What is real freedom to A child of God?

[firestormx]

When I Google the meaning of freedom I get the following.
 
Freedom
the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.
 
 
For almost all my life I've thought that freedom was being able to say and do what I wanted when I wanted and how I wanted without restriction or consequence. But the more I read the word of God, the more I question what is real freedom. Paul would say he was the slave to Christ yet he would also say ( imho ) that he was free in Christ. Christ come that we might be set free from the bonds of sin. To set the prisoner free.

 

What is freedom?

 

I live in America.... "The land of the free". Where increasingly it seems that to more and more being free means they can do whatever they like and everyone must not condemn. The more the country moves in this direction the further I get driven from it. 

 

 What is freedom?
 
I hope my rambles make sense to someone. I hope the Lord places it on someone's heart to respond that has a much deeper understanding of his word than I do. There are so many on this site with such a understanding of his word and a  passion to love the Lord, with all there heart, mind and strength... While not wanting any to be lead into lies and deception. So I come to you after much prayer and seeking of his truth to ask,

What is real freedom to A child of God?   What does freedom mean?

 

May the lord bless you all

Firestormx

Joseph

[missmuffet]

Freedom in Christ is not the same as political or economic freedom.The Bible tells us that,spiritually speaking,no one is free.Romans 6,Paul tells us that we are all slaves.We are either slaves to sin or saves to righteousness.The only freedom  comes to those who are His slaves.

[OakWood]

It means (I think) that we eventually become our true selves as God made us. So. I may no longer be able to have sex with lots of different women (as I did) nor am I free to take drugs (as I did) but I'm free because I no longer have the desire to do so. So if you like, I'm free because I'm no longer a slave to these desires.

But there's more to it than that.

The real freedom that Jesus gives us is freedom from worry about our souls, freedom fro the hang-ups of life, the feeling that life is meaningless. Also, my eyes are open to what is going on around me in the World in a way like never before. So many people are confused by what is happening so they try desperately to explain it without really being able to understand it. They are caught up in their own superstitions and their own vanities, desperately trying to impress others, bragging about themselves, desperately trying to be loved and desperately wanting approval.

Jesus makes that all disappear, so in that way we become incredibly free. He gives us the truth so we no longer keep trying to find it or keep scratching our heads over it.

By the way John 8:32 is my favourite Bible verse of all. My signature reflects that.

[other one]

To me freedom in Christ is the loss of the fear of death...    That is basically what Jesus did on the cross......   he took away the curse of spiritual death that we inherited from Adam..

 

Freedom is not the ability to do what we want......   but the ability to understand and do what the Father wants....

[FreeinChrist]

For the law of the Spirit of Life, in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 8:2

 

Because of Adam and Eve's disobedience we have all been born into the bondage of sin, but because of Jesus and His Sinless Sacrifice of Himself as the True Lamb of God, the sin of the world has been token away from those of us who believe on His name; John 1:29; Acts 4:12.

We see Jesus telling the Jewish people that He would make them Free:

32)  And ye shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free.

36)  If the Son therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed.

 

 

Paul liken this freedom to liberty for the Christian in Galatians 5:1 and goes on to warn the Believers of falling into the bondage of the Law in the rest of the Chapter.  But he also encourages the Christian to serve each other in love;

6)    For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

13)  For, brethren, ye have been called to liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

14)  For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

15)  But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one by another.

Galatians 5:6; 13-15

 

One even see James speaking of this connection between our freedom in the law of liberty and connecting it with love the work of faith; James 1:22-2:26.  Peter even tells us how we are to use this freedom see I Peter 2:11-17.

 

Our freedom is no more us trying to please God by our own works, but being pleasing to God by the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross and the continuing work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, in this way the Spirit will work out our salvation, Philippians 2:12.

[Littlelambseativy]

One of my most favourite songs is 'Who am I' by Rusty Goodman. There are a couple of verses that speak to what you ask

 

When I think of how He came so far from glory
Came to dwell among the lowly such as I
To suffer shame and such disgrace
On Mount Calvary take my place
Then I ask myself this question
Who am I?

