Difference between revisions of "Freedom"

<p> [[Sinful]] human beings are likened in the Bible to slaves, those who are in bondage to sin, Satan, the law and death. When by faith they receive God’s salvation, they are freed from this slavery (&nbsp;Luke 13:16; &nbsp;John 8:31-34; &nbsp;Romans 6:17-18; &nbsp;Galatians 4:5-7). This is an act of God’s supreme grace that has as its basis the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (&nbsp;Luke 4:17-19; &nbsp;John 8:36; &nbsp;Romans 7:4-6; &nbsp;Romans 8:2; &nbsp;Hebrews 2:14-15). </p> <p> '''Christian living''' </p> <p> Although Christians are free from the law to which the ancient Israelites were bound, they are not free to do as they like. They have been saved by God’s grace so that they might be free from sin, not so that they might fall under sin’s power again (&nbsp;Romans 6:6-14; &nbsp;Galatians 5:13; &nbsp;1 Peter 2:16; &nbsp;2 Peter 2:19). They must live as those who, through their union with Christ, have died to sin and received a new life where righteousness dominates (&nbsp;Romans 6:16-19; &nbsp;1 Peter 2:24; &nbsp;1 Peter 4:1-2). </p> <p> Even when they are exercising their freedom correctly in relation to themselves, Christians must still consider whether they are exercising it correctly in relation to others. By controlling their freedom out of consideration for others, they demonstrate true Christian love (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 9:19-23; &nbsp;1 Corinthians 10:23-24). </p> <p> Personal sacrifice is necessary, but Christians must resist the pressure to submit to any set of moral or ceremonial laws that other Christians might try to impose upon them. Such laws may aim at controlling natural sinful tendencies, but in the end they will not be beneficial. They will lead only to frustration and renewed bondage (&nbsp;Galatians 2:4; &nbsp;Galatians 5:1; &nbsp;Colossians 2:23). Laws might aim at righteousness, but Christians cannot achieve righteousness by keeping laws. They can achieve it only by exercising true freedom under the control of the indwelling Spirit (&nbsp;Galatians 5:14-16; cf. &nbsp;2 Corinthians 3:17). </p> <p> Freedom in the Spirit does not mean that Christians need no self-discipline. On the contrary, self-discipline is an evidence of the Spirit’s work in them (&nbsp;Galatians 5:22-23; see SELF-DISCIPLINE). Though free from sin, Satan, death and the law, they are not free from God. They are slaves of God, because God is the one who has bought them. They belong to God (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 6:19-20; &nbsp;1 Corinthians 7:22-23; see [[Redemption]] ). As God’s slaves they have a responsibility to live righteously (&nbsp;Romans 6:17-22). </p> <p> Besides being servants of God, believers are sons of God, and they enjoy the full liberty of sonship (&nbsp;John 8:35-36; &nbsp;Romans 8:12-17; &nbsp;Galatians 4:1-7; see [[Adoption]] ). They accept the authority of a loving Father, and respond with loving obedience. Their new ‘law’ of life is one that they obey because they want to, not because they are forced to. It is the law of Christ, which is a law of liberty and a law of love (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 9:21; &nbsp;Galatians 5:13-14; &nbsp;Galatians 6:2; &nbsp;James 1:25; &nbsp;James 2:12; see [[Obedience]] ). </p> <p> '''Wider responsibilities''' </p> <p> Having experienced God’s freedom, believers should then desire it for others. They should see that God wants people to have freedom from sin and all its evil consequences: freedom from disease and suffering (&nbsp;Mark 5:1-6; &nbsp;Mark 5:18-19; &nbsp;Luke 13:16; &nbsp;Acts 10:38); freedom from hunger and poverty (&nbsp;Deuteronomy 15:1-11; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 24:19-22; &nbsp;Matthew 25:37-40; &nbsp;Acts 11:27-29); freedom from the domination of foreign nations and oppressive rulers (&nbsp;Exodus 6:6; &nbsp;Nahum 3:18-19; &nbsp;Zephaniah 3:19; &nbsp;Revelation 19:20); freedom from human slavery and social injustice (&nbsp;Exodus 22:21-27; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 23:15-16; &nbsp;Luke 4:17-19; &nbsp;James 5:4-6); in fact, freedom from every kind of bondage, even the bondage in the world of nature (&nbsp;Romans 8:21-24). </p>

