Freedom

Many people think that freedom is the license to do whatever a person wants, but true freedom is the ability to do what is right. It takes obedience in order to have true freedom. I can sit at a piano and be at liberty to play any keys that I want, but I don’t have freedom, because I can’t play anything but noise. I have no freedom to play Bach, or even “Chopsticks.” Why? Because it takes years of practice and obedience to lesson plans to be truly free at the piano. Then, and only then, does one have the freedom to play any piece of music.

The same is true of freedom in living. To be truly free, we must have the power and ability to be obedient.530

Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 156.

Mankind is enslaved by sin and all the consequences of it. Because we cannot keep from sinning we bear the consequences: guilt, shame, hurt, pain, sorrow, suffering, destruction, devastation, brokenness, death, and judgment.

(NKJV) 18“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

18“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

We can be freed from sin, but this freedom from sin is conditional, here are the two conditions for being delivered from sin, two conditions for salvation and discipleship.(John 8:31-32)

(1) The conditions: belief and abiding (v.31)

a. the first condition of deliverance and salvation is belief. (, , , , )

(NKJV) 15that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

15that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

(NKJV) 24“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

24“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

(NKJV) 46I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.

46I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.

(NKJV) 31but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

31but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

(NKJV) 31So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

31So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

b. The second condition completes the experience of deliverance and salvation is continuing or abiding in God’s Word [both to study and to do the Word ()] (, , , )

Proclaiming freedom in Christ from sin is precisely Paul’s burden in . Don’t you know that when you were baptized, you were baptized into Jesus Christ’s death (6:3)? Don’t you know that you were crucified with him (6:6)? Don’t you know that Christ is no longer under the mastery of sin, and neither are you (6:9)? Don’t you know that whoever you offer yourselves to, you will be enslaved to (6:16)?

(2) Two results of being delivered from sin, two results of salvation and discipleship(v.32)

a. The true believer will know the truth(, )

(NKJV) 17Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

17Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

(NKJV) 6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

9That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

b. The true believer will be made free(, Cor.3:17-18)

(NKJV) 8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

(NKJV) 17Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

17Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

18But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

(1) Free from the shadow of doubt and despair. (NKJV) 9That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

(NKJV) 14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

(NKJV) 17Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

17Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

(2)Set free from bondage of sin- (NKJV) 28And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. 31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

28And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

29For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

32He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

33Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.

34Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

37Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

38For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,

39nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(3) Free to be save to the uttermost- (NKJV)

25Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

(NKJV) 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

(NKJV) 9For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

9For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;

10and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

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