Freedom in Christ

John 8:31-36; Gal. 5:1

I am parking the car at the church. The host of the Gospel music show is talking about our freedom in Christ. He says that we have freedom in Christ, and we should walk in that freedom. My spirit is moved. I find a piece of paper and write on it “Freedom in Christ.” I’m thinking that this is likely the title of my next article for the website. I check my list of articles and devotionals, and I discover that I have written on the subject “Free in Christ in October, 2015. I check the archives on the website, and guess what. In October, 2015, I also wrote a devotional titled “Conflict from God.” I suppose that articles and devotionals are much like the Holy Scriptures, prayer, and worship. They are not a onetime thing. They need to be repeated and ongoing. So, it is time to revisit the subject of our freedom in Christ.

What do we mean when we say that we are free in Christ, and we have freedom in Christ? What are we free from? What are we free to do? What does Christ have to do with our freedom? Consider this: The constitution guarantees certain freedoms and liberties to all citizens. Are you aware that the same constitution guarantees certain freedoms to non citizens also? For example, if a person is charged with committing a crime he or she has the right to representation by a lawyer. The accused has the right to have a trial. Whether one is a citizen or not, the accused is judged by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the crime is supposed to have taken place.

So, when we say that a person is free in Christ, we are saying that Christ gives us freedom because we are judged not guilty in those areas that Christ has jurisdiction over. This is an important concept because it is married to the questions above. What are we free from? What are we free to do? This introduces us to another question. Is it possible for a person to be free to do a thing according to the constitution and not have the same freedom in Christ? This is a question for our country today. President Trump nominates a judge to fill a vacant seat on the Supreme Court. It seems that many senators are most concerned about his position on the case Roe vs. Wade. Roe vs. Wade gives a woman the right to have an abortion. It is her decision alone. They are concerned if he will vote to uphold Roe vs. Wade or will he vote to overturn Roe vs. Wade. It seems that the country is divided over the questions surrounding Roe vs. Wade even among people of faith. Let us return to the primary questions. In Christ what are we free from? What are we free to do?

We must answer these questions based on the context in which the issue is raised in the scripture. Let us consider what is taking place in John 8:31-36. Jesus is becoming a popular and controversial person because His teaching is different from that of the religious leaders of the Jews. There is also debate about who this teacher really is. He does not receive His teaching from any of the Jewish religious authorities. He claims that His teaching comes from God, and added to this is His claim to be God’s son. For many of the people and especially most of the religious leaders these claims are blasphemy. On the other hand many believed Him (Jn. 8:27-30).

Jesus tells those that believe in Him that they are made free if they hold to His teaching. “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ‘If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (Jn. 8:31-32, NASB). Notice that those that oppose Jesus claim to be sons of Abraham, and they wrongly claim that they have never been enslaved to anyone. Apparently, they have forgotten about their exile into Babylon which begun in 605 B.C. and completed in 586 B.C. However, Jesus is talking about something different than physical bondage. The statement that Jesus makes sets the criteria for what we mean when we say that we are free in Christ.

John writes, “Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave to sin’” (v. 34). Jesus further says, ‘The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed” (vv. 35-36, NASB). So what are we free from? We are free from that which holds us as a slave. Jesus says that we are slaves to sin. What are we set free to do? We are made free to be in the house forever. Put another way, we are free to be in the presence of God forever. In Christ we are given access into the presence of God. Sin is the great divide between God and person. In His teaching Jesus declares that He is able to unite us with the Father for all eternity. What happens when Jesus makes us free from sin?

First, we are set free from the penalty of Sin. This penalty is separation from God. This separation is not limited to a place of location. It is more than the difference between heaven and earth. Separation from God means that we do not have God’s Spirit living in us. We do not follow about the Spirit because the Spirit is unavailable to us. Instead, we live according to the desires of the flesh. Sin is death because there can be no union between the flesh and the Spirit. Paul writes about this truth often. He writes, “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace” (Rom. 8:6).

Second, we are free from the Law. The Law is able to tell us what the will of God is. It tells us the punishment for disobedience to the Law. The Law is a written code set forth to teach us what is required for a person to be righteous. There is no provision for forgiveness and reconciliation given in the Law. Christ fulfills the Law by living in absolute obedience to the Law. Paul writes, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that righteousness” (Rom. 10:5). Thus our righteousness is based not on law. Rather, our righteousness is based on faith (v.6). It is in our mouth and in our heart (v. 8.) We are made righteous; and free from the law by faith in our hearts, and we confess our faith with our mouths (v.).

Third we are free from the power of sin. When we believe in Christ, He gives us His Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives in us. It regenerates us; giving us a new mind that is no longer hostile to God. We are transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:2). We can now do what we could not do before. In Galatians Paul writes that there is a difference between the works of the flesh (5:19-21) and the fruit of the Spirit (vv. 22-23).

This leads us back to the question asked above. Is it possible for a person to be free to do a thing according to the constitution and not have the same freedom in Christ?

The constitution is written to give all people equality based on the law. In spite of what many people believe and want to be true the constitution is not given for Christians with their personal understanding of the bible only. The constitution is for Christians and people of every faith. It is a document that is utilitarian. “Utilitarianism” is a philosophy that holds that all moral, social, or political actions are directed towards achieving the most good for the most people. Thus, it is necessary in a pluralistic society that the constitution give rights and freedoms to people that are contrary to the rights and freedoms that Christ gives to His disciples. It is important that we understand that the freedom that Christ gives is effective for His disciples; those who believe in Him and have His Spirit.

Christ sets us free from sin and all its consequences. In Christ we have freedom. “it was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery” (Gal. 5:1). What should I do that Christ gives me freedom? How can I know that I am living in His freedom? “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (Gal. 5:24-25, NASB).