A Spirit of Obedient Freedom

　　Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).

　　Exploring this idea of freedom is a bit complicated, but also simple. Sometimes, I feel as though it takes some deep thinking to unlock that simplicity. If that sounds oxymoronic, you know why I’m so puzzled as to how I explain free obedience to anyone, let alone myself.

　　

All of Us Are Slaves

We are free, and that freedom has led us to choose Jesus as our Lord. We obey him, so we are slaves to him in a sense. Paul wrote that “having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:18). We all follow someone; there is something that urges us in a direction, whether towards sin or on the track set before us towards the peace of Christ (Hebrews 12:1).

　　

Are We Free?

The answer seems to be “yes” and “no.” We have a choice: turn our backs on the free gift of salvation through Christ alone and be slaves to our sins; or believe in Christ for salvation and allow him to sanctify us daily as we look to him as the model for how to live, love, and worship God.

　　I’ve heard it said that Christians are sheep, and although this is meant as an insult, the truth is that God also describes us as sheep. We are either being led to the slaughter or to safety as sheep, and we desperately need a good shepherd. Christ is our Shepherd.

　　Sometimes, we go astray, but the point is this: we all need someone to follow whether we think so or not. We are free to follow whomever we choose and to face the consequences or reap the rewards.

　　Even the one who says, “I don’t follow anyone; I’m a free spirit” or “I can go it alone, I march to the beat of my own drummer” is still following a god of sorts: the idols of pride, ambition, laziness, or greed.

　　Fear is another potential slave master, the one who sometimes whips its subjects into a frenzy so they believe they must accomplish certain goals or do something in particular to earn approval, to avoid failure, to be loved. Fear of man rather than fear of a living, loving God.

　　

Striving and Resting

The Christian strives forward towards the leader, way out in front. The Christian is also invited to rest. I’m fighting against sin, but if I understand the gospel, I must always remember:

　　1. We are not saved by works, but by grace (Ephesians 2). I was on a boat in the Atlantic once, where puffins were paddling furiously to keep up with us. Overhead, gannets flapped lazily above us. Sometimes I feel like a puffin, but when I remember who saved me, I’m more at my ease.

　　We don’t save ourselves. Moreover, we are saved once and for all. The real believer does not have to go back and ask for salvation over and over. There is so much peace and rest in realizing that the work is done, and not by me.

　　2. Salvation changes our hearts. It’s a deep sigh when I try to work hard at my faith. But when I start from a position of just loving my Savior and inviting him to change me, it’s a sigh of relief, not of fatigue.

　　I have the privilege of loving him and being loved by him without having to impress him. I’m not just trying to avoid hell; I’m benefiting from a life of joyful submission. After all, my King desires “steadfast love and not sacrifice” (Hosea 6:6).

　　3. Only God has the power to defeat sin, and he already did it. We can fool ourselves into thinking we can overcome a bad temper, substance addiction, fear, a chronic bad attitude, or sadness on our own. Eventually, we realize that if we try to overcome these problems alone, it takes a lot of work.

　　I’m thinking of someone in particular who has often subscribed to the latest fad in stress management. If the last one was the “ultimate” and “best,” why does she need something new to take its place? Because that kind of false hope is riddled with holes.

　　4. Christ wants to do the work for us by his Spirit. God gives Christians his Spirit so that they can follow him when it is against their sinful inclination to do so. I have sometimes found a route towards sinful thinking blocked.

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　　9 Ways the Bible Defines True Manliness

　　I can push and shove, but having asked the Lord to block the way, he has answered my prayer. Not every time, but some of the time, to show me his power over my sin. “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3).

　　

Other Masters

So, let’s talk about those other masters, then; our enslavement to what my pastor calls “coping and controlling mechanisms.” These are the things we do in order to deal with suffering or to control our environment.

　　They can be seemingly “good” things like cleanliness, doing well in school, exercising, eating right. They can be “bad” things such as drinking, doing drugs, smoking, going to strip clubs, self-harm, or starvation.

　　One thing I’m learning as I disciple others and am discipled by others is that religion can be one of those wolves in sheep’s clothing we hear about. God told the shepherds of Israel — the priests of his own nation — that he would come. He would judge them.

　　God’s appointed shepherds would be judged! Sure, the wolves were lurking, but the Lord’s sheep were unsafe because of the negligence of their leaders. God’s people were “scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered, they became food for all the wild animals” (Ezekiel 34:5).

　　And the shepherds, those masters of disguise, were addicted to the power and prestige of their positions. In spite of their religious garb and professional piety, these men were enslaved to another god besides the One True God.

　　We are free slaves, at liberty to choose Christ over any other master. Religion is not Christ. Christianity is not the same as the gospel. Christianity is tainted by what human beings have made it, such as those who have abused their power.

　　The gospel is the truth, the good news, undistorted, found only in Christ, not in tithing and volunteer work and church programs. We give time and money out of love for Christ, to know him better, and because we love our brothers and sisters.

　　We go to church and fellowship with other believers because we are called into fellowship, out of the sinful distortions of our own minds, to uplift and encourage one another “all the more as you see the Day drawing near” for Jesus to return (Hebrews 10:25). If this is slavery, it’s the only kind that makes any sense.

　　

No Longer Slaves

As soon as we think this is some kind of exchange, then we are only good enough Christians if we behave well. The veil is between us once more, and why would we stitch together that partition, which was destroyed by the blood of our Savior? That would render the cross a giant “X” for “no access until you become a good little puppet.”

　　The cross, however, is not a barrier; it’s a bridge. Jesus is the only Master who gives life without taking anything, and we are free to love him without hindrance from worldly, exhausting forms of slavery.

　　For further reading:

　　What Does it Mean to Be a Slave to Sin?

　　What Does it Mean ‘Where Your Treasure Is There Your Heart Is Also’?

　　What Does it Mean That ‘We Were Bought at a Price’?