As we Americans celebrate the 4th of July, we take time to acknowledge the importance of American independence. It marks the moment when thirteen independent American colonies banded together to commit themselves to continued freedom. While we honor this political milestone, the theme of freedom also invites us to explore what God’s word reveals about true liberty.
In the Bible, freedom transcends political status. Whether believers were slaves or free, in exile or in their native lands, the Bible talks about a spiritual freedom that transcends the circumstances of life. To fully enjoy any kind of genuine political freedom, one must ensure they are spiritually free as well.
Our question of the day then becomes: “How can we maintain our spiritual freedom so that we can enjoy our political one?” Today, I would like to share four essential lessons about freedom that emerge from Scripture, each pointing to a deeper understanding of what it means to be truly free.
Thought 1: There Is No Freedom Without Truth
Real freedom begins with knowing the truth, as Jesus declared to those who believed in Him: "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31-32). This truth is not some hidden secret or abstract concept but Truth personified in Jesus Christ Himself. As He proclaimed later, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).
Freedom then comes from knowing Christ intimately. The apostle Paul expressed this desire powerfully: "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead" (Philippians 3:10-11). Knowledge of Christ, the ultimate truth, brings salvation. However, this knowledge must be more than an intellectual awareness, as Jesus warns that "Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).
Freedom, then, can only be found in Jesus Christ. So, to experience freedom, it is crucial for us to seek Him ourselves and point others to Him as the source of true liberation. Without Him, we remain bound by sin’s chains, which we will discuss more in the next section.
Thought 2: Not Everything You Can Do Under Freedom Brings Freedom
Paul’s words to the Galatians provide an important warning: "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage" (Galatians 5:1). Here Paul reminds usof an ever-important truth: our freedom is compromised when we entangle our lives in sin. Despite having been liberated from its power through Christ’s death, it is still possible to get ourselves wrapped up in sin and find it stealing the joy of our freedom.
The Apostle Paul clarifies this principle in Romans: "Sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace" (Romans 6:14). Sin has no ultimate power over the believer, when he passes from this life to the next, his sins will be forgiven. However, that isn’t all there is. While sin’s consequences in the next life are removed, there are still very real and tangible consequences for sin in this life. Why wait until death to experience freedom? Why not start enjoying it now? For this reason, Paul immediately asks, "What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid" (Romans 6:15). Here, Paul tells us the hard-to-hear truth. All of us will become slaves to something. Either we will choose to surrender and serve Christ, who ultimately adopts us and brings us into his household, or we will go our own way and become enslaved to our fleshly instincts. You become a servant to whatever you listen to. If you listen to your sinful nature, it leads to destruction. If you listen to God, it leads to righteousness.
Liberty in Christ is not meant to be a license for sin. Consider the illustration of Roman citizens who, though protected from certain punishments by way of citizenship, were not free to act unharmed in wrongdoing. A Roman citizen was not allowed to be beaten as punishment for disturbing the peace, like a non-citizen could be. But that did not mean there were no consequences for his actions. He may not be beaten, but he could still be imprisoned. How foolish it would be for a Roman citizen to cause a stir by committing a trespass and then, in prison, brag that he got away with it because he was not beaten. Freedom from one punishment does not mean you have escaped consequences entirely.
Some Christians act the same way. They live in the liberty that Christ gives in an irresponsible way. They look at their heavenly citizenship card and say, “It will all be forgiven, so it doesn’t really matter if I sin,” and then they become disinterested in spiritual growth. Yes, Christian, if you truly believe in Christ, your sins will be forgiven; but if you want to be able to enjoy this life, you need to remove sin from it. The Bible says God corrects those He loves. He will allow your life to be more difficult if you sin and will even allow you to be exposed if needed. It’s a very real promise He makes to the believer.
Paul understood this tension. He says, "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any" (1 Corinthians 6:12).
Paul tells us that everything can be done, but not everything is beneficial. As Christians, we will encounter things we can do that ultimately prove detrimental to our well-being if we allow them into our lives.
