Christian Freedom

Philosophically, there are two kinds of freedom. Negative liberty is “freedom from” something, or the absence of obstacles, while positive liberty is “freedom to” do something. In this day in age it seems that people throw the word "freedom" around to mean, "I can do what ever I want" and that "no one can tell me what to do". There is more and more a libertarian, or individualism bent to society. This is really freedom or choice, becoming a modern (or post-modern) American idol and trying to climb the lawlessness ladder to heaven. As I discussed last post, we still must obey earthly authorities, as they have been instituted by God. This crept into the Church as well, when so-called "Mainline Protestantism" essentially got rid of the law and calls it Christian freedom. However, this is simply Antinomianism. The one proof text I have seen from them is:

• For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, -1 Timothy 4:4

To investigate Christian freedom, I found that in my quick searches, the root word “free” occurs 142 times in the Bible. The majority of those times, it is not discussing Christian freedom. The largest amount of those times (45), the word is referring to being free from imprisonment, masters, slavery, indentured service, etc.... The next largest amount of the time (41) it is referring doing something of own volition, such as freely or freewill offering. This really means doing things free from coercion. Three times, it is referring to free space, or emptiness, which is freedom from occupancy. Twice, there are references to something being free of charge, meaning freedom from paying. A related use of the word freedom, used seven times, is when the Bible says that salvation is a free gift of God. This means freedom from us paying for it.

Thirty times, the Bible says neutrally that Jesus sets us free, but does not address if it is freedom to or freedom from. However, letting scripture interpret scripture, we look at the remaining fourteen uses of the word and find them all saying that we are from from the law and slavery to sin, not free to do whatever we want. Not only that, but we see that we are slaves to righteousness, God, and service to one another.

• free from this water of bitterness -Numbers 5:19
• free from iniquity -Numbers 5:31
• freed from your disability. -Luke 13:12
• everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. -Acts 13:39
• For one who has died has been set free from sin -Romans 6:7
• she is free from that law -Romans 7:3
• For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. -Romans 8:2
• creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption -Romans 8:21
• Keep your life free from love of money -Hebrews 13:5
• to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach -1 Timothy 6:14
• To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood -Revelation 1:5

Three of the fourteen verses even say that being free from sin, makes us slaves of righteousness, God, and serving one another.

• having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. -Romans 6:18
• But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God -Romans 6:22
• For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. -Galatians 5:13

However, one could argue that the verses about Christian freedom, and what we can do, don't use the word free, like the 1 Timothy verse above. But as we see, once again, while you are free from the law’s compulsion, you are not free to do anything.

• Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. -Romans 14:20
• You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. – Galatians 5:13
• For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. -1 Corinthians 9:19
• “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. -1 Corinthians 10:23

Some people even try to use a "churchy" sounding word of Adiaphora, which simply means "indifferent things", or things outside the moral law. The use of this word was defined in the reformation as things that are "neither commanded or forbidden by the Word of God". God clearly commands that everything we do should be to the Glory of God and to build up our neighbor, and that we are not to just do whatever we want.