This post is for Christians looking to understand what it means to live as people of God, after being set free from eternal punishment for sin by Jesus Christ.
“Freedom in Christ” means that we are free to serve in love and free to do what we should do to please God! Those who are “in Christ” have access to the power or strength needed now to live rightly. Another word for “freedom” in this context can be “empowered” or “strengthened”.)
Introduction
You may have been thought of as having “too low” of Christian standards (e.g. too wild, too permissive) or you may have been judged as someone who has “too high” of Christian standards (e.g. too strict, legalistic). You might even have experienced both of those responses from other Christians, depending on what standards the others hold to, even if your choices remain the same!
So, what are we to do? Aim for middle ground, doing some things according to one group of people and some things to fit with the other group? Take a stand in sharing your thoughts on something even if you are different? Keep quiet?
We might not end up agreeing with each other, unified on the same standard for Biblical principles. But we should at least be unified on major doctrines and aim for agreeing about clear Biblical commands. We both should be willing to understand more about what the Bible has to teach us for principles as we grow to know Christ.
And regardless of the outcome of the discussion, Christians are still love one another!
- “Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.” Romans 15:7 (cf. Acts 9:26-27) (The word “receive” here can also be translated “welcome”, “accept”.)
- “Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.” Romans 15:14
- A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35
- “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” John 15:12 (and v. 17)
This is a post that uses a Sunday School lesson I taught a number of years ago on this topic, a while after a pastor (E. Cooper) had taught on it, defining and explaining some of the points below. (The ladies’ class had requested this kind of study for that term.)
Handouts – Study Sheets
These are pages for both a student (with blanks to fill-in) and the answer sheets (that a teacher can use during the lesson). The level of study is appropriate for teens and adults who have already understood what the gospel/salvation is.
Download the general lesson pages here (for free). (Please note: The introductory and pre-amble sections and the bottom section of this post are not included in those pages.)
Student and Teacher HANDOUT PAGES for “I’m Free!” (Freedom in Christ Lessons)
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works. Declare these things…
Titus 2:11-15 ESV
We not only are saved by grace, the Christian life is to be lived out by God’s grace. And that grace teaches us how to live!
Also, I’m providing an extra study sheet (also free to download) from that term that can be helpful when making decisions for what some Christians call “the Grey Areas”. (Note: If you have come to this webpage from my post “Choosing to Live with a Biblical Foundation” (Part 1), this is the page that is referred to there. The study on “Freedom in Christ” gives this particular page more context/background, so that is why I provided it within this post instead.)
The “Grey Areas” – Helpful Questions to Ask Yourself
Table of Contents
Pre-Amble
“How Do I Know If It’s Good?”
(as it relates to a spiritual choice)
The Word of God is important to consider if anything is a spiritual matter because it is complete in answering that kind of matter (2 Timothy 3:17, Matthew 4:4). (To read more about the importance of the Word of God in our personal lives, see the post, “Choosing to Live with a Biblical Foundation (Part 1)”.
Prayer and the Word of God –
“I prayed about it and I feel peace.” This is perhaps the most popular method that many Christians practice to figure out “if God wants them to do something or not”. It is GOOD to pray about it for sure!
It might be OK to ‘just’ do that sometimes. But it also might not be. Here’s why:
Think of a ruler that I hold in my hand. This is a standard of measurement. It could be right in some situations. But it could also waver or move because I can also move my hands and walk around. I’m not as trustworthy and unwavering as a yard stick hanging on a wall. On my own, I can fail to use the ruler properly, even if I try hard to keep things straight. My feelings are subjective to my ideas and experiences, and/or on what I hear others say.
But the yard stick, hanging from a nail in a solid wall – now that is more objective! It can stay in one place, over generations, as a trustworthy, unwavering standard. If I go over to look at how it measures, I’m being led to think about what it tells me instead. Now it’s true that I might have already been thinking the same as what that stick shows. But, in looking at the yard stick, I might be instead be challenged to consider something better.
