Freedom and personal fulfillment have been two of the most prevailing demands in recent Western European history. Yet for such a key idea, ‘freedom' has been left curiously undefined. Often freedom is seen very superficially as the removal of immediate constraints without considering where this autonomy will lead to. Frequently it leads to abuse or is used for merely selfish ends.
Christianity is often perceived as restricting. We see God as a kind of celestial policeman who given half a chance will stop us doing all the things we want to do. Therefore we reject Him, wanting to do our own thing instead.
But freedom is more than simply living the way we want to live. Jesus of Nazareth strikes me as the most liberated man who ever lived. Any yet He knew very well there was a divinely appointed standard of ethics, and he framed his life in accordance with it. He said, “I do always those things which please him (God).” But could anyone say that his faith stifled his freedom? He was utterly free of hypocrisy, free of the fear of others, free to be himself.
Was there ever so free a human being? Duty did not stifle him. Obedience did not obliterate his freedom. Circumstances did not imprison him. He was utterly free- free to use his power for others, free to love the unlovely, free to confront oppressors and injustice. He had discovered the truth that freedom is not the license to do what you want but the ability to do what you ought.
The freedom Jesus Christ offers today is freedom from sin and guilt. Jesus taught that whoever commits sin is a slave of sin (John 8v34). Could you go a week, a month, a year without at any time acting in a greedy, unfair, thoughtless, cruel way? No...well are you really free? Do you only free reasonably happy as long as things are going your way? If so any freedom you think you might have is intrinsically linked to your circumstances and therefore is not really freedom after all.
Christian freedom stands irrespective circumstances. It liberates us from the guilt of sin and enables us to make the contribution towards other people and society at large we would like to make, but which previously our self-centredness stopped us from making. It progressively releases us to be the kind of human being that in our best moments we would like to be. Jesus once said, “If the Son (Jesus) makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”
By Andrew Stewart
Four things you should know about hell (mp3)
Four things you should know about heaven (mp3)
What do you think of Westfields?
Details of 2008 houseparty:
23rd - 30th August 2008
Stanbridge Earls School,
Romsey, Hampshire
Mums and Tots
Friday morning 9.30am
At the church