“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”(John 8:32)
We struggle for freedom, seeks freedom and dream about it, Freedom is a basic human desire and everyone craves for it. Freedom is not just a Democratic/ humanitarian theme; it’s the divine theme. Freedom is the highest virtue, and it is sought after by all who are, or consider themselves to be, oppressed.
Unfortunately, two very different ideas of freedom get confused in many people's minds. The biblical idea of freedom is different from, but easily confused with, the cultural value of the same name. And neither one is the same as "free will." It can be confusing to the average person who wants to know what "real freedom" is. Is it having choices? Is it lack of coercion and constraint? Is it being able to do whatever you want?
To understand the real freedom, as with all other matters, the only final guide we have is God's Word; Psalm 119:160 says “The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever.” Truth enlightens man's intelligence and shapes his freedom, leading him to know and love the Lord.
To the world (those operating without the divine absolutes of Scripture) freedom means the right to be and do as you please, It means doing your own thing, being your own boss, looking after your own self interest. But the Bible teaches, that such a definition or viewpoint is not freedom. It is an excuse to throw off the moral restraints of God in pursuit of selfish goals (Romans 1:18; John 3:19-21). This always results eventually in the exploitation of others, moral degeneracy, and lawlessness as it is becoming more and more evident in our tainted society. So man's capacity to know the truth is also darkened, and his will to submit to it is weakened. Thus, giving himself over to relativism and skepticism (John 18:38), he goes off in search of an illusory freedom apart from truth itself. But no darkness of error or of sin can totally take away from man the light of God the Creator. In the depths of every human hearts there always remains a yearning for the absolute truth, a Perfect world and a thirst to attain full knowledge of it. This is eloquently proved by man's tireless search for knowledge in all fields. It is proved even more by his search for the meaning of life.
Bible tells us that, spiritually, no one is free. Romans 3:23 says “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” There is a debt that every human has, a disease that we all suffer from, which no human strategy can ever conquer or cure. It is not a bondage to external things primarily, though it does work its way out in external expressions. No, our problem is much deeper. It is bondage of the will, a captivity of the soul, a deadness of heart. Bible call it “SIN” and “the wages of sin is death” (Romans: 6:23) Due to sin; we have all received the consequential penalty of sin, namely spiritual and physical death. Death reigns in all of us so every one of us is spiritually dead (separated from God) and will also die physically one day. Not only this, but throughout our life, the effects of sin infect everything we do. The marring stains of sin are pervasive within each one of us, distorting the way we think, desire, and behave. All of our thoughts, feelings, and actions are tainted by our sin. Ultimately, the final consequence of our sin against God is hell, a state of total and unending disconnection and separation from God, a place of unhindered and perpetual bondage to unrestrained evil, horror, and suffering resulting from everyone doing all their selfish and sinful heart’s desire, no matter what harm it may cause to others.
Yet, there is wonderful good news, Romans 6:23 second part of the verse says “But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”God in His love sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to come to earth and willingly die in the place of sinful humans like us to absorb all our sin, rebellion and wrongdoing. Christ came to free us from sin through His atoning sacrifice. (Hebrews: 2:14-15) Christ paid the death penalty for us, freeing us from death row through His sacrifice. (Romans: 6:11-22) Therefore, all who entrust their complete life to Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins will be saved from their bondage to sin and given eternal life in Him and enjoy an intimate and personal connection and relationship with God himself. This is true freedom. And true freedom only exists in Christ.
Jesus said “, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." (John 14: 6) Jesus Christ is the truth about God and the truth about man, since He is both God and man. God’s real nature is completely revealed in the Son of God, the Incarnate Word, and the whole truth about man, his worth, value and dignity, are realized and made manifest to man in the Son of Man, Jesus of Nazareth. Freedom in Christ is seen in contrast to the bondage of sin and seen as the only true form of freedom. In Romans chapter 6 St Paul explains that we are all slaves. We are either slaves to sin or slaves to righteousness. Those who are slaves to sin cannot free themselves from it, but once we are freed from the penalty and power of sin through the cross, we become a different kind of slave, and in that slavery we find complete peace and true freedom.
How does it happen?
Jesus said “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”(John 8:32) God’s laws are the divine truth and perfect in intent, justice and direction. The law of God is eternal truth and does not change with time or peoples or places. The law of God is an expression of His desired will, which has been revealed to all mankind in various degrees. It is the revelation of the mind of God and is the standard by which He judges and affirms what is good and evil. It is a reflection of God's own moral character: everything that God is, He demands the same from His creation; that which God would never do, He thus forbids His creation. It is only through this perfect moral compatibility by God's law that fellowship between the Creator and creation is possible. If God's law is not perfectly upheld, it demands justice—that God be vindicated and transgressors punished. To misuse freedom is to sin. Sinners are not free but a slave of their passions. Jesus said, “Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin” (Jn8:34.) No one who does wrong can be called free. Bible says, “All wrongdoing is sin….” (1 John 5:17). We are free only if we surrender ourselves to God and His laws.
Real freedom, therefore, is not restricted by law; in fact it can flourish only under the law. A train is a good illustration because it is only effective when it is on the tracks for which it was designed. Tracks don’t inhibit a train, but enable it to run freely as long as it is running under the power of the steam or fuel of its engines. Loving obedience to God's law is not an effort to attain salvation by works, but an honest, heartfelt response to want to serve and please the great God of the universe who gave His spiritual laws for our own well-being. It's not a matter of what's convenient, but of what pleases God. Freedom is not the right to do as one pleases, but the power and capacity both to will and to do as one ought.
True freedom is never freedom from responsibility, but responsibility not only for choice, but right choices. Freedom is an inner contentment with who we are in Christ and with what we have. It means to covet only heavenly treasure. It means the willingness and ability to allow God to be in control of your life. It means single-mindedness which turns the control of one’s life over to Christ. It means the liberty for self-responsibility to both God and man under the grace of God.
Galatians 5:13 says “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” Freedom in Christ never means freedom from the presence and struggle with the flesh or indwelling sin. It means the provision of the Spirit as God’s means of victory (5:16-17). So our salvation and freedom in Christ is never to be considered as freedom from servant hood or from service and loving responsibilities to others.
Bible says “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36) Self surrender is the secret of self liberation. We are free in the measure in which we are generous and unselfish. Real Freedom is not merely absence of bondage but it is the presence of God, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”(2 Corinthians 3:17)
True Freedom therefore is being righteous person; Bible says “Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.”(Romans 6:18) Being a servant of Christ involves us in service to others because being in Christ we are part of His body and members of one another. Freedom also is being free from anxiety, perplexity, and fright, being positive, brave & wise. Freedom means doing good to all. Speaking evil of none, hearing before judging, holding an angry tongue, thinking before speaking, being kind to the distressed, asking pardon for every wrong, being patient towards everybody, stopping the ears to a talebearer, disbelieving most of the ill- reports. These are the marks of one who diligently guards the freedom, one enjoys. The righteous man is free, and the free man is righteous.
Hence Responsible freedom is a value to be acquired, a gift to be cherished, and a quality to be cultivated and ultimately, true freedom comes through the resurrection at Christ's return. Apostle Paul explains in Romans: 8:21, "the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God."