Consider the example of someone who struggles with overeating and obesity. The most obvious first step in addressing the issue is to remove the temptation to eat unhealthy food by not stocking the house with unhealthy food in the first place. This is so obvious to us, but why does it so often go overlooked in other areas of life? Why would you keep tempting yourself spiritually by keeping temptations around when you wouldn’t do so with physical issues?
If alcohol tempts you toward drunkenness and abuse, you must give up alcohol completely to experience freedom. If your social media use ruins your reputation or attitude, you must give up social media completely to experience freedom. If entertainment fills your mind with impurity or distraction, you must give it up completely to experience freedom. If gaming or hobbies distract you from your calling, you must give them up or limit them significantly to experience freedom.
True freedom requires surrendering certain things to Christ. We cannot be truly free while holding on so tightly to things that pull us down.
Thought 3: God’s Presence Is Necessary for Freedom
The Scripture declares, "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty" (2 Corinthians 3:17). The presence of the Lord is freedom itself. To have God active in your life is to experience true freedom in its fullest sense. There is nothing more liberating than to walk through life knowing you are in the Lord’s will, under His divine protection, and having spiritual fellowship with Him.
So, how do we foster this presence? We start cultivating a relationship with God through study, prayer, and meditation on His Word. We must know who God is to walk in His path and recognize His voice. Spend time in the Bible to know how God works and teaches. Pray to learn to listen to Him and open your heart to His guidance. Think about His words constantly. How do they apply today? Why does God say what He does? Knowing these things ensures we are ready to walk the path God has placed ahead of us.
Spiritual freedom is a two-way street, and most have only walked one way. There is freedom from negative things and freedom for positive purposes. For example, we experience freedom from sin, freedom from judgment, and freedom from anxiety, worry, and guilt. But simultaneously, we also gain freedom for service, love, worship, and life as God intended.
Those who are fully and truly free in Christ enjoy the freedom of God’s presence. Not just the freedoms from the various bondages of sin but also the freedoms that allow us to participate in meaningful ministry and purposeful living. Those who only enjoy the first are severely missing out on the joy of the latter.
Thought 4: Freedom Requires Constant Effort
Peter also reminds us that our freedom demands ongoing responsibility when he says, "For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God" (1 Peter 2:15-16).
The fight for freedom doesn’t end when the first battle is won. We must choose to fight for our freedom daily. Peter reminds us that our testimony is fully dependent on our continued fight against sinful temptation. How will the world know we are changed if we constantly fall into the same vices as everyone else? Instead, we must be set apart and devoted to God’s cause. Even in the Old Testament, the Psalmist understood this when he said, "So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever. And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts" (Psalm 119:44-45). Freedom comes from a continued walk in God’s teachings. It’s simple: when we stop walking on the path God has given us, we stop walking in freedom.
The ancient Christian document, The Didache, wisely summarized this in one phrase: "There are two ways, one of life and one of death, and there is a great difference between the two ways." We must continually choose to walk the way of life. You are only ever walking on one of two paths. The path of sin, which leads to death and bondage, or the path of righteousness, which leads to freedom and blessing. If you walk the way of life, you will truly walk in freedom.
Closing Thoughts
As we celebrate the freedoms we enjoy as citizens of this country, we must not forget the greater freedom available to us through Jesus Christ. True freedom begins with knowing Jesus Christ and is sustained by the presence of God in our daily lives. It requires our constant attention and effort to live as those who are truly free.
We must choose to surrender to Him anything that hinders us from walking in His freedom. So let’s walk in the liberty Christ died to give us, remembering that the cost of spiritual freedom was even greater than the cost of our political freedom.
To be truly independent from sin requires being fully dependent on God. So let’s live as those who are genuinely free, not enslaved to sin or self, but surrendered to Christ. Christ has fought to make you free. So will you embrace the freedom He offers?