<p> FREE, [[Freedom]] </p> <p> The Scriptures considering our whole nature by the fall under the vassalage of sin and Satan, represent our deliverance from both by grace under the character of spiritual freedom. And Jesus, in a very striking manner, represents the greatness of it by a contrast, drawn to a state of slavery. "Whosoever committeth sin (saith Jesus,) is the servant of sin; and the servant abideth not in the house for ever, but the son abideth ever. If the son, therefore, shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (&nbsp;John 8:34-36) </p>

<p> <b> FREEDOM. </b> —See Free Will and Liberty. </p>

<p> (חֻפְשָׁה, ''Chuphshah', Manumission,'' &nbsp;Leviticus 19:20; entirely different from πολιτεία, citizenship, &nbsp;Acts 22:28; "commonwealth," i.e., ''Polity,'' &nbsp;Ephesians 2:12). Strangers resident in [[Palestine]] had the fullest protection of the law, equally with the native Hebrews (&nbsp;Leviticus 24:22; &nbsp;Numbers 15:15; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 1:16; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 24:17); the law of usury was the only exception (&nbsp;Deuteronomy 23:20). The advantage the Hebrew had over the Gentile was strictly spiritual, in his being a member of the ecclesiastical as well as the civil community of Jehovah. But even to this spiritual privilege [[Gentiles]] were admitted under certain restrictions (&nbsp;Deuteronomy 23:1-9; &nbsp;1 Samuel 21:7; &nbsp;2 Samuel 11:13). The [[Ammonites]] and [[Moabites]] were excluded from the citizenship of the theocracy, and the persons mentioned in &nbsp;Deuteronomy 23:1-6. (See [[Foreigner]]). The Mosaic code points out the several cases in which the servants of the Hebrews were to receive their freedom (&nbsp;Exodus 21:2-4; &nbsp;Exodus 21:7-8; &nbsp;Leviticus 25:39; &nbsp;Leviticus 25:41; &nbsp;Leviticus 25:47-55; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 15:12-17). (See [[Slave]]). There were various modes whereby the freedom of Rome could be attained by foreigners, such as by merit or favor, by money (&nbsp;Acts 22:28), or by family. The ingenuus or freeman came directly by birth to freedom and to citizenship. The libertinus or freedman was a manumitted slave, and his children were denominated libertini, i.e., freedmen or freedmen's sons. (See [[Libertine]]). Among the [[Greeks]] and Romans the freedmen had not equal rights with the freemen or those of free birth. The Roman citizen could not be legally scourged; neither could he be bound, or be examined by question or torture, to extort a confession from him. If, in any of the provinces, he deemed himself and his cause to be treated by the president with dishonor and injustice, he could, by appeal, remove it to Rome to the determination of the emperor (&nbsp;Acts 16:37-39; &nbsp;Acts 21:39; &nbsp;Acts 22:25; &nbsp;Acts 25:11-12). Christians are represented as inheriting the rights of spiritual citizenship by being members of the commonwealth or community of [[Jehovah]] (&nbsp;Ephesians 2:12; &nbsp;Philippians 3:20). (See [[Citizenship]]). The Christian slave is the Lord's freedman, and a partaker of all the privileges of the children of God; and the Christian freeman is the servant of Christ (1 Corinthians 6:22; &nbsp;Romans 6:20-22). Paul acknowledges that freedom is worthy of being eagerly embraced; but the freedom which he esteemed most important in its consequences was that which is given through our Lord Jesus Christ (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 7:21-23). The Jews, under the Mosaic law, are represented as in a state of servitude, and-Christians as in a state of freedom (&nbsp;John 8:31; &nbsp;Galatians 4:22-31). (See Slaery). </p>