Redemption

“God’s purpose in redeeming men from sin is not to give them freedom to do as they please but freedom to do as He pleases.” (John MacArthur)

No single word resonates with millions of people quite like the word “freedom.” A television commercial announces that buying a certain automobile or flying with a certain airline will make you "free." People celebrate their country's independence with songs of "freedom" on their lips and ringing in their ears. Politicians, businesspeople, advertisers, salesmen, military leaders, and recruiters all know how to use "freedom" to attract attention. Few words are so common while carrying so much weight.

Two 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. It can be confusing to the average Christian 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? In what sense does Christ set us free, and how is that different from what Madison Avenue and Hollywood promise? Is real Christian freedom only found in giving up everything secular culture says is freedom?

So how is Christian freedom defined? Simply, it is not having the right to do what you want, but the ability to do what you ought to do. Jesus’ death on the cross set you free from the penalty and power of sin. Without Him, you are a slave to your sin, and unable to do what is right. Below are key ideas from the Bible about true freedom in your life, and how to find it:

People have been searching for freedom for thousands of years-The quest for freedom is a theme found throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Just three chapters into the story of God’s creation, humanity gave up its freedom by choosing to rebel against God. From that time forward, the perfect freedom God created in the Garden of Eden was gone, and the long-term effects were both physical and spiritual. The Old Testament of the Bible records how God’s people (the Israelites) lost their physical freedom time and again as various empires overtook them (most notably the Egyptians, as recorded in the book of Exodus).

The loss of physical freedom was often tied to spiritual disobedience like worshiping false gods. Time and again, the one true God forgave His people and rescued them. When God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, He was foreshadowing the arrival of Jesus Christ, who came to free humanity from sin (the spiritual slavery that leads to death). Today, many people are living in spiritual slavery without realizing it. They chase false gods of money, success, personal comfort, and romantic love only to realize they still have an emptiness that can’t be filled by any of those things.

God’s answer to our loss of freedom has always been Jesus-When Jesus began His short period of ministry on the Earth, He announced He was the One that God’s people had been waiting for since the fall of humanity. He did this by reading a particular passage from the book of Isaiah; a passage His listeners knew was referring to the Messiah.

The words had been written hundreds of years earlier and spoke of a new freedom that was coming in the future. When Jesus stood up to read, He was saying the future had arrived. Liberty would come through Him. Here is the account from Luke 4:16-21 (MSG).

He came to Nazareth where he had been reared. As he always did on the Sabbath, he went to the meeting place. When he stood up to read, he was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written,

God’s Spirit is on me. He’s chosen me to preach the message of good news to the poor. Sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and
 recovery of sight to the blind to set the burdened and battered free,
 to announce, “This is God’s year to act!”

He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the assistant, and sat down. Every eye in the place was on him, intent. Then he started in, “You’ve just heard Scripture make history. It came true just now in this place.”

Jesus came to free you from death, sin, and anything that enslaves you-The core message of the Christian faith (the gospel) is that Jesus Christ rescues us from the slavery of sin and offers true freedom in this life and beyond. This is what Jesus said:

“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, CSB)

The good news (the best news ever) is that faith in Jesus frees us from the death we deserve for sinning against God. It frees us from the punishment that would be inflicted upon us at the end of our lives for the evil things we’ve thought and done. While Christ followers still battle with sin, they are no longer slaves to it.

Through the power of Christ, His people can be set free from the bondage of greed, vanity, pride, pornography, addiction, abusive behavior, gluttony, selfishness, and any other sin under the sun. Here’s what Jesus said about the freedom He offers:

“Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word, you really are my disciples.  You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32, CSB) 

Jesus responded, “Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in the household forever, but a son does remain forever. So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free. (John 8:34-36, CSB)

God gives us freedom to choose our own path-God created human beings not robots. We don’t have to accept the freedom He offers us through Jesus Christ. He gives each person the free will to accept or reject His salvation. The Bible warns that Hell is a real place where real people end up when they knowingly reject the truth. Likewise, those who choose Christ are not forced to obey Him at every turn. God makes it clear that the best life is one that’s devoted to honoring Him. As the Apostle Paul explained to some of the first Christians:

“I am allowed to do anything,” you say. My answer to this is that not all things are good. Even if it is true that “I am allowed to do anything,” I will not let anything control me like a slave. “(1 Corinthians 6:12, ERV)

“My brothers and sisters, God chose you to be free. But don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do what pleases your sinful selves. Instead, serve each other with love. “(Galatians 5:13, ERV)

“Sin creates the illusion of freedom. In the end it fools us into seeking freedom from God rather than finding freedom in God.” (Erwin McManus)[i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “4 Things the Bible Says About Freedom” By BGEA   

·        “Freedom in Christ” By Focus on the Family

·        “The Bonds of Freedom” by Roger Olson

 

Inspired by the sermon “Freedom: Threads” (installment four) Sunday March 22, 2020, Jon Fulton (All CenterPoint churches are closed for the next couple of months due to the Coronavirus. This sermon was presented online from CenterPoint Westerville Church)