True Freedom

True Freedom
By: Dr. Danny Purvis

We are, in certain aspects, prisoners of our circumstances. That, in and of itself, is neither a good thing nor a bad thing. It is simply a reality. It is extremely difficult for us to truly grasp concepts without applying the time, place, and circumstances of our current existence. As a result we have a tendency to parse concepts, ideas and words through the prism of our immediacy. That is simply our lot in life.

However, for the Believer, we are called and directed to develop an understanding of Godly things aside from our immediate circumstances. We see this all of the time in Scripture. We are told that even though we live and exist in this world, that we (Christians) are not a part of this world. In fact we are told that this planet we call home…is not actually our home (1 Peter 2:11; Hebrews 11:9-13; 1 Chronicles 29:15). In fact, the event of the Jews wandering in the wilderness for 40 years after the Exodus while awaiting entrance into the Promised Land is a literal picture of this spiritual reality.

We are constantly told throughout Scripture to think eternally while smack dab in the middle of temporality. That is not an easy thing to do and can only be accomplished by the Holy Sprit Who indwells each and every Believer. There is perhaps no greater example of this than the concept of freedom. It is not hyperbole to state that the United States of America has to be the most free nation that has ever existed. That is precisely the foundation upon which the Founders built this great nation. It is what separates America from every other country in history. So, when we say, think, or act in ways that express freedom…because of our circumstances…we almost always default to thinking of it in terms of civil, political, or financial freedom.

For the most part, most Believers are very attuned to this aspect of our lives. Most Believers are pretty patriotic with a passion for having these civil freedoms remain intact. In fact, this zeal for civil freedoms is often viewed by those who seem to deride this nation as always jingoistic in nature. This understanding of our liberties is not a bad thing…not at all. In fact, I spent 20 years of my life in the Navy trying to defend those very same liberties. But, as always, there are issues at play that may make us view freedom only from that standpoint.

Here is the interesting thing about this. The Bible really does not specifically address the current Believer’s civil freedoms…at all. Jesus lived under one of the most brutal dictatorships the world has ever seen. The Romans suppressed all over whom they had dominion. They taxed the people without mercy. They physically brutalized people to keep them in check. They were no elections…or redresses against this regime. But despite being under the thumb of these tyrants, Jesus never said anything about that. He did not tell the people to rise up and throw off the yoke of tyranny. In fact, He said: Render unto Caesar the things that Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s.

And yet Jesus also said: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36). Therein lay the rub. What freedom was Jesus talking about? I will tell you. The only freedom that ultimately matters. The only freedom that triumphs even when civil and political freedoms do not exist. In Romans chapter 8, Paul writes this: “For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:2). That’s it. That is the only freedom that truly matters. Freedom from slavery to sin and the eternal consequences of that sin. That is what Jesus was talking about. Jesus didn’t come to ensure we have civil freedoms.

God never, ever once promised us we would live in a nation that allowed us constitutional freedoms. It’s great that He does that for us who live in this nation. But we have dedicated, Bible-believing Brothers and Sisters all over this world that live under brutal conditions with no civil freedoms at all. If we relegate God’s Word into a political document that guarantees us civil and political freedoms and that this is part of being a Believer, it will come as quite a shock to those Christians around the world who don’t have them.

We are so blessed to live in a nation founded on the principles of individual freedom. But that can change in a heartbeat. As Believers our focus should be on the Biblical understanding of freedom. Freedom from sin. Freedom from lostness. Freedom from estrangement from our God. Freedom from the eternal torment of an eternal hell. The most civilly free person in the world, if they have not come to faith in Christ, is still a slave (John 8:34). And the most civilly unfree person on the planet (the quiet Christian living in North Korea) is freer than the most civilly free lost person in this country.

We have to view true freedom as the freedom from enslavement to sin that only Christ can give us. Then, it does not matter how civilly unfree we are…we are still free. If this nation turned into a dictatorship overnight…and all of our liberties were to be taken away from us…that would not impact our true freedom in any way, shape, or form. Our civil liberties are important. And worth fighting for. But our true freedom…the freedom only Christ can give us…is the only freedom that ultimately, eternally matters. So, when you hear talk about freedom, think about what comes into your mind? The political freedoms of this country which are being whittled away day by day? Or is the first thing that comes to mind the ultimate freedom that only comes with the gift of salvation? It is something to think about.
-Dr. Danny Purvis