What do we mean when we say we’re free? We’re Americans. We love the idea of freedom. It’s one of our favorite biblical themes to emphasize. But do we truly understand what it means to be free in Christ? I’ve talked to many nonbelievers that see Christianity as the very opposite of freedom—a religion that forces you to give up life’s greatest pleasures and follow oppressive rules instead. To be fair, sometimes the church gives that impression. Where’s the idea of freedom in that?
Freedom is arguably the theme of Paul’s letter to the Galatians. As he writes in chapter 5, it is for freedom that Christ has set us free. But the Galatians were trying to put the church back into a yoke of legalism. Paul explains that under the Law, we were slaves to sin and death. But we are no longer! How could they ever want to go back to their yokes?
But that’s just the beginning of freedom. In Christ, we take on a new identity. We sinners were adopted as the Father’s beloved sons and daughters. We now get to join into the perfect, endless love between God the Father and God the Son. And he is present with us through the Holy Spirit, encouraging us, comforting us, and guiding us upward as only a perfect Father can. When we say we are free, we are saying we are no longer slaves to the darkness of the world—we are adopted children of God.
It can’t be stressed enough how wonderful this adoption is! Theologian J. I. Packer writes that adoption is the highest privilege that the gospel offers, higher even than justification. We have always been designed and purposed for relationship with God. It is our deepest fulfillment and our ultimate joy. And ever since the Fall, God has been working to restore our relationship to him. In Christ, the work is accomplished, and now all of God’s love is ours. God gives light and love and eternal life to the children he loves—and hallelujah, that means us!
Perhaps we need to amend the common idea of freedom. We are free, but not to be whatever we want—we are free to belong to God. This is infinitely better than anything we could come up with ourselves. This is a deeper joy, and the fulfillment of the very meaning of life. We are no longer slaves to sinful passions that lead to death; we are free to live according to perfect goodness, which comes from our Father. Do not slink back into slavery; live as if you are free!
