Freedom in Christ

[Greenie]

Let's talk about the freedom we have in Christ. 

Is it freedom from the law??

Is it freedom to do what you want (within reason)

Whats the freedom in Christ mean to you

Use scripture as well if you like.

 

Lately I've been torn over this subject. 

[Sower]

3 hours ago, Greenie said:

Let's talk about the freedom we have in Christ. 

Is it freedom from the law??

Is it freedom to do what you want (within reason)

Whats the freedom in Christ mean to you

Use scripture as well if you like.

 

Lately I've been torn over this subject. 

What does freedom in Christ mean to you?

As a believer, in Christ, if walking in the spirit, I can do what I want. I can do all things through Christ. Abiding in Christ is Christ working through me. Not I but Christ. This gives confidence. This gives Liberty / freedom.

 

[Greenie]

Well I know I have the wrong idea of freedom in Christ,  I figured it was about being free from the law, the old commandments. Which is why I brought it up. I wanted to get a better idea and learn more about the topic. I guess also I don't really know what it means to walk in the spirit either. Suppose I need to do a good reading through Roman chapter 7 huh?! 

[Tristen]

Hi Greenie,

“Freedom” in Christ is freedom to live out God's destiny for our lives; i.e. freedom to fulfil our created purpose – i.e. to love, serve and worship our Creator with a free will.

That freedom includes freedom from sin (moral evil). Sin is bad because sin is bad for us. Sin is bondage. Enticement to sin is a snare to enslavement. Sin corrupts and destroys us. The concept of 'freedom to sin' is a deception – a corrupted perspective. Our own flesh is conditioned towards self-fulfilment (i.e. to do “what you want” - often including sin). But we are originally designed to honour God and rule over our flesh – not be in subjection to our flesh and it's desires.

Galatians 6:7-8 - Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life

Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord

Freedom in Christ also includes freedom from Law of Moses (i.e. the written list of rules that constituted the covenant between God and the nation of Israel) - along with it's associated curse for any failure to comply (Galatians 3:10, James 2:10). Note: that the Law of Moses also enshrined some rules expressing God's morality – but the morality itself existed before the laws were written. For example, it was morally wrong for Cain to murder Abel long before Moses penned the words, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). Christians are free from the Law of Moses in every respect (we relate to God under a completely different covenant). Nevertheless, as stated above, sin is bondage. Therefore, we are not free to sin (to disobey God's morality), but rather are free from sin (to honour God and rule over our own flesh).

Romans 6:16 - Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

.

[Greenie]

@Tristen very good explanation,  now how does one really become able to rule over there own flesh?! See i know not to lust but at times it still happens, I know that smoking cigarettes is not good for me or my witness as a Christian but still can't let it go....how do you go about breaking the chains of bondage. I pray and pray and pray about it but I'm weak in the spirit. I try to do my best to read the word and speak it over myself to gain more faith. I don't wanna feel like a lukewarm Christian anymore. I feel like I need a Christian sponsor. I know it should be the Holy Spirit but I don't know if its him or my own voice. I keep going round and round in circles and its exhausting 

[missmuffet]

17 hours ago, Greenie said:

Let's talk about the freedom we have in Christ. 

Is it freedom from the law??

Is it freedom to do what you want (within reason)

Whats the freedom in Christ mean to you

Use scripture as well if you like.

 

Lately I've been torn over this subject. 

We don't realize that we have been crucified with Christ Galatians 2:20 and that we have been reborn as new creatures 2 Corinthians 5:17.

To me it means freedom.

[Arrabon]

@Greenie

As you know, different bible translations use differing words that go back to the same meaning.

In some translations the word "LIBERTY" is used, instead of the word freedom.

I like the word LIBERTY better as a personal choice, because it relates more to me, and my relationship with God, in a word not often used in Christian circles, and has to do more with being set free from our sins, and not so much about our "FREEDOMS' in daily life - Just me! Too much of that idea of freedoms in todays conversations about certain topics already.

