Ask anybody in America what they think is the best part about this country and it will most likely be “freedom.” I would agree; this is the land of the free! But at Christians we too are free. In fact, I would say we have a greater freedom than anything this world can give. We have freedom in Christ!

The Bible has much to say about our freedom in Christ. Here is a short list:

John 8:32
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

John 8:36
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Romans 6:7
anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

Romans 6:18
You have been set free from sin…

Romans 8:2
through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

Galatians 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Galatians 5:13
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

1 Peter 2:16
Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.

And even one of our “father’s of faith,” Martin Luther, had this to say about freedom, “A Christian man is the most free lord of all, and subject to none…”

WOW! That’s a lot of freedom!
Just to clarify, where does our freedom come from? Our faith in Jesus as Lord. (John 8:36) Our freedom is tied to our salvation in Jesus. Without Jesus’ death and resurrection we would still be a people lost in our sins with no hope.

So what should a Christian’s response be to the freedom Christ has given us? What are we supposed to do with all this freedom?

General observations:

1. Know that you are free.
   John 8:36 – So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
2. Don’t go back to a life of bondage.
   Galatians 5:1 – It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
3. Don’t hide sin in your life under the guise of freedom.
   1 Peter 2:16 – Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.
4. Use your freedom to serve others.
   Galatians 5:13 – You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

A closer look at Paul’s food illustration:
1 Corinthians 10:23-33 NLT
23 You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial. 24 Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.

This is Paul’s introduction to his illustrations on the freedom believers have in Christ. He immediately points out that freedom that is self-focused is not responsible.

25 So you may eat any meat that is sold in the marketplace without raising questions of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”

Paul uses the illustration of food because it was an issue for his day; it’s still any issue for us. However, a believer’s freedom is not limited to just food.

27 If someone who isn’t a believer asks you home for dinner, accept the invitation if you want to. Eat whatever is offered to you without raising questions of conscience.

You have the freedom to accept invitations from non-believers, if you want. This is different than being unequally yoked with unbelievers, which we’re not supposed to do. (2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?)

28 (But suppose someone tells you, “This meat was offered to an idol.” Don’t eat it, out of consideration for the conscience of the one who told you. 29 It might not be a matter of conscience for you, but it is for the other person.) For why should my freedom be limited by what someone else thinks? 30 If I can thank God for the food and enjoy it, why should I be condemned for eating it?

Consider the conscience of the people around you. For their sake you may restrict your freedom. Notice also that Paul is talking about an unbeliever’s conscience, not a believers. Otherwise your freedom should never be restricted to what others believe/think.

31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God. 33 I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.

Be responsible with your freedom in Christ by noticing who is around you and where they are at spiritually. Don’t let your freedom become a stumbling block to unbelievers or believers. Use your freedom to allow you to win others to Christ. Because you are no longer restricted to special traditions, you have the freedom to try to “please everyone in everything [you] do.”

An example from Jesus:
Luke 13:10-17
10 On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” 13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.

Notice how simple Jesus’ “prayer” over the woman was. Faith operating through the Spirit doesn’t always require “emotional” action in the physical.

14 Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.”

The Sabbath rules are a perfect example of religious bondage. Do you think the synagogue rulers thought they were under religious bondage?

15 The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? 16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”
17 When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.

Paul said to be aware of others conscience and to intentionally limit your freedom so that you would not be a stumbling block to others. But isn’t Jesus being a stumbling block by not limiting his freedom in this passage? No. Jesus used his freedom to show the synagogue rulers the bondage they were under and which they were putting other people under.

So our freedom can be used to allow us to reach down to where unbelievers are at spiritually. Or it can be used to uncover bondage in unbelievers lives that they may not know is there.

Thoughts from Martin Luther:
“A Christian man is the most free lord of all, and subject to none, a Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to every one.

“We will speak also of those works which he performs towards his neighbour. For man does not live for himself alone in this mortal body, in order to work on its account, but also for all men on earth; nay, he lives only for others, and not for himself. For it is to this end that he brings his own body into subjection, that he may be able to serve others more sincerely and more freely.

“Yet a Christian has need of none of these things for justification and salvation, but in all his works he ought to entertain this view and look only to this object—that he may serve and be useful to others in all that he does; having nothing before his eyes but the necessities and the advantage of his neighbour.

“Here is the truly Christian life, here is faith really working by love, when a man applies himself with joy and love to the works of that freest servitude in which he serves others voluntarily and for nought, himself abundantly satisfied in the fullness and riches of his own faith.” ~ Martin Luther

People in America all the time talk about how they deserve special rights/freedoms, but they never want the responsibility that goes with them.

As Christians we need to maintain a higher standard and remember to be responsibly free in Christ.