Freedom

 

Hey, Cobblestone,

     You probably weren’t surprised to see a letter titled “Freedom,” going into Independence Day weekend. You might, however, be surprised at the Bible’s definition of where freedom is to be found:

…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2Corinthians 3:17).

    In math, an equation remains balanced if the same operation is performed on each side. Same goes for language describing logic. Apply one “not” to each side of the statement above – where the Spirit of the Lord is not, there is not freedom – and it’s still true. Is there any place where the Spirit of the Lord is not? In the sense of omnipresence, no. But where the psalmist was describing omnipresence – Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? (Psalm 139:7) – the apostle has a different sense in view. From the second verse of chapter 3 of 2Corinthians through the fifth verse of chapter 5, a particular presence of the Spirit is the topic: not his omnipresence, but rather, his indwelling and manifest presence in the hearts, minds, and lives of the redeemed. Where the Spirit of the Lord is – animating the believer to the degree the believer allows – there is freedom. Where the Spirit of the Lord is not – his Spirit does not indwell or animate unbelievers – there is not freedom.

     Bold statement, maybe, and not provable unless we also tackle the definition of freedom, starting with what it is not. Freedom is not the latitude to do whatever one wants. The first two humans to inhabit this planet found that out, but the misconception persists. Every generation since then has given it a ride, and been thrown. Our generation is tail-over-teakettle even now. Imagine what it would be like if 7.9 billion people simultaneously insisted on their right to do whatever they want. Or, open up your newsfeed and save your imagination the strain.

     Christians have got to understand what freedom really is, and not only for our own benefit, but also for the benefit of billions who are in bondage to the false definition. The verse we’re looking at today is plugged into a very tight context: the Lord wants us to know where freedom is found, and from the context we can also derive that he wants us to know what it is that we are free to do…

     Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit (2Corinthians 3:17-18).  

     Into the same image – we are free to reflect the glory of God. The Spirit of the Lord gives believers total freedom to do and be whatever exalts the beauty and majesty of our Father in heaven.

     Romans 8 was in our Bible reading plan lately. Some translations of the Bible give this chapter a heading: “Life in the Spirit.” The heading isn’t Scripture, only a handy tool, in the sense that it encapsulates the thrust of the chapter. As I’ve said before, chapters 6 through 8 come as a package; please don’t take any one or two of them without the other two or one. Chapter 6 gets downright aggressive in describing our condition before salvation: like everybody else, we were slaves of sin (verses 17 and 20). No freedom – that’s what we were saved from. Chapter 7 is kind of awkward, describing how we are released from the power of sin, but not relieved of the presence of sin: But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code (verse 6). If we try to nail down every detail of chapter 7 before moving into chapter 8, we’ll probably drive ourselves crazy. There’s plenty enough crazy already, so let’s pace steadily onward and then look back on whence we came:

     There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit (8:1-4).   

     Chapter 8 gives a name to the law chapter 7 only mentions. What law are we set free from in Christ Jesus? The law of sin and death. But look: there’s still a law – the law of the Spirit of life. I’ve tried for years to discover the boundaries of the law of the Spirit of life, and I keep finding more freedom. As long as I’m reflecting the glory of God, as long as I’m cooperating with him in being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, there are no restrictions, only more room to run about. And the most blessed, peace-filled, secure Christians I know are having the same experience.

     Freedom is getting a lot of air time lately, and not just because of Independence Day coming up. Many are shouting about freedom. Problem is, most of the world is working from the false definition: “Whatever I want to do I should get to do.” Language has been turned inside-out to support the false definition. The irony here, I believe, is that every image-bearer of God wants true freedom. At soul level, everyone created in his image, which is to say every one, longs to be transformed from one degree of glory to the next.

     This is where Christians come in. True freedom will be insanely difficult for the world to find unless-and-until we Christians consistently do the following three things:

1.      Operate according to the law of the Spirit of life, reflecting the glory of God.

2.      Stop expecting those who are not yet animated by the Spirit to live according to the law of the Spirit of life.

3.      Engage in the ministry of reconciliation (2Corinthians 5:18) by making life in the Spirit more appealing than false freedom.

     Not to leave us with an unfunded mandate, God makes this promise:

     If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you (Romans 8:11). In this walk-around world, we have resurrection power already – on loan, so to speak, until the full resurrection takes place – to carry out the will of the Lord between now and then.

     In the form of prayer, I’ll invite you into this one, which showed up in my prayer book this morning (Thursday). I’ve prayed it twice already, with one more to go today:

    “Lord God Almighty, you have made all the peoples of the earth for your glory, to serve you in freedom and in peace: Give to the people of our country a zeal for justice and the strength of forbearance, that we may use our liberty in accordance with your gracious will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.”  

  Grace and Peace (essential for freedom),

 

John