The Scriptures say a good deal about freedom. What is freedom from God's frame of reference? What is it that we are free from? The Bible tells us that we are free from sin, death, and the Law of Moses. These three are inextricably linked. Sin brings death (Rom. 6.23). The Mosaic Law revealed sin but had no power to remedy it. In fact, the Law exacerbated sin through our Adamic nature (Rom. 7). All who seek salvation by works are in bondage (Gal. 2.15-21). The Law cannot save; only Christ has that power.
Biblically, we who are "in Christ" celebrate our freedom but not our independence. Paradoxically, true freedom is found in bondage (Rom. 6.17-23). By being slaves of Christ we find true freedom and release. Paul, James, Peter, Jude, and John all referred to themselves as bond-servants (Gk.
dou=loj) of Christ (Rom. 1.1; Gal. 1.10; Phil. 1.1; Tit. 1.1.; James 1.1; 2 Pet. 1.1; Jude 1.1; Rev. 1.1). Even Christ himself was a servant of his Father (Phil. 2.7). But was any man ever more free?Jesus' key speech about freedom is to the Jews in John 8. This is the most heated, controversial, and argumentative exchanges Jesus had with the Jews that we have recorded. In it, we see the uncompromising determination and will of our Lord; he drove home the fact of their bondage. He did not retreat in response to the Jews declaration that he was a demon-possessed bastard. Rather, they put him in the mood to declare to them that he was YHVH himself. He responded, "before Abraham was, I am", (Gk.
e/gw\ e'imi/). His declaration hearkened back to God's revelation to Moses that he is "I am that I am" (Ex. 3.14). Jesus is the same God who said, "I am the first and the last, and there is no God besides me" (Is. 44.6b cf. Rev. 1.8). There is one true God. If we are to be free, we must be freed by him. There are no other options.Below are all the New Testament uses of the noun, adjective, and verb for freedom from the Greek root 'eleuqer. As can be seen, Paul talks about freedom far more than any other writer and it is from his writings that we learn about Christ's love for us and his wonderful work on our behalf to win our freedom.
Gk. 'eleuqeri/a, eleutheria {el-yoo-ther-ee'-ah} liberty n.
1) liberty to do or to omit things having no relationship to salvation 2) fancied liberty 2a) licence, the liberty to do as one pleases 3) true liberty is living as we should, not as we please
Romans 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
1 Corinthians 10:29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?
2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Galatians 2:4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
James 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
1 Peter 2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
2 Peter 2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
Gk.
'eleu/qeroj eleutheros {el-yoo'-ther-os}; adj.1) freeborn 1a) in a civil sense, one who is not a slave 1b) of one who ceases to be a slave, freed, manumitted 2) free, exempt, unrestrained, not bound by an obligation 3) in an ethical sense: free from the yoke of the Mosaic Law
Matthew 17:26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.
John 8:33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Romans 6:20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
Romans 7:3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
1 Corinthians 7:21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
1 Corinthians 7:22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.
1 Corinthians 7:39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 9:1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
1 Corinthians 9:19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
Galatians 4:23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Galatians 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
Galatians 4:30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
Galatians 4:31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Ephesians 6:8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
Colossians 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
1 Peter 2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
Revelation 6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
Revelation 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
Revelation 19:18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
Gk. 'eleuqero/w, eleutheroo {el-yoo-ther-o'-o} ; v.
1) to make free 2) set at liberty: from the dominion of sin
John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Romans 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Romans 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
tw~| a)gapw~nti h(ma~j kai\ lu/santi h(ma~j e)k tw~n a(martiw~n h(mw~n e)n tw|~ a(i/mati au)tou~.
©1999 Don Samdahl. Anyone is free to reproduce this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold.
Updated November 08, 2002