Thinking of the yard stick can remind me that God’s Word is our solid foundation for how we are to live. How we read what the Bible says and how we trust its instructions or explain it as only for the original readers, will impact how we use it. (For example, some passages are descriptive, not necessarily prescriptive; and some verses apply to Israel, not necessarily to the Church.)
I don’t agree with the statement – “What is sin for you isn’t necessarily sin for me – I just have to pray about it and I’ll feel a peace if it’s right.” When it’s a matter of ‘what is sin’, God has already put principles in His Word for us Christians to learn about and grow to trust! God’s Word doesn’t disagree with itself, telling one person one thing on spiritual morals but another person, something opposite.
I can be more-confident in making a decision about a spiritual matter when I not only pray about it, but also seek to understand what God has already answered in His Word.
Listening to What Other Christians Say and the Word of God –
It also can be good to pay attention to what other Christians say (or write or model by their example) about godly standards. The Bible indicates that we are wise when we listen to godly counsel and that we need the godly fellowship of believers to speak into our lives (Psalm 1:1, Proverbs 12:15).
But it also teaches us that we should still aim to weigh what we are taught by other Christians with the Word of God (Acts 17:11), not just accept something “because a nice Christian” said it. (This point is especially lacking in the legalistic congregations as they tend to “group-think” their way through lifestyle decisions.)
Again, we can have more certainty in what to think about a spiritual matter, when we check it with the Bible.
Experience(s) and the Word of God –
Experience(s) can be used by God to teach us that something is good or wise or that something causes harm or foolishness. But to base our standards on just experiences can be rather wobbly.
Think of the line of “if it works, it must be from God”! Applied to anything that makes us happy and ‘successful’ (health, wealth, good grades, gaining attention, etc.) this kind of foundation could spell disaster spiritually and make our ways and our ideas look so great, just because we get a positive result.
Again, God’s Word is where we should go to check what is right versus wrong. And it sometimes even teaches us that something isn’t necessarily “good” if it makes us “happy” (Psalm 106:15).
Our Hope/Trust in God’s Sufficiency –
I read a short article recently, about a slightly different topic, one of following God’s will for where a sister in Christ, was called to serve on a mission field. But God used this quote to speak to me while I was writing my post and I thought I’d also quote it here:
“… the One I hope in informs my decisions. My coworkers, who were so baffled at why I would make a change like this, do not answer to the same hope as I do. The truth is that I wouldn’t even dream about leaving everything I know if it wasn’t for the hope that directs my steps.
When our hope is in Christ, it changes the way we interact with the world. Money, comfort, and power to do not motivate our actions or our words. In fact, Jesus gives us freedom from those very things that bind our world. “I can do all things through me who gives me strength” doesn’t have any power or meaning to it. However, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13) completely transforms the way we live.” (Source of quote)
The kind of freedom we need is “in Christ” – in the strength and power He provides to live for Him.
Grow to know more of Christ and His Word!
As we grow in our Christian journey, if, with the Spirit of God working and welcomed in our lives, we can understand what the verse or passage generally means in its context, I think the correct principles will become clearer to us for how these can be applied in our personal decision-making as time goes on.
Dealing with Different Standards
Preferences Versus Standards
“That’s your preference.” A preference isn’t something right or wrong. A preference is based on our personalities or experiences or similar. It’s like saying, “My favourite hymn is _______. I really like the colour blue. I’d like to travel to _____.”
A “standard” is different than a preference. A “standard” means, to that person, that something is either right or wrong.
Why a Christian chooses “to do or not to do” something as a “standard”, should be based on their prayerful understanding of the Scripture, not just a personal opinion or feeling about something.
And standards might or might not change. They reflect a person’s spiritual growth; growth is a process, not a one-time thing.
Speak truth in love –
“…speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!…Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor *, for we are members one of another.
Ephesians 4:15-25 ESV (* in context of the rest of that sentence, this means our Christian brothers and sisters)
The purpose of ‘speaking the truth in love to one another’ is for the growth and strengthening of the Church. Without speaking the truth to one another and without speaking it in love, then doesn’t the Church weaken?
Tough Conversations
Sometimes, it might be best to keep quiet, especially if something doesn’t directly affect you or your family.
