What is true freedom according to the Bible

True freedom is not just doing whatever you want

True freedom is about being who God made you to be and doing what God made you to do without being influenced by the things that hold you in bondage to things that are harmful or ego-based.

Freedom is in relation to something else. We are either free from something or free to do and/or be something.

Freedom FROM something

There’s the freedom that we feel when we are no longer in bondage to the past, to old habits, to negativity, a bad relationship, and so many other things that seem like a ball and chain around our ankles.

In this episode, I talk about some of the things we need to be free of:

• the past, not just the bad but sometimes even the good
• a bad relationship
• a dead end job
• negativity
• egotism
• self-depreciation
• worrying about all the terrible stuff going on in the world right now

These are just a few of the things we need to be freed from.

The only real freedom from these things comes from God. When you try to solve the problem on just a human level, it never actually solves the problem and often makes it worse.

Freedom To do and be something

When you are free from the hurts of the past, negativity (yours or someone else’s), or anything that limits you,  you are then free to be and do what God has ordained for you.

You are free to be the real you, made in God’s image, full of life and purpose. You are free to live in the present, to thrive, and go forward with your life.

Christ has set us free. We can let go of whatever tries to hold us to the past, to things that aren’t in accord with God’s will.

Spiritual freedom

You can be free from the things that hold you hostage and free to be who God made you to be and do what God made you to do.

This freedom to be who God made you and His child and heir to the kingdom of God is your divine birthright.

In the spirit of everything Christ Jesus taught us, I say to you: Whatever you need freedom from, you have that freedom right now. Because Christ makes you free.

Accept this freedom. Live out from it. You are free.

Links mentioned in this episode

Finding Your Identity in Christ

James Early is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster and conducts Bible workshops online and in person. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. Contact him here.

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Bible Quotes this week:

Psalm 118:5  ESV
5  Out of my distress I called on the LORD;
the LORD answered me and set me free.

Psalm 146:5-10  ESV
5  Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD his God,
6  who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
7  who executes justice for the oppressed,
who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets the prisoners free;
8  the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;
the LORD loves the righteous.

John 14:10  ESV
10  the Father who dwells in me does his works.

Luke 13:11-17  ESV
11  And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself.
12  When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.”
13  And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God.
14  But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.”
15  Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it?
16  And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?”
17  As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.

Matthew 9:2-7  ESV
2  And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.”
3  And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.”
4  But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?
5  For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?
6  But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.”
7  And he rose and went home.

Luke 8:50-55  ESV
50  But Jesus on hearing this answered Jairus, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.”
51  And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child.
52  And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.”
53  And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead.
54  But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.”
55  And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat.

John 8:31-36  ESV
31  So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,
32  and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33  They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”
34  Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.
35  The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.
36  So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

John 8:44  ESV
44  You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

John 18:37  ESV
37  For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth.

Acts 12:5-16  ESV
5  So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.
6  Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison.
7  And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands.
8  And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.”
9  And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
10  When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him.
11  When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”
12  When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.
13  And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer.
14  Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate.
15  They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!”
16  But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed.

Romans 8:1, 2  ESV
1  There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.[footnote: some manuscripts add who walk not according to the flesh (but according to the Spirit)] 2  For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

Galatians 5:1, 13  ESV
1  For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
13  For you were called to freedom, brothers.