Freedom in Christ

Let’s talk about the Christian’s freedom for a minute. When we choose Jesus as Lord, the Word says we have received “adoption as sons,” “redeemed under the law,” “no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, than an heir” (Gal 4:5,7). We identify new with the family of God and identify ourselves as His children. 

This morning as I read through 2 Corinthians 3, I stumbled on a favorite cultural verse: “…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (v 17) What exactly does that mean? Freedom IN what or FROM what? In this specific context, Paul was referring to freedom from the guilt and shame tied to the Law (aka old covenant). When Christ came, he fulfilled the law (Matt 5:17) of the Jews by providing a “once for all” sanctification (Heb 10:10) from the shame and guilt of sin through his death and resurrection. After Christ ascended, new Christ followers were having difficulty changing their lifestyle from an almost anal attentiveness to the Old Covenant Law to sharing this “good news” about the Messiah, who had come in a very unorthodox timing and style. 

 Here's the thing about freedom and people, though. We are moral beings, which means we were created to live by the order of some form of morality, whether we choose to walk in Christ or not. (C.S. Lewis has much more to say on this in Mere Christianity). We are created beings; in our nature we bend either to Law or to Flesh (which is self-made law). In Christianese, we might use the terms legalism and liberalism; Liberalism disguised might be called “grace” and legalism might be called “discipline.” Grace and discipline, by the way, are both important aspects of the Christian walk when they come under the authority of the Spirit. Grace under flesh might show as excused or even celebrated sin; discipline under flesh might be displayed as rigid rituals or beliefs with no compassion or kindness toward others. 

Galatians 5 and Romans 8 do a superb job of breaking down the complexities of freedom. 

 “For freedom Christ has set us free” (Gal 5:1). Galatians 5 shares that our freedom comes IN walking in step with the Spirit. 

 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (5:16). It goes on to explain that the Spirit and the flesh clash with each other. Which is why the definition of a Christian is being born again….we now have Christ’s life in us, and we have put to death our flesh. Once we’ve chosen to walk with Christ, we can no longer allow our sin to identify us. 

As Matthew 6:24 reminds us, “No one can serve two masters”. We cannot let the Lord and our own Flesh rule together. “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh…” (Gal 5:13) Our flesh is, according to Mosaic law, “your fallen, sinful desires [which] act contrary to God’s moral laws.” The chapter continues with specific examples of acts of the flesh. 

Jesus had a conversation about being “free” in John 8. After teaching that the truth would set them free, the Jews retorted, “We’ve never been enslaved to anyone. Why do we need freedom?” Jesus answered, “Truly…everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever” (John 8:35). God doesn’t want us to be His slaves. He wants us to be His children! Parents keep boundaries for their children because they know their children don’t have the maturity to set their own. We buck and defy, just like our toddlers do to us. But we love our kids enough to hold them back from walking into a busy street. The Lord restrains and disciplines us in His lovingkindness. 

 The freedom I have is bending my will to my Lord, knowing that I no longer live under the slavery of sin, but under the perfect Fatherhood of the God who loves me perfectly. I’ve been adopted and cannot allow myself to identify with who I was before. 

 Who I am now is His Child.