There is a relatively popular small group curriculum used in many churches called Freedom. About a year ago, I wrote my perspective on what freedom could look like. Instead of working on small group curriculum, this ended up becoming a perspective on spiritual warfare and what it really means to be “led” and “empowered” by the Holy Spirit. If you’re into the deep cuts of Christianity. These next few posts will be for you.
it is important to understand the difference between the Western definition of freedom and God’s definition of freedom. Most often, when we think of freedom, we think of an American, or Western definition. Most of us can easily define Western freedom. It is about individual rights and liberty. The freedom we often think of is “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” as we define it without outside interference from government, another person, or anything else.
In John 8, Jesus uses the Greek word eleutheria (ἐλευθερία). This word was also used in Greek and Roman politics, but it was more often used in philosophy. Eleutheria did not mean freedom to do whatever a person wanted. It meant, the freedom to pursue the highest good. Truth. Virtue.
A person can act in service to one of two things: falsehood or truth. In philosophy, freedom comes when a person learns to distinguish lies from truth, and lives according to truth.
A person would be “free” when they understood:
- What they can, and can’t control.
- That the highest good is what is good all the time for everyone. Philosophers called this; “virtue.” Things like wisdom, temperance, courage, justice and love were considered virtues.
- Freedom is something you give yourself when you decide to control what you can control in service to virtue (the highest good) for others, not yourself.
The New Testament most often uses this same word for freedom. Jesus uses it in John 8, not to define freedom from tyranny or rule, but freedom from a sinful existence that leads to temporal and eternal death. Biblical freedom is freedom from the control of sin, from cravings that are never satisfied, and from self-seeking that leads to the destruction of ourselves and others.
There were over 613 laws in the Old Testament. These laws governed everything from personal behavior to how people should relate to God. To follow these things was to be obedient to God and live the way he wanted you to live. The Bible and philosophy have much in common. And one of those things is that humans are not ever truly independent. We must serve something. We can serve lies, or we can serve truth. The devil is a great deceiver. Just like Adam and Eve, he will try to make you think that obedience to anything isn’t freedom. But Jesus paints a clear picture in John 8. We are either free in him, or slaves to our own sin.
Does that mean we are supposed to follow all the Old Testament laws? It could, but because of Jesus it doesn’t.
”Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.“
/ Matthew 5:17-19
Jesus didn’t come so that we were no longer subject to obedience. He didn’t end the law, he fulfilled it. What does that mean for us? We still have to follow the law, and we do it by following Him.
The New Testament’s definition of freedom is: to attain self-control by choosing to be controlled.
God’s definition of freedom is vastly different than the kind of freedom we often think of. It is freedom from being controlled by the most evil part of ourselves. But the only way we get this freedom is by allowing God to lead us. The greatest issue that keeps us from becoming free is not the devil, and it’s not oppressive biblical commandments, it is our own rebellious and sinful nature.
No matter where you are in your faith journey, this curriculum will challenge you to take a step toward truth—about God, about faith, and about yourself.
Jesus said that He came to the earth so that we could have a great life. Not just in eternity, but right now. ( John 10:10). We’re not supposed to barely survive. We’re supposed to live a life that is extraordinary, beyond remarkable. That’s what the word abundant means in John 10. That’s the kind of life God has always intended us to have.
God wants a relationship with you. But even more than that, he wants you to live the life he designed you for. God sent his son Jesus to do what you could not do, to forgive your sins, and give you his grace that empowers you. God will do what you cannot do for yourself. He will forgive you, cleanse you, give you his mercy and grace, and secure your eternity in Heaven. But God will not do what you can do for yourself. Jesus died so that you can be free. Freedom is your choice, your responsibility, and requires you to pay your price. The choice begins with choosing Jesus, but that’s just the start. Freedom is not easy, it will cost you something. How free you become is up to your willingness to surrender everything in your life completely to God and his plan. Jeremiah 29:13 says that If you seek Him with your whole heart, you will find Him. Freedom is a lifelong pursuit, not a destination.
There are two key decisions we must make that set us free:
- Freedom in eternity – Confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord.
- Freedom on earth – Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit to produce fruit on this side of eternity.
In the Amplified version, Proverbs 29:18 tells us “Where there is no vision [no revelation of god and his word], the people are unrestrained; But happy and blessed is he who keeps the law [of god].“
Believe it or not, the lack of freedom you feel is most likely tied to your desire for a lack of restraint. Freedom isn’t a lack of control. It is self-control that comes with a desire to become everything God has called you to be and submit yourself to the leading of the Holy Spirit. God set you free so that you could become everything he’s created you to be on this side of eternity. To step into your destiny, you must surrender everything in your life to him. God has more for you than you can ask, think or imagine. He wants you to be free to live a great life so that you can show others the way to freedom.