 

When I'm reminded of His words
I'll leave Him never
If you'll be true I'll give to you life forever
Oh I wonder what I could have done
To deserve God's only Son
To fight my battles until they're won
For who am I?

Who am I that The King would bleed and die for
Who am I that He would pray not my will, Thy Lord
The answer I may never know
Why He ever loved me so
But to that old rugged cross He'd go
For who am I?
 

I guess to me that sums it up. i have freedom in Christ - not to do the things that I want to do to please others here on earth but to please the One who gave it all so that I might have eternal life. It is sort of like having a big brother who knows when I would make a mistake that would haunt me for life but reminds me that because he saved my life once i should not disappoint him by making a mistake that would hurt him and me.

There is a freedom and a joy that comes from doing what Jesus wants and doing it to please Him because of what He did for me. i am free to be me by doing what is right in God's eyes. He loves me and I in turn love Him more than ever. Free? Yes! That He would fight my battles until they're won, for who am I! A life eternal - what greater freedom is there than that?

[fire-heart]

Well think about it, we are children of God yes? And Jesus said we could ask for anything that itself shows just how free we are. Through Christ we were given power and authority to reign as kings and queens and because we are God children we can have no fear to come before him and ask anything of him. We are now royalty and we have been given many great gifts just for following God. In heaven the second you accept him you already have a place in his kingdom and fine linen and silky robes and a crown and Jewels and much more.

A slave could never hope to have such things but do u know what? I found the more of a slave i become to Christ the more free I feel. My his desires become my desires I seek what he seeks and slowly but surely his will becomes my own

[Tristen]

Hi firestormx

 

Christian freedom includes;

 

* Freedom to enter into Christ’s rest (Matthew 11:28-29, Hebrews 4:16) in the knowledge that His sacrifice is all-sufficient to provide our eternal salvation – regardless of our imperfections (Hebrews 10:14). So we are free from the conscience of sin (Hebrews 10:1-22, Romans 3:19-20) which would disable us through fear, guilt and self-condemnation. We are furthermore free from the curse of “bondage” to the system of Law (Galatians 5:1, Colossians 2:13-20) which judged us to be imperfect; worthy of eternal condemnation (Romans 2:12-13, Galatians 3:10-14, Galatians 3:22).

 

* Freedom from the “sway of the wicked one” (1 John 5:19-20); in the knowledge that sin corrupts and destroys (i.e. God’s motivation is not to ‘spoil our fun’, but to save us from the “corruption” that results when we submit to our fleshly desires (Galatians 6:8))

 

* Freedom to “boldly” enter God’s presence and approach His throne in the Holy of Holies – even when we ourselves are in need of “mercy” and “grace” (Hebrews 4:16, Hebrews 10:19-22).

 

* Freedom to live the life that God has created for us and Christ has secured for us (John 10:10).

 

 

“Freedom” has never implied “without consequence”. A Christian is “able to say and do what [they] wanted when [they] wanted and how [they] wanted” (1 Corinthians 6:12, 1 Corinthians 10:23, Titus 1:15). It is the knowledge of consequences that increases our freedom; i.e. makes our decisions more informed (John 8:32, 1 Timothy 2:3-4, 2 Timothy 2:25).

[JohnD]

To answer the thread title directly:

 

Freedom to turn from sin / our sinful nature.

 

Freedom to please the Lord in that our efforts are in the name of his Son (and therefore are boosted by his righteousness imputed to our account to bring our efforts even into the realm of pleasing God).

 

Freedom to be at peace with God.

 

Freedom to partner with God in prayer (intercessory especially).

 

Freedom to truly serve God.

 

Freedom to love God.

 

Freedom to love our neighbor as ourselves.

 

Freedom to sacrifice ourselves and our rights to further the spread of the Gospel and his Kingdom.

 

That's freedom!

 

Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty I am free at last!

[Guest]

Amen~!