But if it IS something to talk about, it isn’t usually easy to tell a person you know who might think opposite to you of why you think something is right or that it is wrong. And sometimes people are hurt in the process of these sorts of discussions, even unintentionally.
Be patient and take time to both listen to each other and share with other. Perhaps you are wrong; perhaps they are wrong. Perhaps, they don’t understand the same things that you understand yet, but given time, they might.
Good communication is important (e.g. Matthew 18), and so is showing respect for other Christians EVEN WHEN they make different choices (1 Peter 2:17, Titus 2:7, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22), since each individual is ultimately accountable to God for what he or she does or takes a stand for what to not do.
“Living in community” doesn’t mean we will always think the same over some issues. For the Christian though, it means we are to pursue both love and purity in the Church family (2 Timothy 2:22). Godly relationships can still continue on if both people disagree about non-major doctrines but are also choosing to remain in fellowship with the Lord (John 17:16-23, 1 John 1:7).
The Freedom in Christ Study: Legalism, License and Liberty
To begin, please read these verses:
- Proverbs 14:15, 15:28, 19:25
- 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1
- 1 Timothy 4:8
- 2 Corinthians 5:9
- Philippians 1:9-11
Holy and Pure
Read: Hebrews 12:14, 1 Peter 1:15-16, 1 Corinthians 1:2, Titus 2:11-12
Holy means: set apart, separated from, saint, a characteristic of God. More is said about holiness in the Bible than about many of today’s popular Christian topics. Christians are called to be holy.
Read James 3:17a, 1 Timothy 5:22b, 1 Peter 4:1-7, James 1:27c, 2 Peter 3:14, 17
Pure means: unspotted, without stain or blemishes, all one type of metal.
What is Legalism?
Read these verses:
- Philippians 3:3, Matthew 23:15, 23, Hebrews 9:14, Matthew 5:17
- James 1:20, 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
- Galatians 2:20-21, 3:1-10, chapter 5, and 6:12
- Romans 15:1-2, Proverbs 19:11, 17:9, Ephesians 6:4
- 1 Timothy 4:6-16, James 5:19-20
- 2 Corinthians 11:15, Galatians 5:1
- Living with a list of do’s and don’ts is NOT necessarily legalism.
- Having “high Biblical Christian standards” is NOT necessarily legalism.
- Not allowing the world’s ways to squeeze us into its’ mould is NOT legalism.
- Preaching and teaching “rights and wrongs” is NOT necessarily legalism.
- Following rules to earn salvation/eternal life IS legalism.
- Following rules to earn God’s favour (grace) as a Christian IS legalism (because grace=undeserved favour).
Thinking that if you make choices to follow Biblical standards of holy living and purity, then you are a superior Christian is dangerous and wrong and full of pride. ( 1 Cor. 10:12, Romans 12:10, Matt. 6:1, 5:16)
If you make choices to follow Biblical standards of holy living and purity, then you’ll have a closer fellowship with God (walking in the light, walking in the Spirit) and be a clearer witness to the world. (1 John 1:6, Titus 2:5c, 1 Timothy 4:16, 1 Peter 2:11-12, 3:1b-2).
What is License?
Read these verses:
- Proverbs 25:26 (compromise)
- Romans 13:11-14
- Romans 6:1-2, 12-15
- James 1:13-16, 2 Peter 2:19
- the Book of Jude (which describes unsaved people within the church influencing the believers away from the Biblical meaning of grace). Note especially Jude 1:4, 16, (19).
License is living as we please (with no limits or rules to follow).
License wants no “dos and don’ts” list which often, means a list of “wills and won’ts”.
License does not honour Christ as Lord and reigning in the believer’s life.
License believes that the only difference non-Christians need to see in our lives is the “fruit of the Spirit” qualities (e.g “peace” and “joy” in trials), that we “love” and “accept” everyone and are free to do whatever we want to do. License tries to blend in with the world.
(Compromise can be defined as blending with and uniting in spite of opposing ideas.)
What is Liberty?
