Freedom is a very popular term now. An initial reaction to this word could be that it means I am free to do or be anything I want to be and allow others to do the same.
But this assumes a number of things: I know what true freedom is, I can attain it, and I can be free despite being with others who might have different ideas or power over me.
Already we can see that this initial definition is problematic. Nevertheless, freedom is something we desperately want.
Jesus has much to say about freedom. In our passage, He gives such a radical statement that the hearers were ready to kill Him.
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word (John 8:31-37).
In his gospel, John says his goal for the readers is to believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and then have life in Jesus’ name. True life brings true freedom.
“In Jesus alone we can have true freedom.”
What is a false, deceptive freedom that does not deliver what it promises? It is one that depends on me or anything else I put my hope into.
Jesus gives true freedom
The people hearing Jesus were starting to believe in Him but still were not committed, which is a common theme in John.
Jesus, not wanting them to stay that way, said if they continue in His word, they will know the truth and the truth would set them free. He later said
“if the Son sets you free, you will be really free.”
We see first, it is Jesus’ power that does the freeing. The freedom He gives is without limitations. It is an absolute statement based on His authority.
Next, it does not say that somehow my obedience makes me free. I just respond to Him in belief but He does the work.
But His promise of freedom has implications on my current state. That I am now enslaved.
We only have false freedom in ourselves
The Jews protested saying they were descendants of Abraham and were not enslaved. They thought their physical status guaranteed this.
We can use all types of attainment or privilege in trying to be free. But that makes freedom my own doing.
This is deceptive as
“my striving for my own freedom is actually what enslaves me.”
Jesus further says that when we sin, we become its slave. He gets below any status we have to the heart. Sin, anything that is short of God’s desire for us, is a trap. Since I am enslaved, I only emphasize this slavery more by trying to get out of it on my own. I exclude the Lord in the process and can’t let go of the main sin in me, which is a heart that says to God I can do it myself and cannot really trust You.
Becoming free
But Jesus’ radical word is that He can set us free from our greatest tyranny, that to ourselves. Our efforts to be free and to get meaning in our lives are like fireworks. They burn brightly for a short time and then fade away. We then try to find another thing that will light up our lives. We are caught in a web of things that really cannot satisfy.
How does Jesus as the True Light provide freedom? In His death, He took on all the false freedoms and tyranny we have done.
“He died as a slave on a Roman cross but rose again in victory over all our enslavements.”
Now He offers it to anyone who will entrust themselves to Him to provide it. We learn more and more how to live in His freedom through the truth of His word. Jesus showed our true state of slavery but gives freedom to all who believe in Him for real life.
The choice is ours on what to do. Rejecting Jesus means I sink further into my own trap of self. Trusting in Jesus brings the freedom only He can give.
