When many believers consider freedom in Christ, their first thought is what they’re free from. Free from sin. Free from disgrace. Free from damaging habits, hang-ups, or strongholds that after held them captive. This sort of freedom is a part of the “Good Information”—and it’s value celebrating! However that’s not the entire story.
In Christ, freedom is rarely nearly breaking chains or kicking an dependancy. It’s not merely the absence of bondage to sin. True gospel freedom is the presence of one thing higher: discovering a brand new treasure (Matt. 6:21), a brand new place to worship, a brand new lifetime of loving and serving God with our entire coronary heart.
Freedom Teams® have been born out of this conviction. For over a decade, now we have seen God not solely set individuals free from a pervasive sin cycle, a deep struggling with no hope, however to a brand new id and deep abiding in Christ. These biblical soul care teams aren’t merely about serving to individuals escape the ache of their previous or the grip of sin. They’re about serving to believers embrace a liberty in Christ and stay within the fullness of His calling. In different phrases, freedom isn’t just for reduction—it’s for relationship and for objective.
Freedom Is Extra Than an Escape
The apostle Paul reminds us in Galatians 5:1, “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; due to this fact maintain standing agency and don’t be topic once more to a yoke of slavery.”
Discover the emphasis—freedom has a objective. Christ didn’t free us simply so we may have our greatest life now. He freed us so we may stand agency in Him. He freed us in order that we may stroll in obedience and resist the pull of slavery that at all times tries to tug us again. The world defines freedom as no guidelines, no restraints, having it your method. The Bible exhibits us that it’s a false freedom and truly is bondage to egocentric needs.
If we view freedom solely as an escape from ache or sin, we threat making ourselves the main target. We could deal with freedom like a instrument for self-improvement or self-fulfillment. However biblical freedom is rarely self-centered; it’s Christ-centered (2 Cor. 5:11-20). The gospel reminds us that freedom will not be primarily about what we get—it’s about who we get to serve as a substitute of self: Christ Himself. Freedom will not be a spot we attempt to realize; it’s in an individual we worship with all our hearts (Rom. 12:1-2).
In Freedom Teams, we train that addictions aren’t simply to substances. Contributors typically come in search of reduction from lust, bitterness, anxiousness, despair, disgrace, or wounds from the previous. We don’t arrange the desk by the fruit they arrive in displaying, however by the foundation they could not have even recognized existed. There isn’t any porn desk or panic desk. The curriculum will not be primarily based on some sort of restoration. It targets the center behind the battle. That want for launch is legitimate and deeply human. However the journey doesn’t cease there. When freedom turns into solely about escaping the battle or addressing habits, it simply slides into self-protection or self-reliance. Actual freedom means coronary heart change. It leads us into joyful give up to the One who units us free.
Freedom Redirects Our Affections
Paul expands this fact in Romans 6:22: “However now that you’ve been let out from sin and have turn out to be slaves of God, the fruit you get results in sanctification and its finish, everlasting life.”
Freedom is rarely impartial. It at all times strikes us in a course. Our members aren’t saying, “Now what?” on the finish of Freedom Teams. They’re asking proceed to abide extra deeply in Christ and neighborhood. The place to attach, the place to serve, and glorify God with their story and lives. When Christ frees us from the mastery of sin, He concurrently calls us right into a deeper union with Him: to belong to God. The fruit of that new allegiance is highly effective and progressive sanctification—a life being formed into Christ’s likeness.
It is a vital shift in perspective. Many individuals think about freedom as being unbound to anybody or something—answering solely to themselves. However biblical freedom is the precise reverse. Freedom will not be the absence of all masters; it’s the joyful actuality of belonging to the suitable Grasp. Christ’s yoke is simple, His burden is mild, and His lordship is life-giving (Matt. 11:28-30).
This implies freedom will not be the top of the journey however the starting of a brand new life. Our affections shift, and our satisfaction is now not on this world and what it presents. Once we cease at “I’m free from sin,” we miss the deeper invitation: “Now we stay as one who defines freedom as belonging to God, loving Him most, and worshiping Him wholeheartedly.”
In sensible phrases, this may imply it’s essential to repent day by day, lament deeply, forgive graciously, or give up sure needs, habits, or time. Somebody free of pornography learns to seek out satisfaction in Christ and spend money on loving relationships. Somebody free of anger learns to domesticate persistence and gentleness. Somebody free of worry learns to belief God boldly. Freedom is rarely static; it’s a dynamic motion towards Christlikeness.
Freedom Finds Its Success in Love
Paul makes this abundantly clear in Galatians 5:13: “For you have been referred to as to freedom, brothers; solely don’t use your freedom as a possibility for the flesh, however by means of love serve each other.”
Right here is the final word take a look at of freedom: does it end in loving God extra and loving others higher? If our expertise of freedom terminates on our rights or our pleasure, we’ve missed the purpose. The fruit of freedom will not be self-indulgence however self-giving! Give it some thought. When have you ever felt most fulfilled and most like who you have been created to be? Possible while you gave not acquired, while you liked somebody with no expectation of a return. You have been designed to be most happy while you stay out the Nice Fee within the spirit of the Nice Commandment (Matt. 22:34-40).
Jesus modeled this completely. He was the freest one that ever lived—totally free from sin, worry, and the opinions of others. And what did He do with His freedom? He laid down His life in love (John 3:16). He served. He sacrificed. He obeyed the Father to the purpose of dying (Phil. 2:1-11).
Freedom Teams assist others, and as their wounds flip to scars, their scars then turn out to be testimonies. Our weaknesses turn out to be platforms for God’s energy. Our tales now not heart on what we escaped however on the God we now serve.
Our final evening in Freedom Teams is known as the “say so” evening, primarily based on Psalm 107:1-2. It’s common to listen to issues alongside this theme, “God didn’t simply set me free from dependancy—He set me free to be a godly husband, a father, and to serve others in my church.” That captures the essence of gospel freedom. It’s not nearly what you permit behind; it’s about who you turn out to be in Christ (Rom. 8:28-29).
The New Problem: Don’t Waste Your Freedom
Christ’s freedom is a valuable present. However like several present, it may be wasted if it’s not used for its supposed objective. If all we do is have a good time what we’ve been free of, we threat falling again into outdated patterns or settling for shallow Christianity. That’s the reason we ask members to select a small group, a spot to serve, and share their testimony inside days of ending the group.
Jesus died to set us free so we’d stay lives absolutely dedicated to Him. Wholehearted discipleship is the true objective of freedom. The true problem is that this: Don’t waste your freedom.
- Don’t waste it on self-indulgence.
- Don’t waste it by drifting again to outdated patterns.
- Don’t waste it by protecting your story to your self.
As a substitute, use your freedom to like God along with your entire coronary heart, soul, thoughts, and energy. Use it to serve your loved ones, your church, and your neighborhood. Use it to level individuals to the One who units captives free.
The query isn’t just, “Am I free from bondage?” but additionally, “Am I free to like and serve God extra absolutely?”
That’s the deeper invitation of the gospel. Christ has not simply damaged your chains—He has given you a brand new calling. So don’t cease quick. Don’t accept partial freedom. Stroll within the fullness of freedom that results in pleasure, holiness, and sacrificial love.
Questions for Reflection
- Do you are inclined to assume extra about what Christ has freed you from or what He has freed you for?
- The place may you be tempted to make use of freedom for your self somewhat than to like and serve God?
- What sensible step may you’re taking this week to redirect your freedom towards loving God and serving others?
Creator’s Notice: For extra details about Freedom Teams, please go to soulcareconsuting.org.
