What if the greatest freedom isn’t freedom of speech, religion, or press? What if it isn’t the right to bear arms or the right to vote? Don’t get me wrong, all of these freedoms are great and we shouldn’t take them for granted, but there is one freedom that makes all others pale in comparison—the freedom found in Christ. True freedom. Without Christ, we are all slaves of the sin inside of us, on the path to self-destruction.
“Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?”
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.” (John 8:31-35)
You see, the greatest freedom doesn’t come from getting our way, doing whatever we choose, or even doing what we “feel” is right. It isn’t found in being the king of our own lives. The irony is that true freedom isn’t found in us fighting for ourselves. It is found in surrendering ourselves to someone. Our liberator has to be so much greater. To be truly free, I must live for someone greater than myself. That someone is our creator, Jesus.
“For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (Hebrews 2:14-15)
God ultimately freed us from sin and death. Through freedom in Christ, we are saved from sin and death and brought into freedom under God’s grace. “Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.” (Romans 6:14) Therefore, we are no longer a slave to Satan and sin. Its power doesn’t have to control us. Sin is still in us, but only by the power of the Holy Spirit does it no longer have power over us. For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
What Does True Freedom in Christ Mean?
To understand freedom in Christ, I think it is important to look at the writings of Paul.
14 “So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. 15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[d] I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart.23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.”(Romans 7:14-25)
Paul was one of the greatest apostles to ever live yet he still struggled with the fight against sin. If anyone had reason to put confidence in themselves alone, it was Paul, yet he still cried out in agony because of the struggle with his sinful nature. Paul realized that his weak human self was no match for the enslavement of sin. His liberator would have to be so much greater.
Freedom from Ourselves
It’s so tiring to try to do good out of our own strength. It’s even more discouraging when we fail over and over again. We try so hard only to mess up. “Next time I will try harder,” we say, only to mess up again and fall back into the same routine. I know for me there have been many times when I told myself I shouldn’t do or say something. I knew it was wrong but I still did it…. again and again and again. Or sometimes even when I prayed that I wouldn’t do what I know is wrong, 10 minutes later I still did it.
“Why do I still sin in that way? I know I don’t want to. I know it’s wrong, but I still do!” This is the struggle against the sin inside of us, but we don’t have to be slaves of it. I don’t have to continue doing what I hate. “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 7:24-25)
There is no burden too great that God can’t bear. No chain too strong he cannot break. No pain too sharp that he cannot heal. Paul knew that. Paul understood that here on Earth we are in a battle against ourselves. A fight against our sinful nature. Sin still resides in us. He understood that following God and being a Christian doesn’t mean you will never fail and when we do fail, we are covered by God’s grace and he sees us blameless and sinless. Paul realized that to conquer sin and break free of those chains that enslave us is nothing that can be done by man’s strength.
How to be Set Free in Jesus Christ
So how? We know the answer is Jesus, so what now? Where do I go from there in trying to combat this force within me causing me to do what I don’t want to do?
What I have been learning more and more is that it all starts with following the greatest commandment…
“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” (Mark 12:30)
This is the greatest commandment, yet sometimes we try to put all the other commandments before it or even something or someone in place of loving God first. I’m guilty of trying to fight off my sinful nature by putting all my heart, soul, mind, and strength into stopping that evil desire when instead I should be putting all of that into loving my Lord, the only one who has the power to free me from my sin. When I love him first, every good thing will flow out of that. Freedom doesn’t come from focusing on fighting the sin, it comes from loving the Savior.
The only way to fight the chains that so easily enslave us isn’t to try harder in our own strength, we will grow wearier. It’s not to rise higher, we will just feel the weight of our shackles even more. No. Our liberator has to be so much greater.
C.J. Mahaney states in his book Humility: True Greatness, “As John Stott writes, the emphasis of the ransom image ‘is on our sorry state—indeed our captivity in sin—which made the act of divine rescue necessary.’ That’s the focus revealed here. So to hear the Savior speak the word ransom and understand it rightly is to be freshly reminded and affected by our own serious and sorry state, our miserable lostness and wretched bondage to sin. We cannot free ourselves from pride and selfish ambition; a divine rescue is absolutely necessary.”
True Freedom in Christ Through Surrender
With Christ, the path to freedom is complete surrender. Contrary to my natural inclinations, I must completely surrender to him, for when I lose my life I will find it. The moment I surrender to Christ, I am no longer a slave to my thoughts, possessions, people’s opinions, fears, guilt, pride, and sinful nature. No, the moment I surrender to Christ, I am filled with the Holy Spirit and given a new life. The power that rose Jesus from the grave lives inside of me and by his power I am set free.
Jesus tells us that the truth will set us free. We must abide in God’s word and call out to him for strength so that we won’t fall back into sin. We need to be renewed and line up our thoughts on God’s truth. So as we read his word and walk in the Holy Spirit, Satan is powerless against us and sin has no hold.
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)
Because of the great ransom of Jesus, because of his blood, we are saved from the death we deserve and filled with the Holy Spirit, a new life, and a desire to follow Christ. Not to act out of the flesh (sinful nature) but out of the Holy Spirit. Over time, we are transformed to be more like Christ. Until the day when we enter heaven’s gates, we must fight the good fight. Until we are given our completely glorified bodies, we must rely on Christ’s power to keep us walking in his light.
“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6)
The Hope of Christ’s Return
Just by going about our day, we can see the effects sin has on this world and the destruction it causes. This sin-cursed world should give us a yearning to be with Christ and a greater desire for Heaven. We have the assurance that when Christ returns or we are called to go home to the Lord, our flesh will be done away with and we will be in complete glory with Christ.
So when you feel helpless and caught in a constant cycle, when you feel like a failure and it seems you can never get it right, stop standing in the shadow of this fallen world and start kneeling in the shadow of the cross. God promises he will give you strength to overcome. He will free you from yourself.
By Grace Alone,
Rebekah Elizabeth