Truly Free

When we look at or listen to the news we find that the present human condition affirms that the world at large is not "free indeed." Human history records an unbroken trail of bondage. Secular wisdom cannot unshackle the heart no matter how hard a person tries, no matter how educated a person may be. The changing of or improvement of living conditions, or equal rights will never set a person free with any lasting results. Only the Creator of humanity can do that. God alone has provided the emancipation of human suffering and captivity through Jesus Christ His Son, our great Savior and Liberator. Jesus said, "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." (John 8:36) The Apostle Paul tells us, "It was for this freedom that Christ set us free [completely liberating us]; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery [which you once removed]." (Galatians 5:1 AMP)  

Jesus Christ of Nazareth, born of a virgin by means of a miraculous conception through the power of the Holy Spirit, became like one of us to completely set humanity free from sin and the tyrannical power of Satan. Luke records the ministry of Jesus to the world, which was foretold by the prophet Isaiah, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18-19) The gospel of John also records the many claims that Jesus made regarding himself and his relationship to all of mankind. Those claims are extraordinary, absolutely amazing! One of the things He said of Himself was, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." (John 14:6) What He was proclaiming was that He alone was mankind's great Liberator, that He could and would set man free. 

The gospel is the Good News about Jesus Christ and the freedom that He gives. It is the Holy Spirit inspired presentation of that Good News that sets man free. Although the true gospel of Christ can be distorted or perverted, Jesus and his apostles preached a lifesaving, mind and heart freeing message from God. Numerous times and in different ways Jesus said, "For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak." (John 12:49) The Apostle Paul tells us of his ministry in the gospel, "For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ." (Romans 15:18-19)

It is the cross, that is, the cross of Christ the presents the Good News. The cross of Christ focuses on God's answer to man's need: life and freedom. The death of Jesus, the Son of God, is revealed in that historical event at Calvary. He died, according to God's Word, as a sin offering for man. This is the one and only way that mankind can be set free. It is an act of God's grace alone with absolutely nothing to do with mans efforts. Although freedom is by grace through faith, many believers have created doctrine and legalism, as an attempt to earn one's salvation by works rather than relying upon God's grace through Christ to save. The Apostle Paul tells us, "But if it is by grace [God’s unmerited favor], it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace [it would not be a gift but a reward for works]." (Romans 11:6)  Paul dealt with this very thing with the church at Galatia. (See Galatians 3) 

Although there are numerous barriers to freedom that rob people, even believers, from God's gracious and abundant provision of life that we have in Christ, (John 10:10), I believe that these three stand out, ignorance, pride and fear. Ignorance of the will, nature, character, purpose and plan of God through Jesus can keep one in darkness. The very darkness that Jesus came to set us free from is what keeps us from God's freedom and love. Jesus is the wisdom from God that dispels ignorance. He is the truth that sets men free. "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:6) 

Pride can keep us enslaved to our selfish egos and erroneous ideologies. Pride can cause people to presume that they have need of nothing outside themselves. This is the very issue that was the fall of  Lucifer, "For you (Lucifer) have said in your heart: I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High." (Isaiah 14:13-14) God's Word tells us several time, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Pride is a self-righteous attitude that  robs one of their freedom in Christ because it is void of grace. Ignorance and pride are two deadly foes of the freedom that God's grace brings to those who would follow Jesus Christ. The final foe of freedom that I want to mention is fear. 

Fear is the root of anxiety and worry. According to the Apostle John, "fear involves torment."  (1 John 4:18) Fear can keep one in bondage, robbing them of the life that Jesus brought to humanity. Fear is not from God, it is and evil spirit. The Apostle Paul tells us, "God has not given us a spirit of fear." (2 Timothy 1:7) These three, ignorance, pride and fear are thieves that cheat us out of the joy of God's freedom through Jesus Christ.  

Freedom is a gift we possess only when we receive Christ as Lord and Savior and walk in it. A free person is not afraid to make up his own mind to settle for himself the basic issue of life. A person who desires reality must fearlessly pursue truth and be responsible for making decisions regarding that truth, that is, God's Word. Long ago, Joshua, a great man of courage and faith said, "Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:14-15) 

When one submits to the truth of the gospel and obediently trusts in God's abundant grace to save, then, that person will know what it means to be "free indeed." They will be free from ignorance; free from pride; and free from fear. The saving grace of a loving God as realized in Christ Jesus is the most liberating power known to man. However, a prisoner is not a free man if he refuses to leave his cell after the door is opened. God, through Christ has opened the prison door for all. So, as Joshua said, "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" let us make the same declaration, believing and receiving the complete freedom that was freely given through the Lord Jesus Christ. "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)