(What does it mean to be “free in Christ”?):
Read these verses:
- Romans 6:18-22
- 1 Corinthians 6:12, 10:23, 9:22, 1 Peter 4:1-4
- James 1:25
- Galatians 5:13, 1 Peter 2:16
- Romans 8:1-4
- Philippians 4:13, 1 Corinthians 10:11-13, 1 Peter 1:3-4
No more rules or limits to what I can participate in? No. Liberty/freedom is not the same as an absence of obedience.
No limits to methods of witnessing (“as long as the motivation is good, it’s OK”)? No. (This was a topic mentioned later in that class.)
Free to serve unselfishly out of love? Yes!
Free from sin’s punishment, free from its’ power/grip in my life strengthened through Christ, and in eternity, free from sin’s presence? Yes!
I’m forgiven and under grace so I can even sin because I’m free? (1 Peter 2:16) No. Liberty is not to be a cover-up.
Main Point: We are free to serve in love and free to do what we should do to please God! (We are empowered now to live with God providing us strength so that we CAN to do what is right!)
“A Servant of Sin” versus “A Servant of Righteousness”
“A Servant of Sin”
- is a slave, no freedom to do “good” according to God’s standard (see Isaiah 64:6, Romans 3:12, 20-22, 10:1-5)
- is under sin’s bondage… can’t help but keep sinning since powerless on their own
- the master is the god of this world who blinds (pleasures of sin are for a season)
“A Servant of Righteousness”
(i.e. “A servant of doing what is right”)
- is a bondservant (not a master) (not to live “free” as if without a master)
- has chosen to surrender their life to serving their Master, to do what He tells them to do [as they grow in understanding of His Word].
- Many Christians struggle with “finding God’s will” for their life, by which they often mean their calling (“vocation and location”). God has shown us through His Word so much of what His will is (just look up the word “will” in a concordance and anything that relates to it) that if we start with obeying Him in those things, the rest will be given as we allow Him to order our footsteps.
- are free from sin’s master to serve the living and true God who rescues us (1 Thes.1:9, 10)
- now have the freedom to do “good” and please God (Hebrews 13:16)
- our Lord gives us all the power needed to live a holy life (2 Peter 1:3-4, 1 Cor.10:13, Heb. 4:16)
- when we walk our Lord who is the Light, we can confess sin and be forgiven/cleansed. (1 John 1:5-9)
- and if we walk with Him, we have fellowship – The Bible teaches that God’s servants are to obey with sincerity, respect, fear, love, and be separate (holy) from worldly passions. (Eph.5-8, 2 Tim. 2:21-22, 1 John 2:15-17, Matt. 6:37)
The Reason(s) for Holy Living:
Read: 2 Timothy 1:9, Ephesians 2:8-9 and John 14:23, 1 John 4:19
A quote from an old hymn, “Holiness Unto The Lord” (Lelia N. Morris, 1900, Public Domain):
“Called unto holiness,” Church of God, Purchase of Jesus, redeemed by His blood;
Called from the world and its idols to flee, Called from the bondage of sin to be free…
Not our own righteousness, but Christ within – Living, and reigning, and saving from sin.
Questions to ask ourselves:
Legalist: Why am I frustrating the grace of God? What am I trying to earn?
Licentious: Is Christ my first love? Is He worth forsaking worldly passions?
Because of the Love of Christ –
‘Freedom in Christ’ means that we no longer need to live for ourselves but rather for God. And we do so because of the love of Christ shown to us, as we grow to understand His love more.
The more I am aware of God’s love, through the Holy Spirit moving in me to do His work and teach me His Word, the more pressed I am to serve Him with my whole life – every aspect, not just traditions, or convenient choices that the crowd of others might do or not do.
There is a sermon called “Gifts of the Spirit” by Dr. Charles U. Wagner, on our ministry website, The Word In Our Hearts that has a poem I’m sharing in this short audio clip below.
Finally, I remember my dad leading the singing for the old hymn, “Deeper, Deeper, In the Love of Jesus” (written by Charles Price Jones). That hymn fits with this post too: