Freedom in Christ

What is Freedom?

What does the word “freedom” mean to you? I posed this question to some college students recently. After some deliberation, they came up the following answer, “Freedom is the ability to do as you please without interference.” Putting it differently, a free person is unhindered by other people or the law and can do as they please. Based on this definition, this freedom would entail no social responsibility in certain circumstances as long as no one is injured. However, a follower of Christ must realize that the world has a different definition of freedom from what the Holy Bible says. When it comes to the meaning of freedom, a Christian is supposed to strive for a certain level of detachment from the outside world because of the significant impact that Jesus’ life and teachings have had on human freedom. The totality of freedom is still a question that most scholars worldwide strive to define in one uniform way.

Freedom in Christ

Christ’s words on freedom establish the foundation for true Christian liberty. Vorster (2019) stated, “The central statement of the Christian faith is that God revealed himself in Jesus Christ, who liberated humanity from the bondage of sin” (p. 45). Upon examining the development of the concept of freedom from a Christian viewpoint, I see that the teachings and life of Jesus are pivotal in delineating freedom and its enduring values from its intellectual and epistemic dimensions that may have a personal meaning to some people.  The Bible often talks about freedom, especially from Jesus’ teachings. As Apostle Paul says in Galatians 5:1, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” In John 8:31-32, He says, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, which shall free you.” Both verses refer to a type of freedom that only God can grant, and they are extended only to those who accept and adhere to His truth. In Luke 4:18, Jesus declared that He had come to Earth to “proclaim freedom” after revealing Himself as the Messiah. Additionally, He stated on another occasion, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). All the above passages ascertain that instead of granting us the freedom to do as we please, Jesus released us to carry out our moral obligations without getting stuck to Old Testament moral and legal laws. He was setting us free to live in a relationship with God and to be the individuals He made us to be. The capacity to obey God and make His decisions constitutes this spiritual freedom in Christ.

The Epistemes of Christian Freedom from Apostle Paul’s Perspective

The term “freedom” is used to characterize the Christian life more in Apostle Paul’s letters than anywhere else in the New Testament. Freedom is one of Paul’s favorite words for defining the gospel (Saint Paul: Apostle of Freedom in Christ, 2017). The word “freedom” and its derivatives appear 28 times in Paul’s letters. Paul’s teachings embraced what Christ has done for us, freeing us from bondage to the world and describing how we are called to live the Christian life.  In Galatians 5:2-6 Paul argued about freedom one can enjoy when we are a new creation in Christ, related to circumcision for New Testament believers in the context of Galatians. Paul does not oppose circumcision in and of itself. He invokes his apostolic authority and demands Galatians be aware of the potential implications of their choice if the Gentiles are to submit to circumcision to be saved. However, Paul makes it very evident in his writings that the basis for this freedom is our relationship with Jesus Christ. In addition, our liberty in Christ calls us to a new kind of service, the obligation to serve others out of love rather than just being free from the world’s enslavement. The context seems to suggest that Paul is distinguishing freedom from bondage and freedom from sin, the devil, and eternal death.

Progressive and Post-Modernistic View of Christian Freedom

Deconstructing an idea or scrutinizing the real or original meaning of concepts is the foundation of post-modernism. Ironically, since denying the existence of absolute truth is itself an absolute statement, post-modernists vehemently reject the notion of universal morality or absolute truth (Douglas, 2019). Post-modernity challenges everything previously accepted once as accurate, which is why almost everything is currently the subject of discussion and re-examination. The issue is that post-modernism also questions the meaning and application of freedom in the post-modernistic and progressive world. The progressive and post-modernistic view of Christian freedom entails “brotherly love and compassion” to all people without eternally judging them.  As stated differently, people’s perspectives shift from following the law to a live-and-let-live approach that fosters more harmony between individuals and diverse religious groups (Eregare, 2020). From a post- modernistic perspective, it is safer to say that freedom in Christ is the ability to enter God’s kingdom through simple acts of love for others-without change, confession, or repentance. Such liberation movements indeed greatly impacted the culture of freedom in the post-modern church (Gorringe, 1999).  As stated in Galatians 5:13, “Brothers, you were called to freedom; however, do not use it as a means to indulge your flesh. Instead, show one another love and support.” It is impossible for those in Christ to continue in sin- or, to use Paul’s terminology, in the flesh when they reject the law in favor of a righteousness obtained via faith in Christ. The mere fact that Paul states that we are not to live under the law does not liberate us from our sins. It can safely be concluded that the emergence of these post-modernistic freedom trends within the Church may distract believers from the Word of God. Therefore, instead of adhering to liberalistic principles of postmodernism, a true believer’s goal of freedom in Christ should allow them to live as God intended (BGEN Admin, 2022). 

Obstacles to Freedom in Christ: Legalism and Licentiousness

While Apostle Paul exhorts the Galatians to hold fast to the genuine freedom that is their legitimate inheritance in Christ, he also warns the Galatians of two obstacles in response to the concept of freedom as believed by Galatians. The first was the legalistic standpoint of Paul’s opponents in Galatia, who were so preoccupied with trying to win God’s favor by their actions that they failed to recognize the liberating nature of Christ’s work was through His grace. The second obstacle was the tendency to misuse the freedom that Christ bought for us by returning to licentiousness, meaning a lifestyle lacking in legal or moral restraints.  Galatians were misguided in thinking that freedom and the law cannot coexist. Both legalism and licentiousness oppose freedom because they enslaved their folllowers in the bondage of sin in similar ways. Instead, Paul explained that obedience to God is required. “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. Moreover, being free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:17-18). Paul’s entire argument here is encapsulated in Christ’s freedom, ensuring that neither legalism nor licentiousness takes advantage of our freedom. 

Conclusion

 The pursuit of freedom is the goal of today’s liberal society. Ironically, freedom in Christ is the gift of faith that results in a disciplined Christian life and a long- lasting relationship with Christ. We are no longer bound by sin, death, or hell, nor do we have to worry about deserving God’s favor. We are free because of Christ. Furthermore, we are free to enjoy the joy of holiness, love, and life in the Spirit. When our freedom in Christ brings us together, the cloud of sin that prevents us from enjoying our relationship with the Father will lift, allowing us to continue living in the freedom and joy of knowing Christ.