What Does the Bible Say About Freedom?
When I say the word freedom what does that mean to you? What does it mean to be free?
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In what ways do you experience freedom daily?
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In what ways have you experienced your sense of freedom being taken away?
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Freedom
The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.The freedom of choice, freedom of religion.
Absence of subjection to foreign domination or despotic government. Self-government, autonomy, free-will
The state that results from not being oppressed or in bondage.
Liberty
The quality or state of being free
Greek: ἐξουσία (exousia): Privilege - (subjectively) force, capacity, competency, freedom
The power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases
The power of authority or right - influence or privilege
The power of rule or government - of whose will and commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed.
Freedom
Freeborn: One who is not a slave, or ceases to be a slave.
The Old Testament refers to freedom in regards to slavery. Freedom being offered ot slave
Free, exempt, unrestrained, not bound by an obligation.
Biblically: being free from the yoke of Mosaic Law.
Jesus & Freedom
Read Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners…
Jesus was sent to proclaim the Gospel – the truth.
Jesus was sent to comfort the brokenhearted.
Jesus was sent to proclaim freedom for the captives.
Jesus was sent to release prisoners from darkness.
Jesus, Truth, and Freedom
Read John 8:31-36
“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.”
How does the truth set us free? How does the truth of Jesus set us free?
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Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Slaves to Sin
We may not be slaves to human masters, but as humankind, we are slaves to one thing - sin.
We do the things we do not want to do, and the things we want to do, we do not do.
We are stuck in our sinful habits.
This is what Jesus came to free us from -- from the sinfulness of ourselves.
How Christians Are Called to Use Their Freedom
With Love
Read Galatians 5:13-15
For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.
With Respect
Read 1 Peter 2:15-17
For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
With Empathy
Read 1 Corinthians 8:9, Romans 14:5-9, 13-15, 19
“But be careful that this liberty of yours does not become a hindrance to the weak.” 1 Corinthians 8
“One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord…"
"For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died…"
"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification…” Romans 14