Luke 4:16-18, "

16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He has anointed Me

To preach the gospel to the poor;

He has sent Me 9to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set at "LIBERTY", those who are oppressed;

 

Encyclopedias - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Liberty

"LIBERTY"

lib'-er-ti (deror, rachabh; eleutheria):

The opposite of servitude or bondage, hence, applicable to captives or slaves set free from oppression (thus deror, Leviticus 25:10; Isaiah 61:1, etc.). Morally, the power which enslaves is sin (John 8:34), and LIBERTY consists, not simply in external freedom, or in possession of the formal power of choice, but in deliverance from the darkening of the mind, the tyranny of sinful lusts and the enthrallment of the will, induced by a morally corrupt state. In a positive respect, it consists in the possession of holiness, with the will and ability to do what is right and good. Such LIBERTY is possible only in a renewed condition of soul, and cannot exist apart from godliness. Even under the Old Testament godly men could boast of a measure of such LIBERTY (Psalms 119:45, rachabh, "room," "breadth"), but it is the gospel of Christ which bestows it in its fullness, in giving a full and clear knowledge of God, discovering the way of forgiveness, supplying the highest motives to holiness and giving the Holy Spirit to destroy the power of sin and to quicken to righteousness. In implanting a new life in the soul, the gospel lifts the believer out of the sphere of external law, and gives him a sense of FREEDOM in his new filial relation to God. Hence, the New Testament expressions about "the glorious LIBERTY" of God's children (Romans 8:21 the King James Version; compare Galatians 2:4; 5:13, etc.), about LIBERTY as resulting from the possession of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17), about "the perfect law of LIBERTY" (James 1:25). The instrument through which this LIBERTY is imparted is "the truth" (John 8:32). Christians are earnestly warned not to presume upon, or abuse their LIBERTY in Christ (Galatians 5:13; 1 Peter 2:16).

 

My name is Arrabon

Edited August 28, 2021 by Arrabon

[Waggles]

20 hours ago, Greenie said:

Let's talk about the freedom we have in Christ. 

Is it freedom from the law??

Read Galatians which I believe explains it best.

Also if you have an Bible software program like e-sword you can look up 'liberty' in the epistles and read various verses that refer to liberty in Christ Jesus - the KJV or NENT are best for this as the ESV, etc use the word 'freedom.'

But in a nutshell our liberty in Christ Jesus sets us free from the theocracy of the old Israel as a nation, temple worship at Jerusalem only and the many ordinances of the Law - for example a male Christian convert does not need to be circumcised at baptism. 

Galatians 2:3  But not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised: 
4  and that because of the false brethren privily brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: 
5  to whom we yielded in subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. 

Acts 11:1  Now the apostles and the brethren that were in Judæa heard that the nations also had received the word of God. 
2  And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they of the circumcision contended with him, 
3  saying, that he went in unto men uncircumcised, and had eaten with them. 

 

[Waggles]

 

Acts 15:22  Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men out from them, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: 
23  and they wrote by their hand, The apostles and the elder brethren to the brethren who are of the nations in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting: 
24  Forasmuch as we have heard that certain from among us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls; to whom we gave no commandment; 
25  it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 
26  men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
27  We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also shall tell you the same things by word of mouth. 
28  For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 
29  to abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare well. 
30  They therefore when dismissed, came down to Antioch; and having gathered the multitude, delivered the epistle. 
31  And when they had read it, they rejoiced for the consolation. 
32  And Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, exhorted and confirmed the brethren with many words. 
33  And after they had spent some time there, they were dismissed in peace from the brethren unto those that had sent them forth. 
Act 15:35  But Paul and Barnabas tarried in Antioch, teaching and preaching the gospel of the word of the Lord, with many others also.  [NENT]

[Wayne222]

6 hours ago, Greenie said:

@Tristen very good explanation,  now how does one really become able to rule over there own flesh?! See i know not to lust but at times it still happens, I know that smoking cigarettes is not good for me or my witness as a Christian but still can't let it go....how do you go about breaking the chains of bondage. I pray and pray and pray about it but I'm weak in the spirit. I try to do my best to read the word and speak it over myself to gain more faith. I don't wanna feel like a lukewarm Christian anymore. I feel like I need a Christian sponsor. I know it should be the Holy Spirit but I don't know if its him or my own voice. I keep going round and round in circles and its exhausting 

It takes time and effort. Like in 2 peter peter says to add to your faith. Our faith is in christ death for our sins. Our sins are forgiven. Now add to that state by walking in goodness and knowledge and stick to it ness.  then brotherly kindness and godliness. Then love. But we need to take small steps. You inprove i think in little steps. Like losing weight. You cannot lose it in one day.