulness. The important thing is that we recognize that the chains have been broken and that we are now freed from the manacles, freed to walk out of the prison cell, freed to become what we were created to be.

What is just as important is the promise this phrase makes, i.e., that the breaking of the chains is guaranteed and, while we may not see it as of yet, it will happen. This is where faith comes in. Our part is simply to believe and be patient, yet ready to move when the moment occurs.

This is true liberation. Political liberation, as proclaimed so avidly by winners of elections and wars, cannot begin to compare.