What is Believer's Freedom?

What is Believer's Freedom?

"Everything is permissible"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is constructive.
1 Corinthians 10:23 New International Version

I know what it is like to be stripped of freedom. I know what it is like to be handcuffed. I know what it is like to be incarcerated. Well, I know what it is like to be locked up for approximately forty minutes. I can say that will be the last time I will ever drive my car with an expired tag! Though I was only behind bars for less than an hour, I had a brand new appreciation for my freedom once released.

With my newfound freedom I wanted to shout to everyone that I was “free”! I wanted to celebrate my liberty, without limits or borders. But with my freedom came restrictions. Well, sort of. I was indeed free. I could do what I wanted, when I wanted. I was free to break more laws and land myself right back in jail. I was also free to respect the rights and freedoms of others.

When I became a believer in Christ, I gained spiritual freedom. I gained inalienable spiritual rights that only God can provide. With freedom comes the right to sin, frequently. I have the ability to ignore the freedom of other believers in favor of my own. I have the right to create turmoil in my spiritual life. I have the right to live against any and every spiritual law that has been carefully laid out in scripture, but not everything is beneficial or constructive.

I believe there is more to freedom than liberty from oppression. One type of freedom is Grace. When we are followers of Christ, we live in a state of grace. For God has not given us what we deserve. Grace is an aspect of God's generosity and His character. And God’s grace gives us freedom to live in peace and with joy. True godly freedom is our freedom to serve each other. True freedom is our willingness to give up a few personal rights in order to celebrate freedom with others. When is that last time you were free?