Freedom

During the pandemic, a local television news showed protests against the government mandate to wear masks in public. One lady, wearing a t-shirt with the phrase, “Jesus Saves,” was interviewed. She said it was her right not to wear a mask; she has the freedom to do as she wished. The government cannot tell her what to do.

America is synonymous with freedom. Freedom and the American flag go together. In the evangelical church, freedom is embraced probably to the same degree as in the general population. Though freedom may not be written into the church’s statement of faith, it is believed and embraced by the many in the church. It is unwritten “theology.” Freedom as a belief or value is ranked quite high, perhaps even rivaling key tenets of the faith in many churches.

As believers, what is this freedom we hold so dearly? Does the Bible teach on this freedom?

The Bible, in fact, does teach about freedom. There are numerous passages that speak about freedom. Paul writes about freedom in Romans.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the life-giving Spirit in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. . . So then, brothers and sisters, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. (Romans 8 NET)

In the previous chapter, Paul uses marriage as an analogy of the relationship between the law (Mosaic) and the believer. If the husband is alive, the wife is bound to him. If the husband dies, she is free from the law of marriage. As believers, we have died to the law and no longer bound to it. We have been released (freed) from the law and joined to Christ. Romans 8:1 reinforces this idea, we are set free from the “law of sin and death.” Having been set free, we are not obligated to live according to the flesh. Therefore, freedom, as explained by Paul, is freedom from the Mosaic Law, or from the law of sin and death. Elsewhere (Romans 6), Paul describes our freedom as being freed from the enslavement of sin.

Paul continues his discourse of freedom in Galatians. The church in Galatia had been infiltrated by Judaizers who insisted faith in Jesus was not sufficient, but followers of Jesus must also be circumcised.

But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. Yet it was a concern because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy on our freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us. (Gal 2:3-4)

The “freedom” in this passage refers to circumcision requirement of the Mosaic Law. As true believers, we are freed from the requirements of the law. If the believers in Galatia had acquiesced to the Judaizers, then they would have been enslaved all over again to the law. Later in Galatians 5:1, Paul again urges them not to give in to circumcision, “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” The yoke of slavery is circumcision specifically, and the Law in the general sense. Later in Galatians 5, Paul talks about freedom in a different light, as if he knew this concept of freedom may be twisted in its application. He knew the idea of freedom can be easily abused. In verse 5:13, he writes,

“For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Yes, Paul absolutely knew that the concept of freedom would be abused; used to justify sinful behavior. Therefore Paul added verses 13 and 14 to this discussion. Freedom, in the New Testament, is not this idea that the flesh to allowed run amok; it is not doing as the flesh pleases. To the contrary, we are to use our freedom in Christ to serve one another through love – loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. In fact, the freedom Paul describes is the very opposite of how we often think of freedom. Most of us think of freedom as doing as we please. Biblically, freedom is doing as God pleases. The protestor sees the mask mandate as impinging on her freedom because she is not allowed to do as she pleases. We see freedom as the absence of constraints. The sin nature is aroused and fights hard against any attempt to control, or even any suggestion of regulation. Human nature chafes at being told what to do.

Freedom in Christ is not the absence of constraints. In a way, our freedom in Christ is a change of constraints. It is being freed from the law of sin and death and freed to be bond-servants of God.

Be subject to every human institution for the Lord’s sake, whether to a king as supreme or to governors as those he commissions to punish wrongdoers and praise those who do good. For God wants you to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. Live as free people, not using your freedom as a pretext for evil, but as God’s slaves. Honor all people, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the king. (1Peter 2:13-17 NET)

As Paul did in his letter to the Galatians, Peter gives the same warning that we don’t use freedom as a pretext for sin. In the NASB, it is translated, “don’t use your freedom as a covering for evil.” Peter urges us to submit to the authorities over us, to love and honor others. Again, this stands in stark contrast to the woman who refused to wear a mask —  her outward declaration of her freedom (to do as she pleases) and rights.

We do have freedom. We have the freedom to choose many things. But our choices cannot supersede the commandments to love God and to love our neighbors. Paul touches on this in 1 Corinthians 8 – Christian liberty. As believers, we worship the one true God. So food sacrificed to idols is not a matter of concern. We are free to eat foods sacrificed to idols or not eat the food. However, a weaker brother may take issue with this and our eating such foods may cause him to stumble.

Now food will not bring us close to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat. But take care that this freedom of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. (1Cor8:8-9 NASB)

Thus our concern for our weaker brother supersedes our freedom to eat foods sacrificed to idols. This is consistent with Paul’s exhortation in his letter to the Philippians.

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. (Phil 2:3-4) NASB

The motivation for this is that we are to have the same attitude as Christ, who did not cling to His rights or privileges, but emptied and humbled Himself. To paraphrase Major Ian Thomas, “Christ, who is no less than God, made Himself to be no more than man. We, on the other hand, who are no more than men, often make ourselves to be no less than God.” So why has this idea that we can do as we please become so prevalent in the mindset of the evangelical church?

It comes from the culture in which we’re immersed. The American culture is rooted in independence and rebellion. We don’t like constraints and restraints. We don’t like seat belts, speed limits, helmets, and face masks. If I’m told to go left, I go right. If someone suggests I go, I stop. It’s the American spirit. The fact that this has crept into the church is troubling. It is idolatry. This idea of freedom, i.e. do as I please, is entrenched in the American church. In some ways, this is not surprising. Throughout history and across cultures, the church has struggled to keep the gospel pure. The external forces of the surrounding culture have always exerted an influence on the church. Even in the Old Testament times, Judaism was often tainted by the idolatry of the surrounding nations.

“Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:14-15 (NASB)

More often, the forces are from within that do the most damage. As the church seeks to adapt or become relevant, it often creates a new gospel to make it more suitable or palatable to today’s religion consumers. There’s no denying that waving the American flag will draw some people into the church just as the wealth and prosperity gospel has drawn many. We have widened the “narrow gate” and removed the stumbling block of the gospel.

Regardless of the reason, the bottom line is the church is guilty of idolatry. In the case of “freedom” the idol is self. The thinking that one can do as he/she pleases with no constraints is the same as setting up oneself to be god. Self has usurped the throne that belongs to God. Only God is sovereign and accountable to no one. Every other living thing must submit to the Creator. If one truly believes he can do as he pleases, he or she is not following God. There is no such concept of freedom in the scriptures; rather the origin of this idea is from the enemy. He whispered this in Eve’s ear, “. . . your eyes will be opened and you will be like God,” . . . and he is still whispering now.

When we talk about freedom in church, we must define what freedom is. There is freedom in Christ, but it’s not the freedom that most Americans think. Sure, the world has the prerogative to define freedom as they see fit. But for believers, our freedom in Christ has been defined for us. We are bond servants of God, freed from sin and freed to love our neighbors. We are freed from the Law and freed to walk in His grace and love. We are freed from condemnation. If Christ is for us, who will condemn us? We are the most free because we are the most secure.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 8:38-39 NET)