LIBERTY IN CHRIST

Liberty in Christ. It can be a heavy theological topic—one that Christians divide over. In somewhat simple, and probably incomplete, terms, it’s pretty much recognizing that Jesus’ death on the cross provides freedom from trying to earn salvation by keeping a moral code. Generally, the debate ensues over how Christians should live in light of the fact that what we do does not save us. I’m not writing to engage in the debate, but instead to share how I’ve been mulling over this liberty.

I’ve recently had help from 1 Corinthians 6:12. The verse is part of a famous passage on fleeing from sexual immorality and walking in purity. Because of the emphasis on avoiding sexual sin, I had inadvertently glossed over its message about Christian Liberty in general. For clarity, I’ve been looking at it in a few versions, which I’ll share:

12"Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial."Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything. (NIV)

12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. (NKJV)

12 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. (NASB)

12 You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything. (New Living Translation)

The greatest reminder from the verse has been that gaining freedom through Christ does not, by itself, ensure that I will live in that freedom. I can still end up doing things that may not be “wrong” under the law of grace, but put me in a state like the very slavery that the Cross happened so that I could avoid.

Instead, I have to make choices that keep me living in freedom. In Him, my new aim is to walk in the grace He’s given, thus avoiding being “mastered” by anything this world offers.

In a host of passages, Paul further explains what this freedom through grace looks like. I struggled to pick just one, so I didn’t:). Along with the verses, a few lessons...Freedom in Christ should cause me to:

1. Make Him My Focus

Colossians 3: 1-3 says: “1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”

Focusing on Christ means He—not someone else or thing—has our attention first. When something other than God is our focus, we’re susceptible to being negatively influenced by it—whether or not we intended that. However, because The Word of God says that He is light —and free from any darkness—the only “mastery” we can experience when He's first is that we become slaves to righteous living. And because that is our aim in Christ, focusing on Him sends us in the right direction!

2. Be Motivated By Spiritual Growth, Not Just Right and Wrong

Even under grace it can still be tempting to evaluate ourselves not by how much we’re seeking Him, but instead simply by how many sins we’ve committed or avoided. But our freedom calls us to so much more.

I’m always struck by Paul’s rich prayers in his letters to the New Testament Churches. He never asked that they would just, say, keep all of the Ten Commandments, or that they’d merely be “better people” than those around them. Instead, he prayed that they would seek greatness— in Him—and in everything they did. One of my favorites is Philippians 1: 9-11:

“9And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, 10so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ 11having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (NASB)

When we seek excellence in our freedom, we make the best choices, not just the ones that help us slide by. And, as a result, we honor Him in the highest way.

3. Have Evidence of Freedom

Freedom in Christ has to look unique—like, well, freedom. The well-known “Fruit of the Spirit” Passage, Galatians 5: 22-23, gives us markers: "22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (Also add similar words from Peter).

In short, because of Christ, I can do whatever I want. But, also because of Christ, I choose to do the things that bring me the most victory.

“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”

That’s Freedom. And there’s nothing like it.