Truly Free!

When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness.
What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God,
the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
(Romans 6:20-22)
Ask a person on the street today what freedom is, and what would the answer be? Most likely, it would be related to choosing one’s own way, casting off restraints in order to do as one wishes.

But think about it: is an alcoholic free if he can drink whenever he wants, whatever he wants, however often he wants? Is a growing bondage to alcohol the true definition of freedom? Clearly, authentic freedom is not the same thing as license to do as we please; what we please is not always good for us and can, in fact, imprison us.

What is God’s definition of freedom? In Luke 4:16-21, Jesus preached Himself as the fulfillment of this passage in Isaiah: "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news . . . to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners . . ."

In John 8:31-32, Jesus declares, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Later, in verse 36, He adds that if He makes you free, you are truly free. True freedom is not found in independence from others or from societal restraints; true freedom is found in dependence upon God.
 "Abide in My word." To abide means to live, to dwell. This is more than opening your Bible on Sundays when the preacher teaches, or doing your morning devotional before starting your day. Abiding in God’s Word means counting it your home: so saturating your mind and heart in it that, as you face the day’s tasks and challenges, God’s voice is the primary influence on your thoughts, emotions and choices. By living in His Word, you are His disciples, knowing His truth, knowing Him! And you are made free.

But made free from what? In John 8, Jesus’ listeners didn’t get it: they stated defensively that they had always been free and had never been in bondage. But so might the man with a sharp temper who has consequently lost the respect and affection of his wife. Or the self-described honest woman who habitually overspends and then hides all evidence from her husband. Or the teen who can’t seem to turn off her electronic gadgets, even though her grades and relationships are suffering as a result. We do not easily recognize our own bondage to sin, yet our fallen hearts rush easily toward it, like moths to a flame. Without Jesus’ truth living in us, we are not free to experience deep joy, love with abandon, or disentangle ourselves from nagging sin patterns.

Jesus makes us free by saving us from God’s judgment on our sin. His death on the cross paid for our freedom from condemnation! We are free from the fear of guilt and shame and rejection, because we know that our repentance before God brings His full forgiveness. We come close to God and call Him Father. We are free to live as privileged, unconditionally loved children of God.

When we live in Jesus, and His Holy Spirit lives in us, we are freed from the control of sinful passions, from the behaviors and thought patterns that previously imprisoned us. This does not mean they will instantly disappear, but that God’s power is stronger than theirs. As we depend upon Him, we are empowered to say no to what once ruled us. This freedom is what we were made for! We are free to be who God designed us to be.
 Do you know this freedom? Do you know the precious lightness of having sin’s condemnation lifted from you? Is your life about Jesus and seeking Him in God’s Word? Are you His disciple, making your home with Him, free to serve the Lord with joy?