Freedom and License

What does it mean to have freedom as a Christian? That seems like an important question in a time when the meaning of “freedom” is increasingly up for grabs. Does it mean having rights respected? Is it about getting your way? Is it just a vague concept that you can appeal to when you want people to like your cause or group? “Yes, we believe in freedom, love, puppies, and ice cream. Join us! Also we want to overthrow the government a little…”

Words matter here, because the New Testament tells us that Jesus’ ministry brings freedom. He brings spiritual freedom first of all – liberating people from the captivating power of sin and the spiritual death that goes with it. Jesus offered this freedom through faith in Him, the Son of Man, who brings abundant and eternal life to all who are willing to receive it.

But Jesus also had an interest in freeing people from harsh legalism and expressions of bad religion. That mattered in the development of the early Church. Galatians 5:1, for instance, says - 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.

As it emerged on the scene Christianity placed an unusual amount of freedom at the disposal of the individual believer. A follower of Jesus who possessed the Holy Spirit had the ability and liberty to follow the Spirit’s leading, and was meant to use it. Through the Spirit they had direct access to God, and no longer needed an altar or priesthood or temple or other mediator to manage their relationship with God. The individual Christian is empowered to understand and act on their faith to the satisfaction of their conscience and not intended to simply conform to their religious or cultural surroundings. My Sunday message on the distinctive Baptist belief of soul liberty is available here, and it digs into this.

This spiritual freedom also led to greater social and religious freedom in the early Church. Jews and Gentiles overcame their hostility and shared the same churches. Men and women worshiped and worked together to an extent that was unheard of in that time and culture.

But it would be a mistake to think that this newfound freedom was supposed to lead to a disregard for others or a kind of radical individuality. Jump a few verses down and Galatians 1 continues: For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Galatians 1:13-14).

Here is where the Christian understanding of freedom diverges from ways the word is sometimes used elsewhere. Freedom is not about getting to do what you feel like. It has more to do with not being constrained in doing what is good and right.

Montague Brown offers a pair of definitions grounded in philosophy that I think are helpful. With respect to freedom, he writes: “Freedom is taking responsibility for our own life. Insofar as it is compatible with the common good, people should be allowed to choose freely how they want to live.” Responsibility is linked to freedom here. Freedom is about being able to make key choices in our life that don’t conflict with the good of those around us.

On the other side of this coin is license, which has a particular definition in the world of philosophy.

As Brown writes “License is the throwing off of all responsibility. It is a carte blanche to do as we feel. As such, it is incompatible with virtue and destroys community… On the personal level, license leads to moral chaos. If my actions are based merely on whim or the impulse of the moment, they are completely unpredictable, even to me. On the social level, license leads to anarchy – the lack of all dedication to the common good."

The pandemic created and/or exposed rifts in our society. The tension between personal choice and measures being required in the interest of the public good (travel restrictions, vaccine mandates, etc.) led to things like the Ottawa protest and use of the Emergencies Act that is being scrutinized right now in hearings. This, and some of the growing political disfunction taking place near and far, have me thinking that we need to find ways to demonstrate and instill in people a version of freedom that is more clearly distinct from license.

That ought to come naturally to Christians, who understand that our freedom empowers us to love others rather than absolving us of the responsibility to do so. Our freedom connects us more closely to God in order to discern what is right rather than exempting us from God’s rule and way.

The Bible starts with Adam and Eve being given freedom. The serpent offered them license, and they chose that instead. Jesus is the one who will unravel the curse and redeem the Church and, ultimately, the world. A gift that the Church can give the world in the meantime is an example of what freedom ought to be. 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.

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Devotional

Some scripture and prayer to work through at your own pace, built around this theme of freedom's true meaning and our individual connection to God through the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 119:41-48

May your unfailing love come to me, Lord, your salvation, according to your promise; then I can answer anyone who taunts me, for I trust in your word. Never take your word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws. I will always obey your law, for ever and ever. I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame, for I delight in your commands because I love them. I reach out for your commands, which I love, that I may meditate on your decrees.

Prayer of Invitation

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy. Amen.

– Augustine of Hippo (354-430)

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:3-14

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ.

This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.

God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.

Prayer for Guideance

Lord, thank You for the people You have divinely placed in my life who speak holy truth, love, and words of wisdom. Give me a heart of discernment to know when You are using someone to speak instruction into my heart and my circumstances and give me the strength and courage to follow through with that advice, even when it’s hard. Fill me with peace in knowing that even if I take a wrong turn, Your purpose will prevail. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

- Tracie Miles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkkKhbRt7DE